Journal of

Indonesian Natural History

July 2015 Vol.3 No.1

 Journal of Indonesian Natural History
Editors
Dr. Wilson Novarino Dr. Carl Traeholt
Associate Professor for Biology Programme Director, Southeast Asia
Department of Biology Research and Conservation Division
Andalas University, Indonesia Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark

Email: editorjinh@jinh.org Email: ctraeholt@gmail.com

Editorial board
Dr. Ardinis Arbain Dr. Ramadhanil Pitopang
University of Andalas, Indonesia Tadulako University, Indonesia

Indra Arinal Dr. Lilik Budi Prasetyo

National Park Management, Department of Forestry Indonesia Bogor Institute of Agriculture, Indonesia

Dr. Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz Dr. Dewi Malia Prawiradilaga

Nottingham University Malaysia Campus, Malaysia Indonesia Institute of Science, Indonesia

Dr. Mads Frost Bertelsen Dr. Rizaldi

Research and Conservation Division, Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark University of Andalas, Indonesia

Dr. Susan Cheyne Dr. Dewi Imelda Roesma

Oxford University, Wildlife Research Unit, United Kingdom University of Andalas, Indonesia

Bjorn Dahlen Dr. Jeffrine Rovie Ryan

Green Harvest Environmental Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia Wildlife Forensics Lab, Dept. of Wildlife and National Parks, Malaysia

Dr. Niel Furey Boyd Simpson

Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia Research and Conservation Division, Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark

Dr. Benoit Goossens Robert B. Stuebing

Cardiff University, United Kingdom Herpetology and Conservation Biology, Indonesia

Dr. Djoko Iskandar Dr. Sunarto

Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia WWF-Indonesia

Dr. Matthew Linkie Dr. Jatna Supriatna

Fauna & Flora International, Singapore University of Indonesia

Dr. Erik Meijaard Dr. Campbell O. Webb

People and Nature Consulting International, Indonesia The Arnold Aboretum, Harvard University, USA
Dr. John Payne Dr. Zainal Z. Zainuddin
Borneo Rhino Alliance, Malaysia Borneo Rhino Alliance, Malaysia

The Journal of Indonesian Natural History is published biannually by the Department of Biology at the Andalas University, Padang, Sumatra
Barat, Indonesia, in collaboration with Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark. The Department of Biology at Andalas University is dedicated to
educating Indonesian biologists in the study and conservation of Indonesias biodiversity and natural history. Copenhagen Zoo, through its
Research and Conservation Division, supports in-situ conservation in Southeast Asia by assisting local organizations and individuals who
undertake research, capacity building and the implementation of conservation programmes and projects.

The Journal of Indonesian Natural History is published by the Department of Biology, Andalas University, Indonesia in collaboration
with Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark. It is available for free from www.jinh.net

Cover photo: Tall canopy of a pristine tropical rainforest Carl Traeholt

2 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

Editorial
Mapping the conservation value of biodiversity outside
protected areas in Indonesia
Carl Traeholt1 and Wilson Novarino2
Copenhagen Zoo, Southeast Asia Programme, Malaysia
1
Andalas University, Padang, Sumatra
2
Corresponding authors: email: editorjinh@jinh.org
B iodiversity across the Globe has experienced
repeated set-backs, with species being declared
either locally or globally extinct annually (Juffe-
Bignoli et al., 2014; Pimm et al., 2014; Thomas et
al., 2004). This negative trend is particularly caused
by widespread habitat loss and subsequent increased
habitat fragmentation (Haddad et al., 2015; Margono
et al., 2014). Vast landscapes of prime habitat is being
divided into ever smaller pieces and the large tracts
of intact ecosystems are becoming increasingly rare.
The loss of species is a 1000 times faster than normal
background rate (De Vos et al., 2015).
Indonesia has not been immune to this negative
development (Margono et al., 2013; Wilcove et al.,
2014) (Fig. 1). The enormous tracts of primary rainforest
landscapes on the islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra
are undergoing fragmentation at an unprecedented rate,
and in smaller fragments, biodiversity is exposed to a
multitude of detrimental aftermaths caused by edge
Figure 1: Annual primary forest cover loss, 20002012,
for Indonesia as a whole and by island group (Sumatra,
Kalimantan, Papua, Sulawesi, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara and
Java and Bali). From Margono et al., 2013.
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
effects and climate changes (Gibson et al., 2013;
Laurance et al., 2011; Thomas et al., 2004). When a
population of a specific species become too small they
become increasingly vulnerable to stochastic variables
(Lacy and Pollak, 2014; Trail et al., 2010).
Ironically, the total land area gazetted as Protected
Area has increased steadily (Juffe-Bignoli et al., 2014;
Pfaff et al., 2014; Ritchie et al., 2013). This may seem
counter intuitive, however, even if all the reasons for the
Worlds ongoing biodiversity loss may never be described
fully, there is enough scientific evidence to conclude that
relying on protected areas alone, will not halt the loss
of biodiversity (Juffe-Bignoli et al., 2014; Venter et al.,
2014).
The need to consider the biodiversity value of landscapes
outside a protected areas network is essential to sustaining
a meaningful biodiversity conservation in the future. This
issue of the Journal of Indonesian Natural History is
dedicated to Murung Raya, which stands as an example of
an immensely biodiversity rich area that does not form part
of Indonesias protected areas network. With this issue, we
hope to stimulate more focus and dedicated biodiversity
work in areas that are not yet afforded any form of
protection in Indonesia. Considering the conservation
value of such areas, this will contribute enormously to
mapping the nations biodiversity heritage for future
effective and efficient management and protection.
References
De Vos, J.M., Joppa, L.N., Gittleman, J.L., Stephens,
P.R. and S.L. Pimms (2015). Estimating the Normal
Background Rate of Species Extinction. Conservation
Biology 29: 452462. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12380
3
Gibson, L., Lynam, A.J., Bradshaw, C.J.A., Fangliang
H., Bickford, D.P, Woodruff, D.P., Bumrungsri, S.
and W.F. Laurance (2013). Near-Complete Extinction
of Native Small Mammal Fauna 25 Years After
Forest Fragmentation. Science 341(6153): 1508-1510.
[DOI:10.1126/science.1240495]
Haddad, N.M., Brudvig, L.A., Clobert, J., Davies4,,
K.F., Gonzalez, A., Holt, R.D., Lovejoy, T.E., Sexton,
J.O., Austin, M.P., Collins, C.D., Cook, W.M.,
Damschen, E.I., Ewers, R.M., Foster, B.L., Jenkins,
C.N., King, A.J., Laurance, W.F., Levey, D.J., Margules,
C.R., Melbourne, B.A., Nicholls, A.O., Orrock, J.L.,
Dan-Xia Song and J.R. Townshend (2015). Habitat
fragmentation and its lasting impact on Earths
ecosystems. Science Advances 1(2): e1500052 DOI:
10.1126/sciadv.1500052
Juffe-Bignoli, D., Burgess, N.D., Bingham, H., Belle,
E.M.S., de Lima, M.G., Deguignet, M., Bertzky, B.,
Milam, A.N., Martinez-Lopez, J., Lewis, E., Eassom,
A., Wicander, S., Geldmann, J., van Soesbergen, A.,
Arnell, A.P., OConnor, B., Park, S., Shi, Y.N., Danks,
F.S., MacSharry, B., Kingston, N. (2014). Protected
Planet Report 2014. UNEP-WCMC: Cambridge, UK.
Lacy, R.C. and J.P. Pollak (2014). Vortex: A stochastic
simulation of the extinction process. Version 10.0.
Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield, Illinois, USA.
Margono, B.A., Potapov, P.V., Turubanova, S., Stolle.
F. and M.C. Hansen (2013). Primary forest cover loss in
Indonesia over 20002012. Nature Climate Change 4:
730735. doi:10.1038/nclimate2277
Margono, B. A., Bwangoy, J-R. B., Potapov, P. V. and
M.C. Hansen (2014). Mapping wetlands in Indonesia
using Landsat data sets and derived topographical
indices. Geo-spatial Inform. Sci. 17: 6071.
Pfaff, A., Robalino, J., Herrera, D. and C. Sandoval
(2015). Protected Areas Impacts on Brazilian Amazon
Deforestation: Examining Conservation Development
Interactions to Inform Planning. PLoS ONE 10(7):
e0129460. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0129460
4 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo
Ritchie, E.G., Bradshaw, C.J.A., Dickman, C.R.,
Hobbs, R., Johnson, C.N., Johnston, E.L., Laurance,
W.F., Lindenmayer, D., McCarthy, M.A., Nimmo,
D.G., Possingham, H.H., Pressey, R.L., Watson, D.M.
and J. Woinarski (2013). Continental-Scale Governance
and the Hastening of Loss of Australias Biodiversity.
Conservation Biology 27(6):1133-5. DOI:10.1111/
cobi.12189.
Thomas, C. D., Cameron, A., Green, R.E, Bakkenes,
M., Beaumont, L.J., Collingham, Y.C., Erasmus, B.F.N.,
Ferreira de Siqueira, M., Grainger, A., Hannah, L.,
Hughes, L., Huntley, B., van Jaarsveld, A.S., Midgley,
G.F., Miles, L., Ortega-Huerta, M.A., Peterson, A.T.,
Phillips, O.L. and S.E. Williams (2004). Extinction risk
from climate change. Nature 427: 145148.
Traill, L.W., Brook, B.W., Frankham, R.F. and C.J.A.
Bradshaw (2010). Pragmatic population viability targets
in a rapidly changing world. Biological Conservation
143:28-34.
Pimm, S.L., Jenkins, C.N., Abell, R., Brooks, T.M.,
Gittleman, J.L., Joppa, L.N., Raven, P.H., Roberts, C.M.
and J.O. Sexton (2014). The biodiversity of species and
their rates of extinction, distribution, and protection.
Science 344(6187): DOI:10.1126/science.1246752
Venter, O., Fuller, R.A., Segan, D.B., Carwardine, J.,
Brooks, T., Butchart, S.H.M., Di Marco, M., Iwamura,
T., Joseph, L., OGrady, D., Possingham, H.P.,
Rondinini, C., Smith, R.J., Venter, M. and J.E.M. Watson
(2014). Targeting Global Protected Area Expansion for
Imperiled Biodiversity. PLoS Biology 12(6): e1001891.
doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001891
Wilcove, D. S., Giam, X., Edwards, D. P., Fisher, B
and Koh, L. P (2014). Navjots nightmare revisited:
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News and Notes
Songbird Crisis Summit, 26-29th September
The Oriental Bird Club in collaboration with Wildlife
Reserves Singapore, TRAFFIC, and Cikananga Wildlife
Centre will be convening for Asias 1st Songbird Crisis
Summit. The overarching goal of the Summit is to
raise awareness and profile of the songbird trade crisis
to enhance conservation and enforcement efforts for
threatened species of birds. As a platform to meet this
objective the Southeast Asian Songbird Working Group
will be formed that will help provide current information
and recommendations to BirdLife International to
aid in the IUCN Red List status re-assessment of key
species for 2016. The event will take place from 26-29th
September 2015, at Jurong Bird Park, Singapore. For
more information, please visit: http://orientalbirdclub.
org/2015/05/07/summit-on-songbird-crisis-in-asia/
The 2nd International Wildlife Symposium, West
Sumatra, 3-4th November
Andalas University, Padang, West Sumatra, will be
hosting the 2nd International Wildlife Symposium. The
objective of the event is to promote communication
and collaboration between researchers and practitioners
in Sumatra, nationally and internationally as well as
foster stronger linkages between wildlife management,
people and culture in Sumatra. The event will take
place in the Convention Hall at Andalas University.
For more information and registration please email to:
internationalwildifesymposium@gmail.com, or call
Inda (+62 822 8279 3617) or Fauziah (+62 853 6559
7917).
ASEAN illegal wildlife trade
Illegal wildlife trade has been rife in the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region for years.
Despite repeated pledges from regional governments,
very few positive changes have emerged on the ground.
With the ever increasing habitat loss to agricultural and
urban development, combined with a high demand for
wildlife derivatives for medicine and consumption, an
increasing number of species are being pushed closer to
extinction. Perhaps there is hope that ASEAN nations
will finally begin to take sufficient action on the ground
to curb illegal poaching and trading, and ensure proper
prosecution will befall those, who violate the respective
wildlife laws.
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
From 30th March to 1st April, 2015, Malaysia and the
United States of America co-hosted the Regional Forum
on Combating Wildlife Trafficking in Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah, Malaysia. The forum focused on enhancing
transboundary and regional cooperation to combat
poaching and illegal trade in wildlife. Representatives
from all ten ASEAN member States attended the forum,
along with the CITES Secretariat, INTERPOL and the
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),
and all partner agencies of the International Consortium
on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC). In addition,
representatives from various other agencies, including
the Royal Malaysian Customs Department and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as a number of non-
governmental organisations, participated in the forum.
Many high level country representatives admitted that
it is well recognised that poaching and illegal trade in
wildlife have a significant impact on entire species and
ecosystems, local communities and their livelihoods,
national economies, and national and regional security.
While the ASEAN Regional Forum on Combating
Wildlife Trafficking enhanced political momentum and
buy-in to combating illegal trade in wildlife, it remains
to be seen if any of the many pledges will translate into
tangible positive changes on the ground.
UN to Push for anti- wildlife trafficking
At the end of July, the 69th session of the United
Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted a resolution
committing countries to step up their collective efforts
to address wildlife crime and put an end to the global
poaching crisis. Resolution A/RES/69/314 on Tackling
the Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife, supported by more
than 80 nations, calls for countries to adopt effective
measures to prevent and counter the serious problem
of crimes that have an impact on the environment, such
as illicit trafficking in wildlife and wildlife productsas
well as poaching. Whereas Resolution A/RES/69/314
took a big step forwards in clearly recognising illegal
killing and trading of wildlife constitutes a serious
crime, the Resolution fell short of including what many
consider key actions to counter the broader impacts
of wildlife crime, including the undermining of good
governance, the rule of law and the well-being of local
communities. Without addressing these associated
negative impacts, it remains uncertain how effective
implementation of Resolution A/RES/69/314 will
translate into tangible effects on the ground, where the
trade is often dominated by well-organised criminal
gangs.
5
Tiger poachers apprehended in Jambi
In April, 2015, the conservation agency in Jambi, together
with the provinces police force, detained two people
for allegedly attempting to sell Sumatran tiger skin in
Berbak National Park. One of the suspects was a park
ranger, and both could face five years in jail or pay Rp
100 million (~$7,739) fine if found guilty of violating
law: No 5 1990 on Conservation of Natural Resources
and their ecosystem.
Wildlife crimes posted on Facebook
In July 2015, local media reported that the Indonesian
Government are fast-tracking a push to revise the
conservation law as Indonesians post wildlife crimes
to Facebook. The Government has promised to crack
down on the growing number of people showing off
dead or abused endangered animals on social media. In
2015, there has been a surge in the number of postings
on social media involving wildlife crimes. Postings have
included individuals posing with illegally killed species,
such as the endangered Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris
sumatrae), Bornean orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus),
proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) and the critically
endangered Celebes crested macaque (Macaca nigra).
Whereas these and similar postings have been widely
condemned in Indonesia, few such crimes are brought
to court and even fever translate into prosecution and
conviction. The Natural Resources Conservation
Agency (BKSDA) faces a monumental challenge in
combating wildlife crimes.
New study claims there are only two types of
tiger
Whereas the number of wild tigers have declined steadily
during the past 25 years, the number of subspecies has
grown to the current six accepted species. This number
has largely been based on the paper by Luo et al. (2004).
Sceptics suggested that the conservation community at
large, embraced the number of tiger-subspecies, because
a higher number of subspecies offered better fundraising
opportunities. After genetic forensics have become
increasingly mainstreamed, and forms part and parcel
of most conservation initiatives today, the subspecies
inflation has not always been an advantage to on-
the-ground conservation activities. Furthermore, the
classification of the number of species and subspecies
is inherently dependent on, where a researcher draws
6 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo
the speciation time-line. In theory, each individual can
be considered subspecies if the speciation time-line is
set as recently as one generation.
It is exactly this dilemma a new paper by Vilting et al.
(2015) addresses. The authors have revisited the tiger
subspecies scenario by analysing variation among all
nine putative tiger subspecies, using extensive data sets
of several traits, such as morphological (craniodental
and pelage), ecological and molecular. Their analyses
revealed little variation and large overlaps in each
trait among putative subspecies, and molecular data
showed extremely low diversity. Their results support
recognition of only two subspecies: the Sunda tiger,
Panthera tigris sondaica, and the continental tiger,
Panthera tigris tigris. In reality, this groups the
Sumatran, Javan and Bali tigers in the P.t.sondaica
group, and the rest of all tigers in the P.t. tigris group.
The publication is based on solid and rigorous
analyses of a variety of parameters, yet, it has attracted
a huge amount of criticism. Its legacy does not lie in
its conclusion, that there are only two tiger subspecies,
but because it questions the established opinion. It
is a welcome contribution to tiger conservation and
conservation biology in general, because it forces
everyone to rethink conservation approaches.
Luo, S.J., J. H. Kim, W. E. Johnson, J. van der Walt, J.
Martenson, N. Yuhki, D. G. Miquelle, O. Uphyrkina, J.
M. Goodrich, H. Quigley, R. Tilson, G. Brady, P. Martelli,
V. Subramaniam, C. McDougal,S.Hean,S.Q.Huang,W.
Pan,U.K.Karanth,M.Sunquist,J.L.D.Smith,S.J.OBrien
(2004). Phylogeography and genetic ancestry of tigers
(Panthera tigris). PLOS Biol. 2, e442 (2004).
Wilting, A., Courtiol, A., Christiansen, P., Niedballa,
J., Scharf, A.K., Orlando, L., Balkenhol, N., Hofer, H.,
Kramer-Schadt, S., Fickel, J. and A.C. Kitchener (2015).
Planning tiger recovery: Understanding intraspecific
variation for effective conservation. Science Advances.
1(5): e1400175
The biodiversity of Murung Raya
Godwin Limberg1
Daemeter Consulting, Jl. Tangkuban Prahu no. 1, Bogor 16151, Indonesia
1
I n recent years, a lot of conservation attention has
been drawn to the Heart of Borneo and the urgent
need for action to ensure the long term survival of this
unique area. Geographically, the Murung Raya district
is exactly in the centre of Borneo. However, until today,
this district remains a little known part of Borneo.
Even these days as development is expanding into
the more remote interior of Borneo, reaching the area
is still difficult. The area may have been historically
protected from rapid exploitation and development by
its isolation. However, it has also resulted in paucity of
information on the biological and cultural richness and
significance of this area.
Oral history from inhabitants of the area indicate that
some caves have possibly been used by various groups
of nomadic hunter-gatherers for centuries. So far, no
scientific investigation has been conducted to verify
this information and enrich our understanding of who
those people exactly were and how long their history
dates back.
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Similarly there is limited information on the biological
diversity of this area, which is suspected to be high
because of the geological variety. One exception has
been the Barito Ulu project, a long term research effort
that not only confirmed the high biodiversity but also
the unique interaction between humans and nature in
the area. The Indonesia Science Council has recognised
the significance of this area and initiated research to
propose the area as a World Heritage Site because of its
importance for in situ conservation.
Against this background, it is timely that the Indonesian
Journal of Natural History dedicates a special issue
to Murung Raya. The articles not only augment the
scientific body of information and knowledge about the
biological diversity of this area, it also describes the
interaction between humans and the natural resources
they encounter in their surroundings. Finally, it draws
attention to an important and delicate issue: local
perceptions on development (driven by natural resource
based operations) and conservation.
7
How nature is used and valued by villagers in two villages
in Uut Murung
Andrea Hoeing1,2, Andhi Suncoko1,3, Deni1,3,4, Dominic Rowland1, Erisa Murray1,5, Iis Sabahudin1,5,
Michal Zrust1,6, Peter Houlihan1,7,8, Kristina Grossmann9,Matthias Waltert2 and Susan M. Cheyne1,10
1
BRINCC (Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities), The Avenue, Hitchin, Herts, UK, SG4 9RJ
2
Georg-August-Universitt, Conservation Biology / WG on Endangered Species, Brgerstrasse 50, Goettingen, Germany
3
Faculty of Human Ecology, Bogor Agricultural University. Indonesia
4
Faculty of Forestry, Kuningan University, West Java, Indonesia
5
Faculty of Social and Political Science, Postgraduate Department of Anthropology, University of Indonesia, Indonesia
6
Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, England NW1 4RY
7
Department of Behavioral Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
8
Department of Biology & Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
9
Department for Development and Cultural Studies, Southeast Asia, University of Passau, Germany
10
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Cen-
tre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxon, OX13, 5QL, U.K.

