Biological extinction Getting Faster

ANTARA/RONY MUHARRMAN

Manggala Agni firefighters of the Pekanbaru Regional Operation extinguish a peatland fire on April 3, 2019 in Karya Indah village, Kampar regency, Riau. The Riau Forestry Task Force is continuing efforts to extinguish forest and peatland fires to prevent haze in the province.

Protection of species in Indonesia faces serious challenges. Animal habitat is shrinking because of rising demands for land for both economic activities and residential areas.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Some species of flora and fauna in Indonesia are estimated to be going extinct faster than the global average. This is being triggered by the elimination of natural forests and the spread of animal hunting. Cooperation of all parties needs to be strengthened by building essential ecosystems and wildlife corridors.

Insects in particular are experiencing a very high extinction rate. "My estimation is that 30 to 40 percent of insect species in Indonesia are headed for extinction and 70 percent on Java. The extinction rate is increasing rapidly because of changes in the ecosystem," said Prof. Rosichon Ubaidilah, an insect expert at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, who is also a member of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) of the Asia-Pacific delegation to the United Nations, in Jakarta, Wednesday (8/5/2019).

In an IPBES report about the 1 million species of flora and fauna that are under threat of extinction globally, 10 percent are insect species (Kompas, 08/05/2019). The extinction of insect species in Indonesia is caused by habitat loss from land conversion and fires.

In a number of areas, including Jambi, Riau and Bandar Lampung, several species are threatened with extinction. The Harimau Kita Forum (FHK) noted that since 2015 the Sumatran tiger was declared extinct in six of 33 habitat pockets. Of the 19 habitat pockets that have not been managed, extinction occurred, among other places, in Maninjau and Tanah Karo. "Without intervention, extinction will occur at a faster rate," said Yoan Dinata from the FHK.

ANTARA FOTO/SYIFA YULINNAS

Smoke rises from newly cleared land on May 2, 2019 in a protected forest of West Aceh regency, Aceh. The Aceh Natural Forest and Environment Foundation’s 2015-2018 data revealed that forest encroachment had affected 75,000 hectares out of 3 million hectares of Aceh\'s forest area.

A similar problem is experienced by Sumatran elephants. Data from the Indonesian Elephant Conservation Forum (FKGI) indicated that in the last 10 years the elephant population has shrunk significantly. "Previously, the population was 2,600 elephants and since 2017 the population has been less than 1,500 elephants," said Krismanko Padang, FKGI chairman.

Efforts to encourage elephant breeding have been carried out, including in Riau. According to the chairman of mahouts with the Elephant Response Unit of the Way Kambas National Park, Lampung, Nazaruddin, the Elephant Response Unit team has been breeding elephants since 2015.

In Riau in the early 1980s there were still Sumatran rhinos. The government tried to breed the rhinoceros, but failed because knowledge about preservation was minimal. So far, Sumatran rhinoceros protection has been carried out through both forest rehabilitation and breeding.

In Bali, breeding Bali\'s starlings outside their habitat in the West Bali National Park helps raised the population of endemic species of Bali in the wild. According to the head of West Bali National Park, Agus Ngurah Krisna Kepakisan, community breeding of Bali starlings has also been carried out.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

A woman walks along a wooden plank path in the Punggualas ecotourism area of Sebangau National Park in Katingan regency, Central Kalimantan. The forest, which has a black lake, is one of the park’s major tourist attractions, while researchers and students frequent the park’s orangutan habitat.

A researcher with the Hutan Kita Institute, Benny Hidayat, said in Palembang, South Sumatra, that the government must have a clear program of species protection, such as by building wildlife corridors and establishing animal rehabilitation institutions.

The director general of natural resources and ecosystem conservation of the Environment and Forestry Ministry, Wiratno, said that his office encouraged community participation and law enforcement to protect species. (AIK/ICH/SAH/ VIO/RAM/ ITA/AIN/COK)