Ecotourism
Ecotourism has the potential to contribute
both to the conservation of orangutans as well as local development goals, and can be a sustainable livelihood opportunity for local communities living near protected
areas. The Sumatran orangutan has extraordinary potential to catalyse
conservation action for the Gunung
Leuser National
Park through its ability to capture the attention
and support of the general public, so that tourism can be seen as a welcome venture.
However, it must be done responsibly and managed correctly for it to function
sustainably and in the best interests of the local communities, wildlife and
habitats.
Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra, was once the site of an orangutan rehabilitation project, and continues to provide the opportunity for visitors to view both semi-wild and wild Sumatran orangutans on daily excursions into the Gunung Leuser National Park.
It is forbidden to touch, feed, or disturb the animals, yet such practices still do occur. Large groups of visitors in Bukit Lawang are often brought within close proximity to, and in actual physical contact with the orangutans. This is a major cause for concern in terms of disease transfer due to the close relationship between humans and orangutans. Unauthorized feeding is also a problem as it discourages the semi-wild population from reducing any dependence on humans and becoming free-living in the wild.
Our project aims to transform Bukit Lawang into a world-renowned ecotourism site and centre of conservation learning and education; a region where the local community, national, and international visitors can learn about the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan and the countless other species co-existing in the forest ecosystem with them. The programme has also been conducted in the nearby village of Tangkahan, also located on the border of the GLNP. This area is most well-known as a tourism site for ex-captive Sumatran elephant viewing and trekking, and is becoming an exemplary site of community-based ecotourism.
SOS and
OIC works with the local communities to better serve the tourism industry and
help protect the wildlife and environment that tourists pay to see (and results
in those visitors becoming more informed themselves). We have been implementing
new protocols and sustainable ecotourism standards, including distances from
the animals, limited group sizes and viewing times. These will help sustain the
remaining orangutan population in the area, reduce any negative effects of
tourism on natural behaviour and prevent disease transmission. We have also produced a range of information
materials for local and international visitors through the installation of
signboards, an information centre, produced a film reviewing park guidelines,
brochures, national park guidebook, and lecture sessions.
2009 was an eventful year
for the Gunung Leuser Ecotourism Development Programme. Our main focus was on forest
guide training sessions, which were conducted with great success and are
already having a positive impact in the area. It is crucial
that guides have a high level of knowledge on the forest and its wildlife, as
well as a detailed understanding of the associated conservation issues, so that
they can pass on this information to visitors, as well as their local
communities. A total of 95 guides have completed our training programme to
date.