Corresponding author: Andrea Hing, email: andrea@brinccborneo.org

Abstrak
Masyarakat lokal di bagian hulu Uut Murung hidup dalam lingkungan hutan yang terpencil, dengan sumber daya alam yang sangat kaya,
sehingga banyak pihak yang tertarik, baik dari pemerintahan, industri ekstraktif dan pelaku konservasi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk
memahami ketergantungan masyarakat lokal terhadap sumber daya alam dan perbedaan nilai pemanfaatan. Penelitian ini dilakukan
dengan melaksanakan ekspedisi selama dua bulan ke dua desa di Uut Murung dengan menggunakan kuisioner, metode perangkingan
dan pertanyaan semi terstruktur. Secara umum masyarakat lokal melakukan berbagai aktivitas untuk mempertahankan hidupnya, seperti
memancing, berburu, berkebun dan mencari kayu gaharu. Nilai terpenting sumber daya alam menurut responden dari dua desa tersebut
adalah sebagai sumber makanan dan air, namun sumber daya juga penting sebagai tempat untuk hidup, cadangan untuk obat-obatan dan
cadangan untuk kebutuhan komoditas lainnya. Berbagai spesies satwaliar yang dijumpai digunakan sebagai bahan makanan, komoditas,
obat-obatan dan bentuk pemanfaatan lainnya, seperti untuk kebutuhan ritual tradisional. Kami berpendapat bahwa anggota masyarakat
pada lokasi penelitian mungkin mempunyai pemahaman yang fleksibel dan untung-untungan. Temuan kami juga mendukung pendapat
yang menyatakan bahwa sumber daya bisa saja memiliki lebih dari satu kegunaan, dan bukan itu saja, setiap komunitas berbeda dari
komunitas lainnya, begitu juga, di dalam komunitas itu sendiri pemahamannya juga tidaklah sama. Temuan kami menekankan pentingnya
pemahaman terhadap ketergantungan masyarakat lokal terhadap sumber daya, serta struktur sosial yang berperan di belakang
pemanfaatan sumber daya, untuk kesuksesan inisiatif konservasi dan pembangunan jangka panjang.

Abstract
Local communities in the upstream part of Uut Murung live in a remote forest environment. Due to its richness of natural resources there
has been much interest in the region by various actors, including the government, extractive industry and conservationists. This study
aimed at understanding local peoples dependencies on natural resources and the different kind of use values. Therefore, we conducted
a two month expedition to two villages in Uut Murung where we conducted questionnaires, ranking methods and semi structured
interviews. In general, locals were found to engage in a variety of activities to sustain livelihoods, such as fishing, hunting, gardening
and searching for eaglewood. Respondents from both villages valued nature as most important from food and water supply, but also
as a place to live, a stock for medicines and a stock for commodities. Animal species were found to serve different purposes for food,
commodities, medicine to other purposes, such as traditional rituals. We argue that community members at our study sight might behave
opportunistically despite being flexible. Our findings support the idea that a single resource might have more than one purpose; each
community differs from each other, but also even within the community itself, is not homogeneous. Our findings stress the importance
that locals dependencies on natural resources and social structures behind resource use, need to be understood for the long term success
of any conservation or development initiative.

Keywords: resource use, livelihoods, Murung Raya, perceptions, conservation

Received 12th June, 2014; revision accepted 1st February, 2015

8 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo


Introduction
Uut Murung covers 726,300 ha, is one of the largest
sub-districts in the north-eastern part of Murung
Raya, comprising of huge areas of rainforest (Badan
Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya, 2014). The
biodiversity rich Muller-Schwaner mountain range lies
in the North West of Murung Raya (WWF, 2012). Apart
from being home to a wide variety of plant and animal
species, of which many are endemic to Kalimantan, Uut
Murung is rich in natural resources.
Logging companies had been operating and some of
them were still operating in the area in 2014 (BRINCC
unpublished data). In the same year, coal mining
companies started to explore the area (compare Hoeing
et al. 2015 in this issue). In 2014, the conservation of
the area became the interest of, not only some local
conservation initiatives, FFI (Fauna Flora International)
and WWFs Heart of Borneo programme, but also of
an international REDD+ programme, mostly aiming at
biodiversity conservation as well as on sustaining local
peoples livelihoods.
Transformation
There is an ongoing transformation of ecosystems as
well as local peoples livelihoods, among others, due to
Figure 1: Location of study villages in the sub-district Uut Murung (A), and the district of Murung Raya (B), in Indonesia (C).
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Nature use by Uut Murung villagers
the influence of outsiders approaching the area, such
as companies and conservationists. The extractive
industry might offer different kinds of work and provide
better access to the area. They further should provide
community development programs, but they are also
known for often introducing prostitution, gambling
and alcohol (World Rainforest Movement, 2004). The
companies activities go alongside with the destruction
of the surrounding nature of the communities. The
destruction of nature mostly leads to biodiversity loss,
which might be important for the subsistence of local
people.
For various reasons, we found it important to give
insight into how local villagers used and depended
on nature. Our main reasons include, one, to be able
to document social transformation, two, to enable
conservationists and companies to get an insight on
local peoples current livelihoods, which might lead to a
better understanding of local peoples needs and hence,
to secure mid- or long-term communities livelihoods.
Therefore, this empirical study aimed at getting a better
understand basic needs of local communities and their
dependency on natural resources. Furthermore, the
study tries to understand different meanings a resource
might have to local people; for example, fish might be
important for food, but can also be a source of cash
9
Hoeing et al.
income, apart from that, it might be used for traditional
ceremonies. We present in more detail, the perceived
importance of different resources for different purposes
as a complementary part to our biodiversity surveys.
Methods
We used a variety of methods to gain a better
understanding on how locals perceive and value
different resources important to sustaining their
livelihoods (compare Sheil et al., 2002).
Ethics statement
This study was conducted after in depth consultation
with the local government, international NGOs
operating in the Murung Raya Regency, such as Fauna
and Flora International, as well as with the local
communities themselves. In February 2011, a pre-
expedition was conducted, aimed at gathering data,
as well as on giving local communities the chance to
influence research directions. Although BRINCC has
its own academic and conservation research priorities,
we aimed to incorporate a significant component of
community directed research, whereby local people
can request research on topics important to them.
Therefore, the research plans were adapted accordingly
to the request of villagers, to map an area of high
social importance and subsequent support to strengthen
community management rights through the application
for a village forest (hutan desa).
Before conducting the research, all national and local
research permits were obtained. At the beginning of
the data collection in July 2011, further consultations
was carried out. In the agreement between villagers
and researchers, it was stated that original results from
Focus Groups Discussions, e.g. maps, time lines, etc.
would be left with the community and no maps would
be published without permission. Personal data from
interviews were anonymized.
Study site/Demographic data
The BRINCC research team intended to conduct
research in the interior of Kalimantan, Borneo, hence,
study sites were selected using the following criteria:
a relatively unstudied, rural area, with high forest
cover and forest dependency of the communities, but
which is subject to land use change, e.g. anthropogenic
disturbance, such as logging or mining.
10
The villages that were subject to this study belong to
the sub-district Uut Murung, situated in the north east
corner of the Murung Raya regency. The sub-district
Uut Murung comprises a total area of 7,263 km. Uut
Murung consists of five villages: Tumbang Olong I,
Tumbang Olong II, Kalasin, Tumbang Tujang and
Topus (Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya,
2009).
The villages are located along the upper part of the
Murung River (also known as the upper Barito), which
is geographically situated in the highlands of the
Murung Raya regency in Central Kalimantan. They
are surrounded by hilly to mountainous terrain with
altitudes ranging between 200m in valleys- 1900m on
mountains tops (compare Figure 1).
The ethnic groups which are thought to originate from
the study area are Siang and Punan Murung. The Punan
Murung were formerly known as one of the nomadic
hunter and gatherer tribes in Kalimantan, whereas Siang
were known for their swidden cultivation (Sellato,
1994). Nowadays, a variety of ethnic groups with origins
in Kalimantan, such as the Punan, Bekumpai, Siang,
Otdanum, Kahayan and Kapuas, but also some migrants
e.g. East Nusa Tenggara were living in the villages (A.
Hoeing personal observation). A detailed description of
the study area, especially on demographic data, can be
found in Hoeing et al. (2015) in this issue.
Survey Methods
A variety of qualitative methods were employed
(mostly based on Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA))
including, in depth and semi-structured interviews,
questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs).
Topics covered during FGDs included the identification
and detailed descriptions of activities related to natural
resource use, seasonal calendars, village histories and
participatory land use mapping of the area.
Data collection
Secondary data, such as demographic of the area,
statistical data on resource use of the area, maps of the
region, etc. were collected before and after entering the
study area.
First contact with local villagers
A formal introductory meeting with the villagers was
conducted by the entire expedition with the team
intention to seek permission to carry out the research, as
well as to clarify aims, motivation and perspectives of
University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

