Maxent model application for conflict mitigation of Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) in oil palm plantation

Abstract

The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) is a flagship species and is protected by the Government of Indonesia and the global community. Orangutan habitat is in a tropical rainforest ecosystem. Orangutan exists in conservation area and development area (outside conservation). Development activities, such as oil palm plantations, cause fragmentation of orangutan habitat and triggers conflicts with humans. This study aims to map the suitability class of orangutan habitat and areas with potential conflicts around oil palm plantations and determine mitigation measures. The study site is located in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, consisting of forested areas and areas for development. This study uses the Maximum Entrophy (MaxEnt) model, which can simulate the probability of orangutans' presence based on influencing environmental variables. Primary data is from 2019-2020 survey, and secondary data is collected from various sources. The study area is divided into three classes of orangutan habitat suitability: high, medium, and low. The dominant environmental variables in determining suitability classes are land use and land cover. The high and medium habitat suitability classes are mostly located in forested areas. The suitable habitat for orangutans in the study area is fragmented by community cultivation areas and oil palm plantations. Oil palm plantations are the variable with the highest contribution to the mapping of potential conflict vulnerabilities. The mitigation zone in the study area is divided into four zones. Zones 1, 2, and 3 can be linked by developing an orangutan corridor to connect with the nearby orangutan habitat in Gunung Palung National Park. Zone-1 is a Gunung Tarak Protected Forest, a buffer forest area for the Gunung Palung National Park. Zone-1 is the core orangutan conservation zone in the study area. This study suggests that oil palm companies in zones 1, 2, and 3 prioritize mitigation measures with passive preventive actions, while those in zone 4 can take active preventive mitigation actions.