Indonesia Orangutan Conservation (Sumatra) Travel in a small group, staying in remote forest camps, as you track orangutans and other fascinating native species on this research project, vital to developing sustainable conservation programmes. You'll travel in a small group, staying in remote forest camps, as you track Orangutans and other fascinating native species like the Sun Bear, Clouded Leopard, and Slow Loris. The work of the research project is vital to developing well-targeted conservation programmes aimed at protecting threatened habitats from human encroachment. Without your help, the world's last remaining Orangutans could find their forest habitat destroyed before their very eyes. Read the Indonesia Orangutan Conservation Project of the Week article on GapYearBlog PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS Hands on contribution to world leading orangutan research Follow and observe Sumatran Orangutans in their natural habitat Experience village life in Indonesia Jungle trekking in the tropical rainforest of North Sumatra Make lifelong friends This is a Frontier Connect project! PROJECT REQUIREMENTS Minimum age of 18 years FAST FACTS Location Activities Transport Accommodation Sumatra, Indonesia Site clearance Observe and track orangutans Contribute towards scientific research Data collection Transport to &from the airport Camping
WHAT DOES THE PROJECT DO? Orangutans originally roamed from India to South China and to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Now only a few places with wild Orangutans remain and these are found only on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. This project was set up to investigate special behaviours and ecological conditions necessary to maintain health in wild orangutans. Currently this project is the only on-going and long-term orangutan health research project being conducted in the world at this time. This is partly due to the complexity of self-medicating behaviours of the orangutan and the astonishing variety of flora in the rainforest, which also entails geographical and seasonal variations. There is still a great need for more information to be gathered and for further research to be conducted in order for us to continue learning about orangutan health and how orangutans combat disease. The primary focus of the research to-date is investigating and understanding how wild orangutans combat parasitic infections. Parasite infections can and do affect everything from health to reproduction and fertility, and ultimately survival. Understanding preventive and curative methods in wild orangutans will aid rehabilitation programs in the future to teach possible reintroduced orangutans health practices similar to those of wild orangutan populations in surrounding areas, thus enabling a higher chance of survival once reintroduced orangutans are on their own in the forest. Due to the rapid decline of rainforest trees and plants each year, the project also aims to facilitate rainforest preservation by bringing to light the enormity of the importance of Indonesian rainforests through information obtained through our research regarding the healing properties of plants found only in the rainforests. The use or consumption of these plants is not limited to wild orangutans, but also applies to captive orangutans. Perhaps, eventually, some of these same plants can be used in natural and pharmaceutical medicines to treat human ailment. As a volunteer, you will be directly involved in our work in a variety of ways. It is impossible to express how important volunteers are to the functioning and health of our project and research; without the support of our volunteers, the project could never have made it to where it is today. We need your help to: Process and enter data from our field researchers across Indonesia Maintain and preserve project equipment, samples, and data Observe and track wild orangutans Collect data and samples from the rainforest In exchange for your support and assistance, we are able to offer a challenging but rewarding experience. You will have the increasingly rare opportunity to see primary rainforest in one of the most beautiful areas in the world, and with a bit of luck you will be within viewing distance of one of the most graceful primates on earth. We aim for your time with us to be both exciting and educational. You will learn about orangutan behavior and ecology first hand, and will learn to appreciate the complexities and difficulties of conservation and research in a place like Indonesia. While trekking, our knowledgeable guides will teach you about the ecology of tropical rainforest biomes like that of Taman Nasional Gunung Leuser. In addition, you will be immersed in a beautiful and fascinating country Indonesia is rich in cultural and natural diversity unlike anywhere else in the world.
WHAT WILL I BE DOING? Tasks at base: Orangutan behavioral data entry; Processing (cataloguing, weighing, inventorying) fecal or plant samples; Preserving plant samples in our herbarium Preparing new plant samples for our herbarium; Shopping for project supplies in town or at the local market; Updating weather and climate data Helping with maintenance of headquarters and project equipment Brainstorming ideas to help the project's promotion and operation Tasks in the forest: Locating areas with significant wild orangutan populations Finding and following wild orangutans for individual identification, to collect behavioral data and to gather plant and fecal samples (Note: It is not easy to find wild orangutans and many hours trekking does not guarantee any sightings) Nest counting to provide seasonally varying estimates of the orangutan population Fruit trail transects to record the range of foodstuffs available to orangutans in an area WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I ARRIVE? You will be greeted at the Medan Polonia Airport by a friendly Frontier representative on Monday morning. Together you will travel back to the project base at 2.5 hours away. There you will settle in to the project accommodation and be given an orientation presentation including; what the project does, a brief history of conservation in Indonesia, what tasks are required at the base and an outline of the trekking schedule to come. The following 2 days will see you assisting with tasks at the project base before embarking on the 5 day trek into the rainforest. WHERE WILL I BE STAYING? Trekking in the Rainforest is 5 days, with the rest of your time being spent at the project base. You will be camping out in the Orangutan's backyard as you work your way through the rainforest, washing your clothes in the fresh streams and rivers which criss-cross the land. Accommodation will be basic but comfortable and you will have access to washing and cooking facilities. The project base is set amongst rice paddies in a small village on the fringe of the Gunung Leuser National Park. At is the base there are kitchen facilities, office and working spaces and two small accommodation buildings. Accommodation facilities at the project base consist of basic, clean and comfortable bamboo huts elevated above rice paddie fields. You are provided with single beds, mosquitoes nets, toilet and basic washing facilities. Whilst trekking in the rainforest you will be required to sleep at the pre-existing project site alongside the Landak River. You will be provided with sleeping mats and sleeping bags. Basic jungle style toilet and washing in the river are the most refreshing options while in the rainforest.
WHAT WILL I BE EATING? A large variety of traditional indonesian cuisine will be served three times a day. At the base mouth watering rice dishes of chicken and vegetable curries (usually with some degree of chili) will be served.. When in the rainforest you will also be well looked after with three meals a day, coffee and tea. COSTS Project fee (student) US$ 1,045 Project fee (non-student) US$ 1,395 Registration fee US$ 85 DEPARTURE DATES Projects start on the first Monday of the month. One deployment date per month only. DURATION 13 days WHAT'S INCLUDED Before you go Pre-departure support &documentation Travel &medical advice &documentation Advice on visas &equipment Discounted medical kit Free Frontier t-shirt In-country Food Accommodation Airport pick-up &drop-off Ground transfers to project Project orientation Project equipment In-country emergency support 24-hour international HQ back-up AIRPORT INFORMATION
Nearest airport(s): Medan (MES) CONTACT INFORMATION Call us on 020 7613 2422 (UK) / 1 949 336 8178 (US) Mail us on info@frontier.ac.uk Check out our social media here: Project details were correct at the time this document was generated. Price, dates and other details are subject to change. Please see our website for current details for this project.