the expedition. First, exercises were conducted, such as
creating a historical time line of the village. Community
members were grouped into main activities important
to their livelihood for follow up FGD.
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
Focus groups were divided into main activities related
to natural resources, such as farming, fishing, collecting
eaglewood. Although men made up the majority
of FGD participants, extra care was taken to invite
women. The different exercises carried out within the
focus group meetings were: description of activities,
the possible commodities resulting from the activity,
equipment which is needed for the activity, traders and
other actors involved as well as potential problems.
Seasonal calendars for the different activities were
created to find out peak seasons and seasons in which
the activity cannot be done. Participatory mapping was
also conducted in FGDs.
Semi-structured and in-depth interviews
Semi-structured interviews were carried out with
key informants in the village, which included village
leaders, teachers, elders and a variety of villagers from
different backgrounds e.g. local traders, migrants.
Semi-structured interviews were used to get a basic
understanding of life in the villages. These interviews
were also used to adapt questionnaires to the local
context.
Additionally, in-depth interviews were conducted,
which were used to gain a deeper understanding on
certain topics, especially regarding the use of certain
main commodities (e.g. eaglewood and animal parts)
and their relation to the local and global market chain.
Furthermore, in depth interviews were conducted to
triangulate results of the research.
Pebble distribution method
The pebble distribution method is a ranking method
to assess the relative importance of different kinds of
activities relating to resource use important to local
peoples livelihoods e.g.: the importance of different
animal species as source of food, "others", commodity
or medicine (compare Sheil et al., 2002). 100 pebbles
were used by the group of participants. After achieving
consensus, they were distributed on different cards
representing categories, in this case, animal species.
Participants thus valued the different categories with
regards to different research questions, e.g. "How
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Nature use by Uut Murung villagers
important is each animal as a source of food?". If
participants placed twice as many pebbles on category
A than on category B, it meant category A is twice
as important than category B. Categories which did
not play an important role for the participant, was left
empty. After all pebbles were distributed, confirmation
that all pebbles were correctly placed by all participants.
The group of participants were then asked to explain the
reasons for the chosen importance. The facilitator made
notes and recorded the discussion. We did compare
the full range of categories in our analysis to get a first
insight of what species might be important to local
people for different purposes.
Participants were chosen opportunistically, gatherings
of a mixture of mainly young (females and males <20
years) villagers were approached. The groups in both
villages consisted of up to 10 young villagers who were
joined by older men and sometimes women. The aim
was to include a wide variety of villagers.
Sampling of Questionnaires
The research samples were derived by using non-
probability quota sampling, that is often used to assess
public opinion polls (Kerlinger, 1986). The method was
chosen to aim for an equally distributed sample over
four different categories which further were divided
by: age class (20-39 years, >40 years) and gender. One
additional category was made to include respondents in
higher positions, such as the village head, the village
representative, the village secretary and the head of the
customary rights. Age classes were set after consulting
with community members about the age-line between
young people and adults as well as adults and elder
person. For a more detailed description on the sampling
of questionnaires compare Hoeing et al. (2015) in this
issue.
Questionnaires represented individual opinions. They
were tested and adopted before starting the sampling
process in the villages. The questionnaires consisted
of 32 questions covering several topics, such as:
general information on the use of natural resources
by community members, commodities, access to
markets, attitudes towards nature, conservation, and
environmental changes including perceptions on the
impact of companies/NGOs and traditional beliefs.
The questionnaires contained open, as well as closed,
questions. In some questions, the contingent ranking
method (crm) was applied; for example, in order to
figure out the relative importance of different forest
11
Hoeing et al.

resources to people's livelihood. The questionnaires
were filled in by A.H., A.S., D. and E.M. after reading
out the questionnaires. In case the respondent agreed,
we recorded the responses to be able to recheck
information.
Data Analysis
Data from the questionnaires were analysed using Open
Office Org. 3.1.1- Calculator and SPSS 17.0 (Statistical
Package for the Social Sciences) for Windows.
Results
The most important sources nature offers to locals
During the first village meetings, villagers named
several activities important to sustain their livelihoods.
The activities were similar in both villages and included:
upland rice farming; gardening (vegetables, fruits and
rubber); hunting; fishing; collecting eaglewood (a
fungi infected heartwood from the genus Aquilaria);
traditional gold mining; handicrafts, such as wood
carving and weaving baskets from rattan; trading,
mainly of groceries, animal parts, gemstones and gold.
In Kalasin, respondents additionally listed sawn timber
production from Meranti (belonging to the genus
Shorea) and Ironwood (Eusideroxylon zwageri), for
local housing and the regional markets. Respondents
mentioned that the wood is mainly used for government
buildings in Puruk Cahu, or road constructions, such
as bridges. From the questionnaires, it is revealed that
in general, villagers did not just practice one activity
but various activities. Only eight out of 53 respondents
stated they only had one occupation/activity (Figure 2);
four of them belonged to the category >40 years old. We
identified activities not directly related to forest use and
resource extraction, because they were mainly based in
the village, for example: chicken breeders, shamans,
house wives, teacher and government employees, etc.
What are the most important sources nature offers to
locals?
From the questionnaires, we identified the most
important sources nature offers to respondents
livelihoods (Figure 3). Villagers were asked to rank
a maximum of five different main sources the forest
offers for their daily lives. Results are presented as
a percentage of respondents (per village). Results
from questionnaires have shown that in both villages,
respondents found food to be one of the most
important sources nature offers, followed by drinking
water. The category "others" includes statements made
by a few respondents, such as oxygen, firewood as
well as forest as a protection against land slides. Main

100
92
90
80 75
68
70 64
57
Respondents [%]

60 54 54
48
50
40 36
32
28
30 25
21
20 14
8 11
10
0
Farmer Gold Trader Eaglewood Crafts Fishing others Hunting
searcher searcher

Figure 2: Activities which play an important role for the livelihoods of respondents in Tumbang Tujang (black) and Kalasin
(white). The category others included activities not directly related to resource extraction or land use, such as chicken
breeders (in the village), teaching, government employees and housewives.

12 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo


100 96
93
88
90
80
Importance for [%] respondents
71
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Drinking Water
Food
Figure 3: Respondents were asked to name the five most important sources which nature plays in their personal lives,
Tumbang Tujang (black) and Kalasin (white).
differences in perceptions were found in the categories:
place to live (63% higher in Kalasin), stock for
medicine (26% higher in Kalasin), commodities
(22% higher in Tumbang Tujang) and material for
handicrafts (21% higher in Kalasin).
What kind of animals do locals depend on, for what
purpose?
To get an overview of what kind of animals are hunted or
collected by locals for different purposes, we conducted
the PDM. Animals were ranked using four different
categories: commodities, food, medicine and others.
A total of 17 different kinds of animal species/animal
groups were named by villagers in Tumbang Tujang
and 28 were named in Kalasin. Questionnaires, ranking
methods (pebble distribution methods) and focus group
discussions showed that different animals are not only
important for one purpose, but could be essential for
different categories. For example, in Tumbang Tujang
the samba deer (Cervus unicolor) was given the highest
value of importance to nourishment, but it also played
an important role for medicine; the skin is used as a
medicine, for women with problems during birth, as
well as the antler and meat are important as commodity.
Antlers of C. unicolor were further categorized as
others and are mainly used to decorate the walls of
houses, with the belief that they would prevent fires.
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Nature use by Uut Murung villagers
84
72
68
50 52
46
44
28
21
11 12
7
Commodities Place to live Others
Medicine Building Material Handicrafts
Detailed tables on the ranking of animals for different
purposes can be found in Table 1. The pangolin (Manis
javanica) was found to be important to the different
categories in Kalasin. It was valued to be important
for food, commodity (scales, used for jewellery), as
medicine against asthmatic sicknesses and as others.
Main differences between the valuing of the importance
of different animals for different purposes between the
two villages could be found that in Tumbang Tujang
C. unicolor was valued as an important food species,
whereas in Kalasin, the bearded pig (Sus barbatus)
was valued higher than C. unicolor. Important sources
of medicine were big spiders, such as tarantulas
(Theraphosidae) and C. unicolor, whereas in Kalasin,
M. javanica and sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) were
most important. Main commodities were fish and C.
unicolor in Tumbang Tujang, whereas in Kalasin M.
javanica scales as well as meat from C. unicolor and S.
barbatus were most valued as commodities. In Tumbang
Tujang as others, participants valued the crestless
fireback (Lophura erythrophthalma) as most important
followed by birds, S. barbatus, fish and C. unicolor. In
Kalasin, a favourite animal of participants in the category
others were birds, that were kept as pets, followed by
scales of M. javanica and antlers of C. unicolor. Many
of the animals important to local livelihoods are listed
in the IUCN Red list of threatened species, such as M.
13
Hoeing et al.

Table 1: Results from the ranking method (PDM) on the importance of different animals for different purposes in two villages
T.Tujang and Kalasin.
T.Tujang Kalasin T.Tujang Kalasin T.Tujang Kalasin T.Tujang Kalasin
Medicine Commodities Food Others
Birds 11 9 4 10 4 10 27
Fish 18 7 14 12 10
Flying fox 1 1
Forest Chicken/ Argus pheasant 11 8 6 11 4 11
Frog 10 7 7
Monkeys/ Primates 4 7
Mouse deer 6 3 10 7 8
Pangolin 8 38 9 9 6 3 19
Pheasant 7 8 7
Porcupines 9 7 5 9 5 7
Samba deer 12 17 9 18 4 10 15
Snakes 6 7 8 3 2 4 13
Spiders 13
Sun bear 9 17 7 4 1 1 4 14
Turtles 11 8 5 3 9 7
Wild boar 8 9 8 16 10
Wild cats 3 5 2 2
Additional animals mentioned in
Kalasin
Banded linsang 4 1
Big gekko 3
Civets 3
Flying lemur 1
Forest rat 6 often, but mentioned after the exercise
Green lizard 6
Longtailed porcupine 3 3
Monitor lizard 3
Otter civet 3
Deer 5 4
Snail 11 3
Soft shelled turtle 6 4 12
Squirrel 1
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

javanica, which is listed as endangered, S. barbatus, H.
malayanus, C. unicolor, L. erythrophthalma are found to
be in the category vulnerable.
Animals were mainly hunted in hunting groups as well
as individually with the use of spears and dogs. To hunt
some animals, rope traps were used. To kill birds, which
were found to be an important food species (mentioned in
Kalasin) air rifles were mentioned to be used sometimes,
as well as traps made from sticky rubber strings which
were attached to trees. Fish were usually caught by
nets, angles and spears. Illegal techniques for capture
were electric fishing and poisoning, which were strictly
prohibited by customary and governmental law.

14 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

 Nature use by Uut Murung villagers

Table 2: The table presents the use of markets for different products by villagers in Tumbang Tujang. In brackets (*) are trade
routes used by middle men in the villages. Numbers represent the amount of responses from questionnaires. The data might
not be complete and some trade routes of products might be missed out.

