According to our current knowledge, the orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) was the first great-ape species to split off from the evolutionary tree that led to modern humans. This happened about 14 million years ago (Goodman, 1999). In searching for the origins of human cognition and human language it is therefore imperative to gain knowledge about the… Continue reading Gestural Communication in Wild Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) in Tanjung Puting National Park
Category: Science Corner
The Tale of the Rimba Monkeys
In Tanjung Puting National Park, long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are a fairly common sight along the Sekoyner River. During the late afternoon they can often be seen preparing to roost in the tall trees along the river’s banks. Amongst these riverside monkeys, dwells one group of long-tails that lives around the Rimba Orangutan Ecolodge. These… Continue reading The Tale of the Rimba Monkeys
Surveying Bats at Camp Leakey
Bat researcher, Matt Struebig, began working at Camp Leakey in Tanjung Puting National Park three months ago to conduct a survey of bat species diversity in the park. Matt started doing bat research in 2000 as a volunteer in Sulawesi, Indonesia and trained for a year before he began his own research. He has worked… Continue reading Surveying Bats at Camp Leakey
Field Update by Leslie Smith, GIS Project Manager
A new conservation project focused on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is under way at Tanjung Puting National Park. GIS is a digital mapping technology used to store and analyze geographic information. This technology is especially useful for conservation planning because it helps people understand, synthesize and communicate many different layers of information about a conservation… Continue reading Field Update by Leslie Smith, GIS Project Manager