Sumatran Orang-utan Society

The Sumatran Orang-utan Society (SOS) was founded by Panut Hadisiswoyo. The society runs outreach and educational programs to help the locals better co-exist with orang-utans

The aim of SOS is to generate more awareness about the significance of protecting the orang-utans and their habitats. SOS also lend its support to projects which restores the habitats of orang-utans through tree planting programs and campaigning on issues which threaten the orang-utan population.

The SOS is also supportive towards various field projects such as the restoration of degraded land, building a network of “conservation villages” which promote the sustainable use of ecosystems rather than exploitation, the formation of a human-orang-utan conflict response unit and environmental education.

Conservation Efforts

1. “Conservation Villages”

“Conservation villages” are used to encourage conservation among communities that are living next to ecosystems. This will help them understand the vital role that they play in protecting the forests and how they can improve their livelihoods through participation in conservation projects. The programmes seek to empower the locals by providing them with the necessary tools and motivation to adopt a sustainable livelihood which in turn will protect the orang-utans. Some of these programmes include organic farming and tree nursery management. Through community engagement in the programmes, not only does it generate awareness, it also instills a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the environment, which will result in protection of the orang-utans.

2. “OrangUvan”

The “OrangUvan” is equipped with a library and a mobile cinema. It visits villages and schools on a regular basis to ensure children and adults are aware of conservation efforts towards the orang-utan community and the importance of protecting these animals. There is free access to books, and discussions and debates are held as well. Working together with the Great Ape Film Initiative, environmental films are screened. These films are screened in the local language to raise awareness about the issues of illegal logging, pet trade and the consequences of disrupting the rain forest. Moreover, presentations on the topic of orang-utans are given to highlight the importance of protecting their habitats.

3.Scholarships and Apprenticeships

Since 2006, scholarships are given to Indonesian university students. This aims to provide support for studies of the orang-utan ecology and conservation in Sumatra. Students who are recipients of these scholarships will later become key members of the conservation sector, working in biodiversity and habitat protection in Indonesia. Besides that, apprenticeships are available to train the next generation of aspiring conservationists to help in ensuring a sustainable future for biodiversity and forest conservation.

4. Human Orang-utan Conflict Respond Unit

The Human Orang-utan Conflict Respond Unit (HOCRU) is responsible for responding to human-orang-utan conflicts and monitoring areas which are prone to crop raiding.Crop raiding is a key cause of conflict between humans and orang-utans. As large areas of the orang-utans’ habitat are cleared away, it leaves them wandering into places particularly common spaces where orang-utans and humans meet. These common spaces refer to the farms and plantations where crop raiding is prevalent. Crop raiding has detrimental effects for both humans and orang-utans. With crops raided by the orang-utans, there will be economic loss for the farmers. While for the orang-utans, they are at a higher risk of being shot and hunted because they are being regarded as pests and intrude into the territories of humans’. Thus, this unit was set up to involve the farmers and plantation workers in human-orang-utan conflict prevention methods. These methods must be simple, inexpensive and safe for both humans and orang-utans.

Picture credits
Sumatran Orang-utan Society logo. Source: Sumatran Orang-utan Society
Community conservation. Source: Sumatran Orang-utan Society
OrangUvan. Source: Orang-utan Information Centre
HOCRU. Source: Sumatran Orang-utan Society