Vegetable/

Animal

Swallow
Fruits/ Rice

Gemstones
Eaglewood

Handicraft

Rice Wine
Honey
Wood
Meat

Parts

Birds
Gold

Nest
Fish
Level Market

Village Other villagers 2 (1*) 2 (1*) 1 1

Village Middle Man in T.Tujang 5 18 1
Sub-district T.Olong/ Company 1
District Puruk Cahu (2*) 3 (4*) 1
District Buyer comes to village 1 1 (1*) 1 1
Province Muara Teweh
National Banjarmasin

Table 3: The table presents the use of markets for different products by villagers in Kalasin. In brackets (*) are trade routes
used by middle men in the villages. Numbers represent the amount of responses from questionnaires. The buyers who come
to the villages were in the opinion of the respondents mainly from Puruk Cahu.
Fruits/ Rice

Gemstones
Vegetable/
Eaglewood

Handicraft

Rice Wine
Swallow
Animal

Honey
Wood
Meat

Parts

Birds
Gold

Nest
Fish

Level Market

Village Other villagers 17 11 4 9 (1*) 1 1 2 1

Village Middle Man in Kalasin 7 11 2 1 4 5 7 1 1 1
Sub-district To T.Tujang 1
Sub-district T.Olong/ Company 1 3 1 1 1 2 1
District Puruk Cahu 1 (2*) 5 (1*) 1 1 (1*) 1 3 2 (1*) (2*) 2 1
District Buyer comes to village 1 1 3 1 1 1
Province Muara Teweh 1 1 1 1 1 1
National Banjarmasin (1*) (1*)

Discussion mentioned a wide range of daily activities, from upland

This research found that relatively remote living
communities, which were the subject of this study, are
still dependent on forest resources to maintain their
livelihoods. It is important to understand use values and
factors that influence peoples perception on the forest,
for example, for policymaking (Meijaard et al., 2013) as
well as for projects aimed toward nature conservation or
community development.
Our data, as it refers to a relatively small sample size,
is not representative but gives an insight into resource
use and perceptions of nature to inhabitants of the two
communities in 2011. In our case study, respondents
rice farming, to fishing, hunting, eaglewood collection,
work with companies etc. We would like to point out that
respondents mostly did not only conduct one activity
to maintain their livelihoods, but that they combined
several activities, such as farming, hunting, fishing,
artisanal gold mining. When revisiting the area in 2014,
almost all male villagers were engaged in the acquisition
of eaglewood, as the prices on the international market
increased vastly. Therefore, we conclude that community
members might behave in an opportunistic and flexible
manner. Dependencies, and the use of natural resources,
might change over time due to various reasons; such
as market value, change of abundance, government
restrictions or outsiders activities.

2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1 15

Hoeing et al.
In our case study, we found a wide variety of species
used for different purposes such as for medicine,
food, "others" or to be sold as commodity. Nevins
& Peluso (2008) point out that a commodity itself is
a highly dynamic and complex entity that has social
lives and meanings. A commodity, as in example the
pangolin, can be important to villagers for more than
just monetary reasons, if it is also used for traditional
medicines or for cultural purpose. Conservation that
looks only for alternative sources of income to mitigate
pangolin extinction might not be sufficient.
An observation which needs to be highlighted, is the
fact that over the years, it has become more and more
difficult to buy vegetables in the villages (AH personal
observation, 2011-2014). In 2011, villagers already had
problems planting paddy, apparently due to a shift in
seasons, which made the timing to prepare the forest
gardens and to plant paddy difficult. In 2011, villagers
in Kalasin, which had always been subsistent in their
rice production, had to buy subsidised rice from the
government for the first time. In 2014, villagers from
Tumbang Tujang mentioned that the harvest was poor
and that most of the vegetable grown in the gardens
were sold to the logging and mining companies, which
operated upstream, close to the gardens. Thus, only
small amounts of vegetable sources arrived in Tumbang
Tujang. Therefore, we suggest more research is needed
in terms of food security, adaptation mechanisms
to seasonal changes and general research on social
transformation.
Some differences were found regarding the perceived
importance of nature between the two villages. A place
to live, medicine and handicrafts were more important
to respondents in Kalasin, the village that is closer to the
capital of the district and sub-district, than to respondents
in Tumbang Tujang. Between 2011 and 2014, we
observed a transformation in Kalasin; some villagers
moved to another location where they established their
forest gardens and built small houses. Nevertheless,
they still kept the old houses in the village. Living over
weeks and months in those forest gardens does not
allow regular access to the village, which also means
to a nurse and shops. Hence, knowledge of medicinal
plants and skills to produce handicrafts and to farm and
hunt are essential to survive. On the other hand, one of
those new locations, where several villagers settled, is
situated next to the still accessible road to the capital of
the district. In 2014, this was a huge asset, because the
road connecting Tumbang Tujang and Kalasin collapsed
in the rainy season between the year 2012 and 2013.
Hence, the new location offers an easier road to Puruk
16
Cahu. It might be interesting to reassess the importance
of nature to those villagers.
We found more differences between the two villages.
In Kalasin, wild boar was more important to respondents
than in Tumbang Tujang. This is mostly due to their
religious affiliation. Additionally, in Kalasin the majority
of respondents perceive themselves as Christians or
Hindu-Kaharingan, whereas in Tumbang Tujang, the
majority perceived themselves as Muslim, for whom
eating pig is forbidden due to religious reasons.
This points out the importance of acknowledging that
not only communities do differ from each other, but that
a community itself is a heterogeneous dynamic group,
which consists of multiple actors with various interests
and interrelations forming institutional arrangements as
stressed by Agrawal & Gibson (2001) (also compare
Leach et al., 1999).
We furthermore observed complex structures of social
relations related to resource use (e.g. patron-client
relationships, as defined by Scott, 1972, in the extraction
of eaglewood), which would go beyond the scope of
this article, but which makes us believe that a more
detailed social network analysis might be important to
understand social relations related to resource extraction
in the villages. Those understandings might be important
to ensure long-term success of conservation.
Many of the animal and plant species identified to be used
by local villagers in this study were listed in the IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species. Apart from habitat loss,
mainly caused by companies present in the area, some
of the species, such as eaglewood, are endangered due to
overexploitation by the villagers themselves (BRINCC
unpublished data, 2011). To be able to conserve the
area, we believe that a sound understanding of human
nature interactions is essential. We further believe that
the local communities themselves have to perceive the
need for the protection of threatened resources in order
to secure those resources for their future survival.
The programmes of Murung Rayas government
are aiming at modernization, development and
advancement. The future shall differ significantly from
the present. Backwardness and so called uncivilized
jungle life shall be exchanged against economic
development, which is possible through the richness of
minerals in Murung Raya. The aimed transformation
of local peoples livelihoods, which is perceived
differently for a variety of reasons, should include the
needs of those people who have to actually live in the
area of concern (Harrington, 2014). To ensure a more
just development and conservation approach, further
research is strongly recommended.
University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the Indonesian Ministry of
Science and Technology, the Department of Forestry for
permission to carry out research in Murung Raya and
all offices in the Murung Raya Regency that supported
our research. We further thank the "Centre for the
International Cooperation in Sustainable Management
of Tropical Peatlands" (CIMTROP) for sponsoring this
research. Special thanks to the communities of Tumbang
Tujang and Kalasin. Our biodiversity expedition
team: Mila Rhamania, Laurio Leonald, Juli Setiawan,
Muhamad Saputra (Yunus), Edwin Hermawan and
Kursani as well as Leni Mentari, Dewi, Junaidy Shalat
and Suparjan. Special thanks to Dominic Rowland for
being an excellent expedition leader. Our gratitude goes
to Godwin Limberg and Ratu from "Flora and Fauna
International" (FFI), the team of the NGO POKKER
in Plangkaraya, Horma from "Yayasan Tambuhak
Sinta", Palangkaraya, Pak Sadiwibowo from the Bogor
Institute of Agriculture "Institut Pertanian Bogor" (IPB)
for their support and advice.
Furthermore, we would like to thank the "German
Academic Exchange Service" - DAAD for supporting
AH with a scholarship and Garmin Germany for
providing a free one year ArcGIS license for thesis
writing. We would also like to gratefully acknowledge
all participators and helpers with the charity run "Run
forest Run", especially Marcus Sanden and his family,
Madlen Baumert, Irendra Radjawali and all participants
and sponsors, Christian Oekermann, Claudia Garcia,
Sven Krafft, Ludwig Thoma, Tabea Seitz, Merlin
Schaefer, Paul Bomke and Emeline. A special thank
you to all the school children and teachers, especially
Joachim Lange from Waldhofschule in Templin,
Germany, who financially supported our research by
carrying out a charity run.
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Gatzweiler, F., Johnson, B. & Wijaya, A. (2002).
Exploring biological diversity, environment, and local
people's perspectives in forest landscapes: Methods
for a multidisciplinary landscape assessment. CIFOR,
Jakarta.

18 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

Perceptions towards companies and forest conservation
in two villages of Uut Murung, Central Kalimantan,
Indonesia
Andrea Hoeing1,2, Andhi Suncoko1,3, Deni1,3,4, Dominic Rowland1, Erisa Murray1,5, Iis Sabahudin1,5, Mi-
chal Zrust1,6, Peter R. Houlihan1,7,8, Kristina Grossmann9, Matthias Waltert2 and Susan M. Cheyne1,10

1 BRINCC (Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities), Hitchin, Herts, UK, SG4 9RJ
2 Georg-August-Universitt, Conservation Biology/ WG on Endangered Species, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
3 Faculty of Human Ecology, Bogor Agricultural University. Indonesia
4 Faculty of Forestry, Kuningan University, West Java, Indonesia
5 Faculty of Social and Political Science, Postgraduate Department of Anthropology, University of Indonesia, Indonesia
6 Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, England NW1 4RY
7 Department of Behavioral Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
8 Department of Biology & Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
9 Department for Development and Cultural Studies, Southeast Asia, University of Passau, Germany
10 Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Cen-
tre, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxon, OX13, 5QL, U.K.

Corresponding author: Andrea Hing, email: andrea@brinccborneo.org

Abstrak
Peningkatan jumlah perusahaan dengan rencana alih fungsi hutan dalam berbagai industri seperti petambangan dan
pengusahaan hutan, semakin mendesak ke bagian daerah terpencil di pedalaman Kalimantan. Penelitian ini mengkaji sikap
masyarakat lokal terhadap perusahaan-perusahaan tersebut. Kegiatan dilakukan dengan melakukan ekspedisi selama dua
bulan ke dua desa pada kecamatan Uut Murung, Murung Raya, Kalimantan Indonesia, kelompok tim sosial melakukan
kajian dengan kuisioner dan wawancara semi terstruktur. Faktor-faktor yang mungkin mempengaruhi sikap masyarakat
terhadap perusahaan tersebut dianalisa, termasuk keuntungan dan kerugian yang didapat untuk kehidupan responden.
Selain itu, dilakukan juga penilaian terhadap persepsi pentingnya konservasi. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa jenis kelamin,
umur, kepercayaan dan jumlah bentuk keuntungan yang didapat mempengaruhi sikap mereka terhadap perusahaan.
Untuk menemukan keseimbangan antara keuntungan ekonomi yang didapatkan perusahaan dan konservasi daerah ini,
kami menyarankan perlunya pendekatan lintas disiplin ilmu yang melibatkan berbagai pihak, baik akademisi maupun non
akademisi untuk bisa melakukan perlindungan keanekaragaman hayati dan kehidupan masyarakat dengan melakukan
transformasi pengetahuan

Abstract
An increasing number of companies in industries such as mining or logging with forest conversion plans, are advancing into
remote areas in the interior of Kalimantan. This study investigates attitudes of local villagers towards those companies. We
conducted a two months expedition to two villages to the sub-district of Uut Murung, Murung Raya, Kalimantan, Indonesia,
where the social science team completed questionnaires and semi structured interviews. Factors potentially influencing
those attitudes towards companies were analysed using step-wise linear regression, as well as perceived benefits and
disadvantages for respondent's livelihoods. In addition, perceptions of the importance of conservation were assessed. Our
results show that gender, age, the belief in forest spirits and the number of advantages named, significantly influenced the
attitude towards companies. We found communities generally highly receptive to economic development but hostile of
environmental degradation, suggesting a difficult trade off between conservation and development. Communities desire
the protection of livelihoods and sources of environmental income but also the investment and infrastructure development
associated with extractive industries. To find a balance between economic interests from company investments and
conservation of the area, we suggest a trans-disciplinary approach which includes different actors - academic and non
academic - to be able to protect biodiversity and livelihoods by creating transformation knowledge.

Keywords: Companies, Conservation, Human-nature relations, Natural resources, Murung Raya, Perceptions.

