Dedication of Bekantan’s Friend

Even though the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) is endangered, does not get nearly the public attention that the orangutan gets. This has prompted Amalia Rezeki, 32, help save the almost forgotten proboscis monkey.

KOMPAS/JUMARTO YULIANUS

Amalia Rezeki, 32, a biology lecturer at Lambung Mangkurat University, is pictured on Sunday (23/2/2020) at the Bekantan Rescue Center in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. Amalia has been working to protect the bekantan, or proboscis monkey, in South Kalimantan.

"It was a sense of scientific responsibility, national responsibility and religious responsibility that compelled me to save the proboscis monkey," she said in an interview in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Wednesday (05/02/2020).

Amel, as she is usually called, holds a master’s degree in biology. Therefore, she understands the importance of flora and fauna for the sustainability of life. Unfortunately, she has found evidence that many wild animals are endangered in South Kalimantan, one of them being the proboscis monkey, locally known as bekantan or “Dutch monkey”.

This animal is included on the Red List (of endangered species) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) also includes the proboscis monkeys on the list of endangered primate species. Thus, trade of this animal must be regulated very tightly.

The government has also declared the proboscis monkey a protected animal based on the Wild Animal Protection Ordinance of 1931 No. 134 and No. 266 in relation to Law No. 5/1990 on biological conservation.

In other provinces, I see that most of the people engaged in conservation are foreigners. I think we should protect our own biodiversity.

"In 1990, bekantan was declared the mascot of South Kalimantan province, but its conservation efforts have not been optimal," said the lecturer of Lambung Mangkurat University’s School of Biology.

As a South Kalimantan resident, Amel has the drive to preserve the proboscis monkey. This is what she calls national responsibility. "In other provinces, I see that most of the people engaged in conservation are foreigners. I think we should protect our own biodiversity," she said.

Amel, who has learned Islamic teachings since childhood, was also aware of the task of humans as khalifah [leaders] who must protect what God has created on earth. "So, saving the proboscis monkey is the same as saving the human civilization," she added.

KOMPAS/JUMARTO YULIANUS

Amalia Rezeki

Friend of the bekantan

Amel began to focus on the conservation of the proboscis monkey in 2013. That year, she established the Indonesian Friends of the Proboscis Foundation (SBI) to support the protection and preservation of the monkey and other wildlife and their habitat.

According to her, it is impossible to save wild animals if their house, or habitat, is not saved. "Conservation is not the responsibility of the government alone, but it’s a shared responsibility. If the government, the private sector and the community act together, the results will be better."

SBI seeks to raise awareness and educate the public on the importance of the proboscis monkey for the ecosystem. Then, there is a rescue, rehabilitation and release program for proboscis monkeys. So far, 45 proboscis monkeys have been rescued and rehabilitated. All of them were released into conservation areas, such as Bakut Island, Kaget Island and Curiak Island in Barito Kuala regency. In total, there are 11 conservation areas in South Kalimantan.

Beyond that, the SBI seeks to restore the rambai tree (Baccaurea motleyana), a plant that commonly grows on riverbanks. Rambai mangroves are the habitat of the proboscis, which feeds on young leaves of the rambais. "Proboscis monkeys are leaf eaters, not banana or fruit eaters like other monkeys," she said.

Conservation is not the responsibility of the government alone, but it’s a shared responsibility.

Until now, around 5,000 rambai trees have been planted in several conservation areas and outside conservation areas. This year, the SBI is aiming to plant 10,000 rambai trees.

The SBI has collaborated with Lambung Mangkurat University to build the Bekantan Research Station on Curiak Island. The station plays an important role as a place for scientific research in wetland ecosystems. It was also built for bekantan ecotourism. "We, together with the Banjarmasin city administration, launched the Bekantan Ecotourism program in 2016," she said.

Amel regularly checks on the proboscis monkeys in their habitat on Bakut Island, Kaget Island and Curiak Island. To get there, she must cross by boat the Barito River, which is hundreds of meters wide. She then enters the wet and muddy rambai mangrove forests.

She casually mingles with the shy primate at the proboscis monkey rescue and rehabilitation center in Banjarmasin. "The proboscis monkey is unique. If you often observe its behavior, you will definitely fall in love," she said, laughing.

KOMPAS/JUMARTO YULIANUS

Amalia Rezeki

Build a network

Amel said the SBI programs were designed to support funding the proboscis conservation efforts. So far, bekantan conservation activities have only received rare support from a few parties. Because of this, SBI managers must look for funds.

"Internationally, the bekantan is not as sexy as the orangutan. We must aggressively carry out campaigns in a number of countries and build networks through friendship and social media to attract support," Amel said.

Support from various parties for the conservation of the proboscis monkey is needed, because the population of the primate continues to shrink. Based on data from the South Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency, the number of proboscis monkeys outside the conservation areas in 2018 was around 2,500, down 50 percent from 2013.

According to Amalia, the decline in the proboscis population in nature is mainly due to external factors, namely land use change, forest fires, illegal hunting and trade in wildlife. The rate of extinction is higher than the restoration of its habitat.

Amalia Rezeki

Born: Banjarmasin, Feb. 25, 1988

Education:

- Undergraduate degree in biology from Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) (2006-2010)

- Master’s in biology from ULM (2012-2013)

- Doctoral degree in Natural Resources and Environment Management (2018-present)

Job: Lecturer at Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM)

Organization:

- Chairperson of Indonesia Bekantan Friends Foundation (2013-present)

- Head of Indonesian Biodiversity Conservation and Study Center (2013-present)

Award:

- International award from ASEAN Youth Eco-Championship (Ayeca) in Cambodia (2019)