Received 12th June, 2014; revision accepted 1st February, 2015

2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1 19

Hoeing et al.
Introduction
Murung Rayas forests are known for their richness in
natural resources such as timber, coal, gold and copper,
which attract national and international investors.
Recent investment in and proposed expansion of,
infrastructure to the area has enabled easier and cheaper
transportation of minerals and coal. One such proposal is
the building of a freight railway to connect the interior of
Kalimantan to the coast, for the exclusive transportation
of coal (Ministry For Economic Affairs, 2011). This
plan has already been released to the international
media, attracting investment in companies with forest
conversion plans to operate in the area (Arman, 2013).
The Murung Raya regency has an estimated one billion
tonnes of exportable coal, and to date, 66 mining
licenses have been issued by the regency government
(Arman, 2013).
The establishment of open mines will not only influence
biodiversity and forest cover, but also significantly
impact local communities living in the area, such as
the two communities that are part of this study in the
sub district Uut Murung. These circumstances stress
the importance for nature conservation initiatives,
including the protection of peoples livelihoods in the
area. Research studies in Borneo on social adaptation
to changes in landscape concomitant with cultural
transformation have highlighted trade-offs between
conservation and development. For example, studies
on the Punan Tubu in East Kalimantan (Levang et al.,
2007), the Penan in Sarawak (Pritchard, 2005 in Levang
et al., 2007) or the inhabitants of the North Barito district
in Central Kalimantan (Orth, 2009), have shown that
local communities attempts to gain the best outcome
from both modernization and conservation which is not
always possible to achieve (Levang et al., 2007).
Trans-disciplinary research for conservation
Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and
Communities (BRINCC) interdisciplinary research
design focuses on the conservation of rainforests and
its human and non-human inhabitants (Cheyne et al.,
2012). Environmental degradation and loss of natural
resources does not only affect biodiversity, but also
communities living in the surrounding area. With the
combination of social science and biodiversity research
we aimed to find ways to understand so-called, 'real
world problems', which means those problems that are
of relevance to societies (Christinck & Padmanabhan,
20
2013). Therefore, BRINCC has been working
towards an transdisciplinary approach that involves
not only scientific knowledge, but also non-academic
knowledge. The transdisciplinary approach is aimed
at creating a transformation knowledge needed to be
able to change an undesirable situation into a more
favourable one. For this, there is a need to involve a
variety of actors (Christinck and Padmanabhan, 2013).
BRINCC mainly worked with local villagers and
also consulted governmental agencies, such as the
Bupati (Regional Governor) before and after the 2011
expedition, as well as the Department Kehutanan (local
Forestry Department). Data were mainly collected at
the village level but secondary data from the statistical
office (Badan Pusat Statistic) were used.
This article intends to describe the attitudes of two
local communities towards companies with forest
conversion plans and the factors that might influence
those perceptions. We present perceived advantages
and disadvantages of the presence of companies and
local perceptions on the importance to conserve nature.
The research was conducted in two different villages in
the sub district of Uut Murung which lies in the district
of Murung Raya in the Province of Central Kalimantan,
Indonesia.
Methods
Ethics statement
This study was conducted after in-depth consultation
with the local government, international NGOs
operating in the Murung Raya Regency, such as
Fauna and Flora International (FFI), as well as
with the local communities themselves. In February
2011, a pre-expedition took place, which focused
on gathering preliminary data, as well as giving
local communities the chance to influence research
directions. BRINCC aimed to incorporate a significant
component of community directed research, whereby
local people can request research on topics important
to them. Therefore, the research plans were adapted
accordingly, based on the requests of villagers to map
an area of high social importance in order to strengthen
community management rights through the application
for a village forest (hutan desa). Before conducting the
research, all national and local research permits were
obtained. Further consultations were conducted to carry
out our research at the beginning of the data collection
University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo
 Perceptions towards companies and forest conservation

Figure 1: Location of study villages in the sub-district Uut Murung (A), and the district of Murung Raya (B), in Indonesia (C).

in July, 2011. In the agreement between villagers and
researchers, it was stated that original results from
Focus Group Discussions, e.g. maps, timelines, etc.
will be left with the community and all maps will be
left with the villagers. Personal data from interviews are
treated anonymously.
Figure 2. We used the Likert scale in our interviews for
questions regarding general attitudes towards companies
with forest conversion plans. The faces represent a range
of personal feelings from very unhappy, unhappy, neutral,
happy and very happy (from left to right).
Study site/ Demographic data
The BRINCC research team conducted research in the
interior of Kalimantan, Borneo (Figure 1). Study sites
were selected using the following criteria: a relatively
unstudied, rural area that is subject to land use change
(e.g. anthropogenic disturbance such as logging or
mining), high forest cover and forest dependency of the
community.
The two villages belong to the sub-district Uut Murung
which is situated in the north east corner of the Murung
Raya regency. The regency of Murung Raya spans over
a total area of 23,700 km between 113 12 40,98 E -
115 8 6,52 E and 0 51 51,87 S - 047 25,24 N
(Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya, 2013).
The Murung Raya is surrounded by: East and West
Kalimantan in the North, East Kalimantan in the East,
the Barito Utara regency in the South and the Kapuas
regency as well as West Kalimantan in the west. The

Table 1. Number of respondents to questionnaires per village and category.

Total Women Men Women Men Village

number (40+) (40+) (20-39) (20-39) leaders
Tumbang Tujang 28 7 4 6 6 5
Kalasin 25 4 6 5 6 4
Total 53 11 10 11 12 9

2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1 21

Hoeing et al.

Table 2. Variables and their categories, which were tested in the backward stepwise linear regression, for
their influence on the grade of acceptance of companies approaching the villages.

Independent variables Categories

Age Class 20-39, >=40
Gender Male/Female
Level of Education No education / elementary school/ high school
Village Tumbang Tujang/ Kalasin
Community Leader Yes/No
Native Yes/No
Ever worked for a company? Yes/No
Importance to protect the forest Likert scale: very unimportant -> very important
Amount of different forest resources important for livelihood Restricted to a maximum of 5
Belief in forest spirits Yes/No
Importance to transfer traditional knowledge Yes/No
Amount of advantages of companies Restricted to a maximum of 5
Amount of disadvantages of companies Restricted to a maximum of 5

Table 3. Final model with six variables included, their regression coefficients and standard er-
ror, the standardized regression coefficient Beta and the significance of each variable within the
model.

Modela Standardisized Sig.

Non standardized coefficients
coefficient
Regression
Standard error Beta
coefficient B
(Constant) 3.332 0.407 0.00
Gender -0.671 0.25 -0.30 0.01
Age class 0.949 0.252 0.43 0.00
Belief in spirits -0.384 0.141 -0.31 0.01
Number of disadvantages -0.105 0.109 -0.12 0.34
Number of advantages 0.453 0.118 0.45 0.00
Village -0.139 0.266 -0.06 0.60
a. Dependent Variable: Acceptance of companies

Table 4. Pearson Correlation coefficients of all variables included in the final model.
Accept Belief in
Gender Age Disadvantages Advantages Village
companies spirits
Dependent variable Accept companies - -0.25* 0.35** -0.25* -,17 0.37** ,11
Independent variables Gender - -,05 -,12 ,20 ,14 ,11
Age class - ,19 -0.28* -,16 ,02
Belief in spirits - -0.25* -,20 -,10
Disadvantages - ,08 -0.28*
Advantages - 0.29*
Village -
Significance: *0.05, **0.01, ***0.001

22 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

 Perceptions towards companies and forest conservation

80

70

60
Respondents [%]

50

40

30

20

10

0
very low low neutral high very high

Figure 3: Acceptance of companies by respondents from the two study villages in % (dark grey --- Tumbang
Tujang, white --- Kalasin).

Figure 4. Proportion-Proportion plot of observed cumulative
proportion plotted against the expected cumulative
proportion with the dependent variable: acceptance of
companies implies a normal distribution of data.
Figure 5. Standardised residuum plotted against standardised
estimated values in a multiple linear regression model with
dependent variable: acceptance of companies. Data are
represented in points; the scale represents the size of points
and its respective number of respondents.

average annual rainfall in Murung Raya is 266.67 mm/
month (Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya,
2013), the average temperature is 26.5C (midday)
and 23.2C (night) (Bagian Humas Sekretariat Daerah
Kabupaten Murung Raya, 2010). The sub-district Uut
Murung comprises a total area of 7,263 km. Uut Murung
consists of five villages: Tumbang Olong I, Tumbang
Olong II, Kalasin, Tumbang Tujang and Topus (Badan
Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya, 2009).
The two villages are located along the upper part of
the Murung River (also known as the upper Barito),
which is geographically situated in the highlands of
the Murung Raya regency in Central Kalimantan. They
are surrounded by hilly to mountainous terrain with

2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1 23

Hoeing et al.

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
R

CSR

FR
ACG

SG

NB
Figure 6. Different kinds of advantages of companies in % named by respondents (black --- Tumbang
Tujang, white --- Kalasin). Abbreviations: ACG Availability of cheap goods, SG Selling goods, R Road,
E Employment, CSR Corporate Social Responsibility, C Compensation payments, FR Free rides, NB
No benefits.

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
DR

CND

PR

NC

ND
LCW
LL

NBS

NE

DLE

Figure 7. Different kinds of advantages of companies in % named by respondents (black --- Tumbang Tujang,
white --- Kalasin). Abbreviations: LL Loss of land, DR Decrease of resources, CND Cause of natural
disasters, PR Polluted rivers, NC No (appropriate) compensation, NBS No benefit sharing, LCW
Loss of customary wood, NE No employment for uneducated, DLE - Destruction of living environment,
ND No disadvantage

80
70
60
Respondents [%]

50
40
30
20
10
0
unimportant important
very unimportant neutral very important
Figure 8. Rating of respondents [%] from Tumbang Tujang (grey) and Kalasin (white) for the
grade of the importance to protect the forest.

24 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo


altitudes ranging between 200 m in valleys and 1900
m on mountains peaks. The Murung River, with its
origin in the highlands of Central Kalimantan in the
Murung Raya regency, is a tributary of the Barito river
which travels southwards via Central Kalimantan and
flows into the Java sea nearby Banjarmasin, the capital
of South Kalimantan. The 900 km long Barito River
is the second longest waterway in Indonesian Borneo
(MacKinnon et al., 1996; Bagian Humas Sekretariat
Daerah Kabupaten Murung Raya, 2010). In Kalimantan,
many human settlements are situated along main rivers
(MacKinnon et al., 1996). Local communities depend
on the Barito River for their daily needs e.g. water
supply for drinking and washing, fishing for food.
Forest gardens are established alongside the river,
trade (e.g. floating markets), human and raw material
transportation and the extraction of gold.
In the year 2011, Tumbang Tujang was accessible via
a road, built by a logging company, with a distance to
the sub-district capital, Tumbang Olong, of 88km and to
the capital of the regency, Puruk Cahu, of 178km. The
road was only accessible by 4 wheel drive cars. In 2014,
parts of the road were impassable, hence, to access the
villages, boats had to be taken. In 2014 the trip took two
days instead of one full day as in 2011, when the road
was still accessible. The area that belongs officially to
Tumbang Tujang, covering 2,862 km, is the largest
among the other villages in the Uut Murung sub-district
(Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya, 2009).
Tumbang Tujang has 592 inhabitants from which in
2009 were Muslims (323), Protestants (34) and Hindus
(2) and 233 belonged to the category other religions
(Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya, 2009).
During the field-work, we found that other religion
were mainly Hindu-Kaharingan; respondents from
three ethnic group: Punan, Otdanum and Kahayan
belonged to this religion. The Punan Murung were
formerly known as one of the nomadic hunter and
gatherer tribes in Kalimantan who lived in the study
area (Sellato, 1994). Nowadays, a variety of ethnic
groups with origins in Kalimantan, such as the Punan,
Bekumpai, Siang, Otdanum, Kahayan and Kapuas, but
also some migrants e.g. from East Nusa Tenggara were
living in the villages (A. Hoeing personal observation).
In the village, there was one mosque and one temple
of the Hindu-Kaharingan religion. The village had an
elementary school, a kindergarten and - for health care
issues - a nurse (Pustu). In 2009, there were three small
shops (Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya,
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Perceptions towards companies and forest conservation
2009) - in 2011 there were around seven shops, which
mainly provided snacks, instant noodles and sweets,
material for painting or repairing boats, washing
powder, batteries, torches, clothes, etc. In 2014, we
also noticed sales of loudspeakers to enable listening
to music from mobile phones and of some other small
electrical devices (A. Hing personal observation).
Kalasin could be reached via logging road in 2011;
in 2014, the last kilometre had to be covered by boat
as the road was impassible by car. The distance to the
capital of the sub-district Tumbang Olong was 57 km,
to Puruk Cahu, the distance by road was 147 km. The
area which belongs to Kalasin comprises 572 km and
was the smallest area of the sub-district Uut Murung.
Kalasin had 546 inhabitants from which in 2009, the
main religion was defined as others (385 inhabitants)
(Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya, 2009);
from personal communication it was found to be the
Dayak religion of Hindu-Kaharingan, 152 Protestants
and 12 Muslim. A protestant church was located
in the village. Kalasin had an elementary school, a
kindergarten and a nurse (Pustu). In 2009, there were
two small shops (Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten
Murung Raya, 2009) - the number doubled by 2011,
and in 2014, almost every second house that was visited
contained a small shop with basic goods and sweets (A.
Hoeing, K. Grossmann personal observation).
Survey Methods
Sampling of Questionnaires
Sampling was designed as non-probability quota
sampling, a technique commonly used to assess public
opinion using polls. The method was chosen to ensure
that perceptions from small groups were adequately
represented (Kerlinger, 1986; Trochim & Donnelly,
2007). The sampling was chosen to aim for an equally
distributed representation of four different categories,
which were divided by: age class (20-39 years, >40
years) and gender. One further category was made for
important persons in higher social positions (Table
1), such as the Village Head, the village representative,
the village secretary and the Head of Customary Rights.
Age classes were established after consultation with
community members about the age-line between adults
and elder person.
Questionnaires represented individual opinions,
they were well established and tested prior to the start
of sampling in the villages. Questionnaires contained
32 questions covering several topics, including:
25
Hoeing et al.
general information about the use of natural resources,
commodities, access to markets, attitudes towards
nature conservation and environmental changes,
attitudes towards companies with resource extraction
plans and questions about traditional beliefs.
The questionnaires contained open, as well as closed
questions. The Likert scale is an ordinal ranking method,
that is widely used to assess attitudes, opinions and
beliefs with equal values (Kerlinger, 1986; Orth, 2009)
(Figure 2). The Likert scale was used to identify overall
attitudes towards companies with forest conversion
plans approaching the villages. The question following
the Likert scale aimed at identifying advantages and
disadvantages of companies approaching the villages,
as perceived by the respondents. The questionnaires
were filled in by A.H., D., E.M. and A.S. after reading
out the questionnaires. The researchers who conducted
interviews and questionnaires were either native
speaker (A.S., D., and E.M.) or fluent in Indonesian
(A.H.). Where the respondent agreed, interviews were
recorded, to be able to re-check information. Interviews
and questionnaires were mainly conducted in the houses
of the respondents. The presence and interference of
other family/community members were noted. In cases
where significant interference could not be avoided, the
interview/questionnaire was excluded from the analysis.
Data Analysis
The data from the questionnaires were analysed
using Open Office Org. 3.1.1- Calculator and SPSS
17.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) for
Windows. Non-normal distributions, outliers and
missing data were analysed and clarified by visual
examination.
To analyse variables which might influence the grade
of acceptance, villagers had towards companies with
forest conversion plans approaching the village, the
backward stepwise multiple linear regression method
was used. This method allowed identification of key
variables that might play a significant role in influencing
the dependent variable (here: acceptance of companies).
Thirteen independent variables were included in the
regression (Table 2). Answers from respondents on the
question: "Do you believe in forest spirits", resulted
in: yes, no and half-half. The answer half-half was
defined as a belief in forest spirits to a lesser extent
and/or the lack of any rejection towards the presence
of forest spirits. These data were incorporated into
the yes category for pairwise analysis of the beliefs
26
in presence versus absence of forest spirits. Missing
values, caused by respondents who did not reply to all
questions, were excluded in a pair wise manner.
The model with the best fit was chosen through the
adjusted coefficient of determination: R. Default
settings in SPSS for probability thresholds were used
which had a significance level of p <.05 to include
variables and p >.10 to remove independent variables
from the model. To analyse possible inter-correlations,
which might weaken the model, a correlation cross
table including all variables which were used in the
final model, was calculated using Pearson correlation
in SPSS.
Results
What variables influence the acceptance of companies
approaching the area?
Data gained from questionnaires show a tendency of
neutral-to-high acceptance of companies approaching
the area in both villages. Respondents from Kalasin
seemed to have a higher acceptance of companies
approaching the area than respondents from Tumbang
Tujang (Figure 3), though the difference between the
degree of acceptance did not differ significantly in the
backward stepwise multiple linear regression analysis.
What variables influence the acceptance of companies
approaching the area?
From the thirteen independent variables, which
might influence the choice of respondents on the
grade of acceptance of companies, four variables
were included in the final model: age class, gender,
amount of advantages of companies and belief in
spirits. The variable village was added back into
the final model as it was one of the main aspects of
comparisons in this study. Further, the variable amount
of disadvantages regarding companies approaching
the village was included in the final model, in order to
enable a comparison to the standardised coefficients of
regression with the variable amount of advantages
regarding companies approaching the village (Table
3). The significance of the model tested with ANOVA
(Analysis of Variance) for the two extra variables did
not change (the model explained 42.5% of the variance
without the two manually added variables: village
and amount of disadvantages, instead of 41.2%
when including the two extra variables). Hence, the
University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

model used here includes six independent variables:
age, gender, belief in spirits, amount of advantages,
amount of disadvantages and village. The ANOVA of
the model resulted in a significance of p<0.001. Out of
the six variables used in the model, four were found
to be significantly correlated with the acceptance of
companies approaching the area: gender, age class,
and belief in spirits and amount of advantages.
The PP (proportion-proportion) plot of observed
cumulative proportion plotted against the expected
cumulative proportion implies a normal distribution
(dependent variable: acceptance of companies)
(Figure 4). The scatter plot (Figure 5) presents the
regression of standardised residuum plotted over the
regression of standardised estimated values with a
95% confidence interval (outer lines) and a linear
regression line with R 1.449E-6. Data are mainly
distributed homogeneously within the 95% confidence
interval except three outliers. The scatter-plot of partial
regression suggests a strong linear coherence between
the dependent variable: acceptance of companies with
gender, age, the belief in forest spirits and the number
of advantages named by the respondents. Regression
lines for the dependent variable and the number of
disadvantages to the village does not suggest a strong
linear coherence.
The inter-correlation cross table shows significant
correlations in four cases (Table 4). The correlations
found were: A significant, positive correlation between
village and number of advantages and a significant,
negative correlation between village and number of
disadvantages. That means, respondents from Kalasin
generally mentioned more advantages and fewer
disadvantages of companies approaching the village
than respondents from Tumbang Tujang. Another
significant, negative correlation was found between age
class and number of disadvantages with younger
respondents naming more disadvantages. Further, there
was a significant inter-correlation between variables
belief in spirits and number of disadvantages, in a
way that respondents belief in spirits would name fewer
disadvantages of companies approaching the area. No
other significant correlations were found.
What do villagers perceive as the advantagea and
disadvantages of companies?
Advantages of companies as perceived by respondents,
were categorised (Figure 6). Respondents from
Tumbang Tujang [32%] named rural community
development as an advantage, followed by the road
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Perceptions towards companies and forest conservation
from Puruk Cahu to the village and employment, which
were each mentioned by 29% of the respondents. In this
context, it was explained that before there was the road
and engines for boats, it took several weeks to travel to
Puruk Cahu. Another 29% of villagers did not perceive
any benefits from companies approaching the area. The
possibility to sell goods such as vegetables, fish or meat
to companies was named by 21% of the respondents as
an advantage, the opportunity of buying cheap goods,
e.g. pans or equipment sold by companies was listed
as an advantage by 7% respondents. Furthermore, one
respondent found it positive to receive compensation
payments for forest gardens converted by companies.
In Kalasin 60% of the respondents saw the road as
biggest advantage. Another advantage named was rural
community development programs from companies
that were named by 52% of respondents. One-third
of the respondents [32%] perceived the possibility to
sell goods as an advantage and the possibility to join
company transportation for free to travel to Tumbang
Olong or Puruk Cahu was named by 24% of respondents.
The availability of cheap goods and the opportunity for
being employed by companies was named by 12% of the
respondents as an advantage. Some respondents [4%]
found that companies did not provide any advantages.
In contrast, the following disadvantages were mentioned
(Figure 7). Disadvantages perceived most often by
villagers from Tumbang Tujang were: destruction of
their living environment and surrounding nature [43%],
a decrease in resources needed for daily life [39%]
such as: fish, honey, wood and polluted river water.
Some villagers also stated that companies cause natural
disasters such as landslides and flooding [21%], but
many respondents did not see any disadvantage caused
by companies [32%]. Villagers from Kalasin perceived
disadvantages caused such as: loss of land - implying
the loss of land needed for farming - [20%], polluted
river water [20%] and a decrease in resources [16%],
but many respondents did not see any disadvantages
caused by companies [52%].
Do locals perceive a necessity to conserve nature?
Locals from both villages graded the importance to
protect the forest as either very important or important
(Figure 8). More respondents from Tumbang Tujang
[75%] found it very important to protect nature
compared to respondents in Kalasin [52%]. None of the
respondents found it unimportant to protect the forest,
one respondent in Kalasin was neutral.
27
Hoeing et al.
Discussion
Our case study presents the attitude of local villagers
towards companies with forest conversion plans,
variables that might influence those attitudes as well as
benefits and disadvantages of companies' presence. We
also present perceptions concerning the importance to
conserve nature.
The results from the study must be interpreted with
caution, not only because of the small sample size,
but also because perceptions shift over time due to
changing community dynamics and external factors.
For example, one of the most mentioned advantages of
companies was the road. Between 2011 and 2014 the
road to access the capital of the regency, Puruk Cahu,
deteriorated. Companies use different roads to access
the logging or mining site upstream from the village of
Tumbang Tujang. Therefore, it needs a minimum of two
days, instead of formerly one day, to reach the village
from the capital of the regency.
An interesting finding was the difference in the attitudes
towards companies between the two villages. Kalasin,
which is closer to the capital and which has experienced
a higher number of companies operating in the area, in
general, perceived companies as more positive than
respondents from Tumbang Tujang. The forest in
Kalasin was more degraded and biodiversity was lower
than the biodiversity in the village area of Tumbang
Tujang. The perception towards the need to conserve
nature was perceived higher in Tumbang Tujang than
in Kalasin. The analysis shows however, that the home
village of the respondent did not significantly affect
attitudes towards companies with forest conversion
plans has shown that village does not significantly
influence the perception of companies. Nevertheless, we
found that the variable village intercorrelated with the
variable amount of advantages and disadvantages
named. Villagers in Kalasin found more advantages and
fewer disadvantages with the presence of companies.
While staying in the village, we found that almost half
the houses in the village were provided by a logging
company operating close to the village. Additionally,
the road to Kalasin was in much better condition than
the part of the road going to Tumbang Tujang. These
two obvious benefits might have led to the more positive
attitude towards companies by villagers in Kalasin.
Disadvantages were more commonly expressed in
Tumbang Tujang. One of the most frequently perceived
disadvantage was the destruction of nature and their
28
living environment, as well as a decrease in resources
on which the communities depend on (compare Hing
et al 2015 in this issue) as well as the pollution of the
river, which was often related to company presence.
Another finding was that, in general, elders and
women of all ages were more positive towards company
presence. One reason might be that fewer older people
and women go into the areas in the forest in which
companies are operating. Younger people, who often
search continuously for one month for eaglewood (a
fungi infected heartwood that can be found in trees of the
genus Aquilaria) in the forest, can see the consequences
of company activities in the past. Results from semi-
structured interviews have shown a perceived decrease
in flora and fauna, which were often regarded as food
species (BRINCC unpublished data).
Respondents who believed in forest spirits were more
negative about companies. Traditionally, villagers
stage a ceremony to seek permissions from forest
spirits to open forest gardens in primary forests. Given
this, conflicting beliefs between the villages and the
companies might cause a negative reaction.
Meijaard et al. (2013) stresses the importance of
understanding use values of the forest and other factors
that influence local peoples' perceptions on the forest,
to then recognise understandings in policymaking. We
stress the importance of understanding perceptions
towards companies with large-scale forest conversion
activities before planning conservation projects.
Positive impacts of companies as perceived by the
respondents, such as the maintenance of the road,
social corporate responsibility, including teachers
and health care, should be expected to be tasks of the
government. Instead, the state gains income from the
companies presence, tax, infrastructure and corporate
responsibility programmes. We suggest that a trans-
disciplinary research approach is needed to bring
together various actors with diverse interests to be able
to balance economic interests from resource extraction
and conservation of not only biodiversity, but also local
communities. We stress that all actors should be seen
as equally empowered, if the aim is a more sustainable
and ethical approach. We recognise this would be a
challenge in a hierarchical society such as Indonesia
(Glaser et al., 2010).
Another point we would like to discuss is that
respondents named many benefits from companies, such
as selling goods, the availability of cheap goods, free
rides and housing provided by the company. A decrease
University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

of resources needed to fulfil daily needs also means
a need to replace those resources through alternative
sources, including goods that can be bought in shops.
Communities therefore manage a trade-off between
new sources of goods and income and the loss of
environmental income (Angelsen et al. 2014). In 2014,
many villagers were away working for companies,
either joining exploratory mining expeditions or in a
logging company which were both located upstream
of the village. These findings are consistent with other
studies from Kalimantan, showing many forest-based
communities desire the benefits of development without
forest loss (Levang et al. 2007).
By 2014, perceptions towards companies might have
changed and a reassessment of perceptions towards
companies might give different outcomes to those in
2011. On the other hand, villagers told us in 2014 about
their idea of establishing a customary forest (hutan adat)
to protect the environment. The disadvantages named in
2011 were mainly related to environmental degradation,
such of a decrease of resources or the destruction of
their living environment.
Also, The importance of conserving nature was also
perceived as high - very high. During some informal
discussions with the villagers, belonging to the village
administration, asked for information on the impact
of mining companies. According to the Indonesian
government decree No. 27/2012 on Environment
(Peraturan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia Nomor
27 Tahun 2012 Tentang Izin Lingkungan), an
Environmental Impact Analysis (AMDAL) is needed,
which requires the provision of information on the side
effects of the activity through public consultation and
the announcement of the business and/or activity plans
(compare Article 9, 1a, 2a and b), indicating that the
community was not sufficiently consulted. Article 9
(4) of law 27/2012 on environmental policy states that
the community that will be affected and environmental
NGOs have the right to give suggestions, opinions and
responses to the business or activity plan of a company.
This free prior and informed consent (FPIC) forms
part of the entire acquisition and development process,
although this article does not state what will be done
in case the community does not agree to the planned
development. To give an indication of the lack of FPIC;
notification that the AMDAL could be challenged was
published in a local newspaper. The notification was
in the form of an advert, giving communities only 10
days to object to proposals. Newspapers cannot be
bought in the villages and none of our respondents in
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Perceptions towards companies and forest conservation
the villages were aware that such an announcement
had been made. We therefore stress the importance to
involve communities in an ethical manner to give them
the opportunity to be part of the policymaking process.
Trans-disciplinary research for conservation might be
a way to achieve a balance between conservation and
development of the area. To build a joint understanding
of problems, transdisciplinary research aims on multi-
stakeholder dialogues, which bring together knowledge
from different perspectives from various disciplines as
well as non-academic knowledge (compare Christinck
& Padmanabhan, 2013). Research for sustainability
aims to be self-reflective to develop a joint learning and
understanding to adapt to changing situations (compare
Christinck & Padmanabhan, 2013). Situations change
as do complex social systems and perceptions. What is
important to a community now might not be important
in the near or distant future. To avoid social conflicts,
as well as to contribute to socially and environmentally
sustainable land use, we urgently stress the need for a
permanent dialogue between governmental agencies,
local communities and other stakeholders in the area.
References
Angelsen, A., Jagger, P., Babigumira, R., Belcher,
B., Hogarth, N. J., Bauch, S., . . . Wunder, S. (2014).
Environmental income and rural livelihoods: A
global-comparative analysis. World Development, 64,
S12-S28. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.03.00
Arman, A. (2013). Dr. Ir. Willy M Yoseph. Menuju
Murung Raya Emas 2030 Sebuah Pikiran dan Tindakan.
Nala Publishing House.
Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya. (2009).
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Cahu: BPS Kecamatan Uut Murung.
Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Murung Raya. (2013).
Murung Raya Dalam Angka 2013. Puruk Cahu: BPS
Kecamatan Uut Murung. ISSN: 2087-3972, online
available: http://murakab.bps.go.id/?hal=publikasi_
detil&id=1, last accessed 28.05.2014.
Bagian Humas Sekretariat Daerah Kabupaten Murung
Raya. (2010). Selayang Pandang. Kabupaten Murung
Raya. Puruk Cahu: BAPPEDA Kabupaten Murung
Raya.
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Cheyne, S.M., Zrust, M., Hoeing, A., Houlihan, P.R.,
Rowland, D., Rahmania, M. and K. Breslin (2012).
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Communities (BRINCC) Preliminary Report. BRINCC
Expedition, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
Christinck, A. and M. Padmanabhan (2013). Why inter-
and transdisciplinary research for agrobiodiversity? In:
Christinck, A. & Padmanabhan, M. (eds.). Cultivate
Diversity! A handbook on transdisciplinary approaches
to agrobiodiversity research. Margraf Publishers,
Weikersheim.
Glaser, M., Radjawali, I. and S. Ferse (2010). Nested
participation in hierarchical societies? Lessons for
social-ecological research and management. Int. J.
Society Systems Science 2(4).
Hoeing, A., Suncoko, A., Deni, Rowland, D., Murray,
E., Sabahudin, I., Zrust, M., Houlihan, P., Gromann,
K., Waltert, M. and S.M. Cheyne (2015). How nature
is used and valued by villagers in two villages in Uut
Murung. Journal of Indonesian Natural History 3(1):
8-18.
Kerlinger, F.N. (1986). Foundations of Behavioral
Research. Forth Worth. TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Inc.
Levang, P., Sitorus, S. and E. Dounias (2007). City Life
in the Midst of the Forest: a Punan Hunter-Gatherer's
Vision of Conservation and Development. Ecology &
Society 12(1).
MacKinnon, K., Hatta, G., Halim, H. and Mangalik
(1996). The ecology of Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.
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Meijaard, E., Abram, N.K., Wells, J.A., Pellier, A-S.,
Ancrenaz, M., Gaveau, D.L.A., R.K. Runting and K.
Mengersen (2013). People's Perceptions about the
Importance of Forests on Borneo. PLoS ONE 8(9):
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Orth, M.G. (2009). The noble savage fancies
development - Determinants of community responses
to forest conversion plans in Central Kalimantan,
Indonesia. Dissertation, Technical University Dresden,
Germany.
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our image of nature affects use. In: L. Lester & C.
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University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo
Report on the small terrestrial mammals of the Uut
Murung Region, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Michal Zrust1,7, Dominic Rowland1,2, Susan M. Cheyne1,2,3,4, Peter R. Houlihan2,5,6, Andrea Hoeing1,2,8
and Ardi M. Yunus1
1
Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities (BRINCC), 11 The Avenue, Hitchin, Herts, SG4 9RJ, UK
2
Orang-utan Tropical Peatland Project, Jalan Semeru No. 91, Bukit Hindu, Palangka Raya, Indonesia.
3
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Oxford University, OX13 5QL, UK.
4
Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences and Law, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford , UK
5
Department of Behavioral Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore USA
6
Department of Biology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville USA
7
The Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
8
Georg-August-Universitt, Conservation Biology/ WG on Endangered Species, 37075 Goettingen, Germany

Corresponding author: Michael Zrust, email: michal@brinccborneo.org

Abstrak
Pengetahuan tentang distribusi mamalia kecil di Kalimantan sebagian besar menunjukkan bahwa kegiatan penelitian yang
telah dilakukan lebih terpusat pada bagian daerah Sabah dan Sarawak serta dataran rendah Kalimantan yang bisa dijangkau.
Pada tulisan ini kami menyampaikan hasil penelitian mamalia kecil dengan menggunakan perangkap pada dua lokasi dalam
ekosistem hutan dipterocarpace yang terpencil di Kabupaten Murung Raya, Kalimantan Tengah. Tujuan kegiatan ini adalah untuk
mendokumentasikan guild mamalia kecil di daerah ini. Sembilan spesies mamalia kecil dijumpai pada kedua lokasi penelitian.
Penelitian ini mengkonfirmasi sebaran Tikus-pohon kelabu (Lenothrix canus), yang merupakan publikasi ke dua dari Kalimantan
Tengah, dan catatan pertama keberadaan spesies ini pada bagian utara Kalimantan Tengah. Juga menambahkan catatan keberadaan
Tikus-duri perut-kastanye (Maxomys ochraceiventer), yang merupakan spesies dengan kategori kurang data (Data Deficient) yang
sebelumnya dikatakan tersebar luas namun hanya didapatkan dalam jumlah yang sedikit.

Abstract
The known distribution of small mammals in Borneo largely reflects surveying effort, which is concentrated in the Malaysian states
of Sabah and Sarawak as well as accessible low land Kalimantan. Here we present the findings of small mammal trapping surveys
in two sites in a remote dipterocarp forest ecosystems in Murung Raya Regency, Central Kalimantan. To our knowledge, this is the
first published account small mammal guild surveys in this region. Nine species of small mammals were found to be present over
two study sites. The survey expands the confirmed distribution of the Grey Tree Rat (Lenothrix canus), constituting the second
published record of the species in Central Kalimantan, and the first record of the species in northern Central Kalimantan. Also of
note is the confirmed presence of the Chestnut-Bellied Spiny Rat (Maxomys ochraceiventer), a Data Deficient species thought to
have a wide range yet captures are rare.

Keywords: small mammals, distribution, Grey Tree Rat, Chestnut-Bellied Spiny Rat

Introduction In addition, different species exhibit varying levels

Small mammals play a key role in forest ecosystems as
important dispersers of seeds and mycorrhizal fungi, and
predators of insects and seedlings (Wells et al., 2009).
Information on the species distribution and diversity of
small mammals is central to understanding ecological
processes (Caro et al., 2001), by identifying areas of
high biodiversity and prioritise areas for conservation.
Received 12th June, 2014; revision accepted 1st February, 2015
of tolerance to changes in habitat and vegetation
structure depending on their life histories and habitat
utilization (Meijaard and Sheil, 2008), making small
mammal surveys a relatively quick and cheap method
of determining ecosystem health (Avenant, 2000), as
well as an important tool in understanding the effects of
logging (Wells et al., 2004) and habitat fragmentation
(Cuaron, 2000)
Given the grave pressures facing Borneos forests and
the lack of knowledge of how such pressures impact its

2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1 31

Zrust et al.
animal inhabitants, it is imperative that more scientific
research is undertaken. As a priority, inventories
of species present and their abundances need to be
established. This will provide baselines from which
changes in species richness can be monitored in the
future and any changes of concern in these populations
can be caught and diagnosed early. This is highly
significant, because it allows conservation bodies to
provide solid evidence of species population declines
as a direct result of habitat destruction. Once we
understand the intricacies of the forest functions in this
region, we can begin to direct conservation measures
more efficiently, provide science-based evidence to
support conservation measures, generate greater local
and international awareness of the issues, and provide
foundations for future work.
Despite decades of biological research in Borneo,
few surveys of small mammals have been conducted
and published, and survey effort has been concentrated
almost exclusively to Malaysian Borneo and lowland
32
Figure 1. The location of study sites.
Kalimantan (e.g. Nor, 2001; Wells et al., 2007). To our
knowledge, no small mammal distribution and diversity
studies from the interior of Kalimantan have been
published, and no published studies exist for the upper
Murung River region.
Methods
Fieldwork was carried out by MZ, DR and AMY as part
of a multi-disciplinary research expedition along the
Murung River, one of three primary drainage basins of
the Barito River (Figure 1). The area is characterised
by rugged, hilly-to-mountainous terrain, with altitude
ranging between 200 to 1600m from valley bottom to
the top of the mountain. In most years, drier conditions
occur from July to September, with a wet season
between October and January (McConkey et al., 2003).
Small mammal trappings were undertaken at two sites
during July and August 2011: Site A (GPS N0 17.943
University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo
 Small mammals of Uut Murung

E114 25.935) at an altitude of ~150 m a.s.l. consisted
of semi-disturbed community forest, situated close to
a village and used by the communities for hunting,
drinking water collection and low level extraction of
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs); Site B (GPS
N0 15.144 E114 38.981) between ~150 m and ~300 m
a.s.l., consisted of primary forest, largely undisturbed
but occasionally frequented by local communities for
hunting of large mammals. For further information on
the habitat at each site, see Cheyne et al. (2015) in this
volume.
Trapping grid systems using standard methodologies
were employed (e.g. August, 1983; McCain, 2004) due
to their ease of use and potential for future statistical
analysis of resulting data (Efford, 2004; Royle, A. pers.
comm.). Locally made live-capture wire mesh traps were
used, as these have been shown to perform better than
other kinds of live traps in catching small mammals in
Borneo (Lee, 1997; Nor, 2001; Wells, K. pers. comm.;
Nakagawa et al., 2007). Trapping was undertaken
using two sets of 40 m x 40 m trap grids, separated by
approximately 100-150 m. Each grid consisted of 16
ground traps (a total 64 traps per transect) separated
by 10 m as recommended by Hammond and Anthony
(2006). At each site, two grids were placed on a ridge
and two grids were placed in a river valley within 10-20
m of a flowing stream.
At Site A, two grids (one on the ridge and another in
the valley) were baited with dried fish and two grids
were baited with fresh coconut suspended above the
floor of each trap on the trigger mechanism. Traps baited
with coconut received zero captures during the entire
trapping duration at site A, therefore all traps at Site B
were baited with fresh coconut to maximise the number
of potential captures. The traps that had previously been
baited with fish were cleaned with water before being
used with coconut bait in Site B.
A total of 18 days of trapping was conducted at each
site, providing 2304 trap nights in total. Each trap was
checked twice daily; once in the morning and once in
the evening, and re-baited after each successful capture,
if bait was found to be missing or if bait remained after
3 days.
Identification of individuals was based on Payne et al.
(1985). All individuals were weighed, measured (head-
body length; ear length; tail length; and hind foot (left)
length) (Caro et al., 2001) unless the situation required
quick release (e.g. following treatment, if animal was
found to have been injured). Capture locations were
recorded and all individuals were uniquely marked
using Monel (http://www.nationalband.com) ear tags
for recapture purposes.
Results
Species presence, location, abundances and richness
Overall a total of 267 captures were made of 91
individuals. Nine species of small mammals were
identified, with a further unknown species undergoing
identification. The unidentified individual has been
excluded from the following analysis. Of the nine
species, eight were found at site A and 7 at site B.
Simpsons Diversity Index was 0.36 and 0.25 at sites A
and B respectively (Hill, 1973). Overall, 38 individuals
were caught during the trapping period at Site A (across

Table 1. Small mammal species captured at Site A

Number of
Number of Distribution
Species individuals IUCN status
captures extension*
caught
Maxomys rajah 16 70 Vulnerable No
Niviventer cremoriventer 4 22 Vulnerable No
Maxomys whiteheadi 7 18 Vulnerable No
Maxomys surifer 5 6 Least Concern No
Maxomys ochraceiventer 2 5 Data Deficient No
Leopoldamys sabanus 2 4 Least Concern No
Lenothrix canus 1 1 Least Concern Yes
Sundamys muelleri 1 1 Least Concern No
* When compared to IUCN range maps

2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1 33

Zrust et al.

Table 2. Small mammal species captured at Site B

Number of
Number of Distribution
Species individuals IUCN status
captures extension*
caught
Maxomys rajah 20 48 Vulnerable No
Maxomys whiteheadi 11 38 Vulnerable No
Leopoldamys sabanus 13 30 Least Concern No
Maxomys ochraceiventer 4 17 Data Deficient No
Maxomys surifer 2 3 Least Concern No
Sundamys muelleri 1 1 Least Concern No
Tupaia Tana 1 1 Least Concern No
Unknown (unidentified) 1 1 N/A N/A
* When compared to IUCN range maps

127 captures) with 24 individuals caught in the valley
and 14 on the ridge. M. ochraceiventer, L. canus, S.
muelleri and N. cremoriventer were only caught within
valleys near rivers, however, with the exceptions of N.
cremoriventer (4 individuals captured 22 times) and M.
ochraceiventer (2 individuals captured 5 times), L. canus
and S. muelleri were only caught once.
As with Site A, M. ochraceiventer (4 individuals
captured 17 times) was only found in valley trapping
grids. M. surifer was also found in valley trapping grids,
however, this result is not consistent within Site A where
it was found in both the valley and on the ridge sites.
Movement
Only M. whiteheadi was captured across different grids
at the same site. Out of the 11 individuals caught at
Site B, two individuals were repeatedly caught in grids
other than those at which they were originally caught.
One individual caught on a ridge trap was caught
approximately 450 m away in a valley trap 10 days later.
However, out of the 11 individuals, 5 were only caught
in their original grids and 4 were only caught once.
Capture rate
Total number of captures was 127 captures and 140
captures at Site A and Site B respectively, including both
new captures and recaptures. However, as traps baited
with fish did not succeed at catching any individuals
in Site A, this comparison can only be made between
coconut-baited traps at Site A and traps which had
coconut bait at Site B, but had previously not had any
catches in Site A (to also avoid bias due to presence of

Figure 2. Total individual catches per day at Borah (Site A) and Tujang (Site B)

34 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo


Table 3. Measurement ranges of the caught adult individuals.
Species (adults) Weight (g) Tail (mm)
Lenothrix canus
Leopoldamys sabanus 260-530
Maxomys ochraceiventer 65-103
Maxomys rajah 95-181
Maxomys surifer
Maxomys whiteheadii 37-64
animal smell). With this adjustment, Site B is seen to be
less productive, trapping only 56 individuals compared
to the 127 at Site A. Table 3 summarises measurement
ranges of the caught adult species. In general, a wide
range of sizes was identified.
Conclusion
Small mammal surveys are very time-consuming, and
the inference from the data must be carefully presented
given small sample sizes and area covered. Conclusions
on aspects such as small mammal assemblage,
composition and completeness of inventories require
data sets of a minimum of 500 individuals (Wells et al.,
2004).
Some attention should be drawn to the absence of a
number of relatively common lowland forest species,
found elsewhere in Borneo, that have not been recorded
here. Of particular note is extension of the known
distribution range of the Grey Tree Rat Lenothrix
canus, into the northern regions of Central Kalimantan
(Ruedas et al., 2008). Previous records suggest presence
of L. canus in the Sabangau Peat-Swamp Forest in
southern Central Kalimantan (Page, 1997), as well
as in Southwest Kalimantan and Malaysian Borneo.
This range extension, confirms the suspicion that the
limited known distribution reflects lack of survey effort
rather than the true population distribution. Also of
note is the capture of data deficient Chestnut-Bellied
Spiny Rat Maxomys ochraceiventer, which supports
the predicted distribution. In addition, one as yet
unidentified species may be of interest; the individual
was small (approximately 6-7cm in body length), almost
completely dark grey in colour, but with a distinctly
pink-coloured underside. The pink underside did not
graduate from the dark grey, instead, starting abruptly
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Small mammals of Uut Murung
Head-Body No. of individuals
(mm) measured
No measurements taken
11
124-179 122-154 6
101-212 94-201 27
Only juveniles caught
96-118 102-127 11
on the stomach area almost reaching the underside of
the neck. The dark grey colour ran around the inside of
the legs.
The results presented here form an overview of species
presence/absence in the region. This kind of survey can
add important information, as the distributions and full
range of habitats and forest types used by a large range
of small mammals are, to date, unknown.
Our results demonstrate the continued need for small
mammal surveys in the region, using a wide range of
survey methods. Given the highly probable exploitation
of the Uut Murungs forests for logging and mining
in the near future, further surveys should attempt to
examine the importance of small mammals in the
maintenance of ecological functions and regeneration
of forest fragments, as well as establish their use as a
habitat quality indicator species for environmental
impact monitoring of industrial activities. Practical
difficulties of working in this remote environment,
however, limit the number of traps, the type of bait, and
the duration of surveys. As a result, methods themselves
also require further testing to ensure their viable use in
remote settings.
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37
Report on the large mammals of the Uut Murung Region,
Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

Susan M. Cheyne1,2,3,4, Andrea Hing1,7, Peter R. Houlihan2,5,6, Kursani2, Dominic Rowland2 and Michal
Zrust2
1
Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities (BRINCC) Flat 2, 11 The Avenue, Hitchin, SG4 9RJ, UK
2
Orang-utan Tropical Peatland Project, Jalan Semeru No. 91, Bukit Hindu, Palangka Raya, Indonesia.
3
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Tubney, OX13 5QL, UK.
4
Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences and Law, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford , UK
5
Department of Behavioral Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore USA
6
Department of Biology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville USA
7
Department of South-East Asia Studies, University of Passau, Germany

Corresponding Author email: susan@brinccborneo.org

Abstrak
Dengan menggunakan perangkap kamera dan survei transek standar kami mengkaji keberadaan mamalia besar di hutan bagian
hulu sungai Murung. Sebanyak 10 perangkap kamera ditempatkan terpisah dalam kisaran 2 km2 dan 10 km jalur transek. Hasil
penelitian menunjukkan bahwa daerah ini memiliki keanekaragaman fauna yang tinggi; secara keseluruhan 20 jenis mamalia besar,
termasuk sembilan jenis primata dan dua jenis Kucing dicatat pada daerah ini. Jumlah ini mungkin merupakan taksiran rendah
terhadap keanekaragaman hayati yang sebenarnya di daerah ini, mengingat terbatasnya waktu penelitian, sumber daya dan luasan
area penelitian. Dua dari 20 spesies yang dijumpai dikategorikan sebagai genting (endangered), dan sepuluh dikategorikan sebagai
rentan (vulnerable) oleh IUCN, termasuk Owa kalaweit dan Owa kalimantan (Hylobates albibarbis dan H. Muelleri), macan dahan
(Neofelis diardii) dan bekantan (Nasalis larvatus). Mengingat luasnya wilayah tutupan hutan dan belum lengkapnya daftar spesies
yang disajikan dalam tulisan ini, hutan bagian hulu Sungai Murung sepertinya akan sangat penting bagi konservasi keanekaragaman
hayati.

Abstract
Using camera traps and standard transect surveys, we surveyed the forests of the upper Murung River region for presence of large
mammals. A total of 10 camera traps were placed singly covering 2km2 and 10km of trails were walked. Our results confirm that this
region supports a high diversity of fauna: a total of 20 large mammals including 9 primates and 2 felids were recorded in the area.
These numbers may actually underestimate the true diversity of this region, due to our limited survey period, resources and size
of study area. Of the 21 species recorded, 2 are classified as endangered and 10 are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, including
the Bornean southern gibbon and Mllers gibbon (Hylobates albibarbis and H. muelleri), Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardii)
and proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus). Thus, considering the large size of intact forest and the fact that the species list presented
in this report may be incomplete, the forests of the upper Murung River region are likely to be an important area for biodiversity
conservation.

Keywords: mammals, Murung Raya, camera traps, biodiversity

Introduction species of tree, 222 species of mammal and 420 species

The island of Borneo covers less than 0.2% of the earths
land surface (743,330km2), yet houses a wealth of
biodiversity. Borneo is home to 4% of the worlds plant
species and 5% of birds and mammals (MacKinnon et
al., 1996) including up to 15,000 species of flowering
plants (as many as the whole African continent), 3,000
Received 12th May, 2015; revision accepted 1st July, 2015
of resident birds (MacKinnon et al., 1996). It is also
home to 13 non-human primate species, eight of which
are endemic (i.e., are found nowhere else on earth),
and the large majority (54,000; 89%) of the worlds
remaining Bornean orang-utans (Pongo spp., Wich et
al., 2008).
In Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan) alone, almost 3
million ha of forest have been lost between 1996 and
2002, and it is estimated that this loss continues at around
2% each year (Fuller et al., 2004; Meittinen et al., 2012;

38 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo


Hansen et al., 2013). After several decades of over-
exploitation, the economic role of the forest industry
is declining in the country (Meijaard et al., 2005), but
the threat remains, due to the expansion of mining,
timber and oil-palm plantations and land clearing for
development (Fuller et al., 2004; Meijaard et al., 2005).
Whilst upland forests have been partly protected in
the past due to the difficulty of access, the majority
of Borneos remaining forests (over 100,000km2) are
classified as timber concessions. Additionally, data
show that forest cover is in fact declining more rapidly
in protected areas, than in unprotected areas (Meijaard
et al., 2005). High rates of deforestation have led to an
unprecedented loss in biodiversity in the humid tropics
(Barlow and Peres, 2006) and habitat destruction and
fragmentation are the root cause of many conservation
issues (Meijaard et al., 2005). Within Kalimantan, fires
resulting from deforestation have also made Indonesia
one of the worlds largest CO2 emitters in 2000-012
and the thick smoke released has caused a wide array of
health problems within the local populations (Cheyne,
2007; Harrison et al., 2009). The continuing rapid
expansion of large-scale agro-industry and resource
Figure 1. The two survey sites are located in the central part of Kalimantan.
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Large mammals of Uut Murung
extraction is a particularly severe threat, especially to
large mammals, including primates and cats.
Primates are particularly vulnerable to population
declines and extinction, because their slow reproduction
rate means that even very low increases in the natural
mortality rate due to hunting or other disturbances can
have catastrophic effects on populations (Husson et al.,
2009). The spectacular primates, including the gibbon
(Hylobates spp) and slow loris (Nycticebus spp), have
long been the target of hunters for medicines and the
pet trade (Nijman, 2005a, b; Cheyne, 2009). Bornean
tropical forests contains a guild of five felid species:
Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), bay cat
(Pardofelis badia), marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata),
flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps), and leopard
cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). The bay cat and the flat-
headed cat are classed as IUCN Red List Endangered and
the marbled cat and clouded leopard as Vulnerable and
their presumed primary habitat is rapidly being lost and/
or altered throughout Kalimantan (Cheyne et al., 2013).
The behavioural ecology of these cats is not well known,
and the impact of forest destruction and management on
each of these species is obscure (Cheyne and Macdonald,
39
Cheyne et al.
2010, 2011; Cheyne et al., 2010, 2013). The perceived
decline of cat populations is predominantly accredited
to the usual human disturbances: habitat degradation,
fragmentation and hunting (direct and indirect). Cats
are widely hunted for their pelts, which are often
considered as status symbols (Rabinowitz et al., 1987;
Nowell and Jackson, 1996; Povey et al., 2009). Their
teeth are also highly prized and their bones and organs
are sometimes used in traditional medicine (Shepherd
& Nijman, 2008). In addition, some restaurants serve
clouded leopard, reputedly catering for wealthy Asian
tourists (Rabinowitz et al., 1987). Clouded leopards
are also killed as by-catch of hunting for pigs, deer and
monkeys (Rabinowitz et al., 1987; Wilting et al., 2006;
Cheyne et al., 2013).
Very little is known about the hill forests of Central
Borneo (Bodmer et al., 1991) and the few studies that
have taken place since 1991 have been concentrated
further downstream along the Barito River (e.g.
McConkey and Chivers, 2004). However, the upstream
region along the Murung River (Figure 1) has received
little attention from conservationists and is increasingly
threatened by large-scale resource extraction for coal
and timber.
The Barito River Initiative for Conservation and
Communities (BRINCC) aims to increase knowledge
and conservation in this region by documenting its
biodiversity involving a broad range of taxa including
birds, primates, invertebrates and small mammals in this
remote and unstudied region (Cheyne et al., 2012). The
important studies undertaken as part of this expedition,
and the results, knowledge and awareness generated, are
a fundamental and necessary step towards protecting
this biologically-invaluable region.
Methods
Surveys were conducted during the dry season, from
July-September 2014. The survey area was a region of
the Murung River and surveys were conducted at two
sites. Survey elevations varied from 50 400m a.s.l. The
study sites are located in dipterocarp forest, virtually
at the geographical heart of Borneo. Site A (Tumbang
Tujang, GPS N0 17.943 E114 25.935) consisted of
semi-disturbed community forest, situated close to
a village and used by the communities for hunting,
drinking water collection and low level extraction of
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). Site B (Borah
40
River, GPS N0 15.144 E114 38.981) at an altitude of
(~150 meters) and (~300 meters) consisted of primary
forest, largely undisturbed but occasionally frequented
by local communities for hunting of large mammals.
Both sites lie along the Murung River which joins the
Barito River downstream to flow into the Java Sea. The
area has a rugged, hilly-to-mountainous terrain, with
altitude ranging between 200 to 1,600m from valley
bottom to mountain top. In most years, drier conditions
occur from July to September, with a wet season
between October and January (McConkey et al., 2003).
Surveys were conducted using two methods: camera
traps covering ~2km2 and 10km of trails were walked at
each site. Single Cuddeback Capture IR (Cuddeback
Digital, Non-Typical http:// cuddeback.com/index.
html) cameras were placed on animal trails, ridges
and at stream crossings to evaluate the presence of
elusive species in both sites located so as to maximise
the success rate of photographic detections (Wilting
et al., 2006; Gordon and Stewart, 2007; Cheyne et al.,
2013). Cameras were placed singly with a separation of
500m. Due to time limitations, a total of 10 cameras
were used and placed for 24 days in Site A and for 16
days in Site B. Trails (1km minimum) were also walked
along ridges, valleys and along shallow rivers with a
minimum of two observers at a speed of no more than
1km/h. Information was obtained through direct and
indirect sightings (marks on trees, nests and tracks).
Tracks were photographed for ID later, either at camp
or after the expedition. Tracks which could not be
identified by the team were emailed to relevant experts.
The total number of photos taken by all cameras at
each site was determined by including all photos of
humans (research team), animals and any blank images.
The number of mammal species for each site was
determined at the end of the survey period. Total trap
nights is calculated by number of cameras x number of
nights each camera is active. No cameras broke during
the study. The % of animal captures is the % of animal
photos based on the total number of photos taken.
Detection Probability
Following OBrien (2011) we used the following
equation to calculate detection probability of each
species at each grid.
p =
Following (Brodie et al., 2014) we used two covariates
University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo
 Large mammals of Uut Murung

for estimating the detection probability of species at
camera traps: number of camera hours per sampling
period (i.e., how many hours cameras were operational
at each grid) and sampling period (to account for time-
varying detection as each grid had a different full
sampling period), both of which were standardized.
Results
A total of 20 species of mammals were identified: 10
by camera trap and 10 species were confirmed through
non-camera trap methods (Table 1). All species found
using camera traps are listed on the IUCN Red List and
two of these species are listed as Enadangered (Table
1). The largest deer, the Sambar deer, was not captured
on camera in the primary forest of Site B and no cats
were captured on camera.
Despite the cameras being in place for less trapping
time in Site B (primary forest site), the capture rate was
higher, % of total photos with an animal was higher and
more species were captured (7 v.s. 5: Table 2).
The encounter rate was higher in Site A, perhaps
due to the more disturbed nature of the forest making
sightings of terrestrial mammals easier (Table 3).
Detection probability was calculated for all species
based on camera trap data. Pig-tailed macaques and
bearded pigs we the most commonly detected species
(Table 4).
Discussion
This study was impacted by the short survey times
in each site (24 and 16 days, respectively) and small
areas of forest covered (~10km of transects and
~2km2 of camera trap survey area). For most surveys
of mammals, a minimum of 100km of trails and/or a

Table 1. A summary of all species identified, detection method and IUCN-status. LC = least concern, Vu = vulnerable,
En = endangered. VS = visual detection. NL = not listed.

Detection Site Site

Species Latin Name IUCN
Method (confirmed) (suspected)
Bornean muntjac Muntiacus atherodes LC Camera Trap A A and B
Common porcupine Hystrix brachyura LC Camera Trap B A and B
Greater mouse deer Tragulus napu LC Camera Trap B A and B
Lesser mouse deer Tragulus kanchil LC Camera Trap B A and B
Plantain squirrel Callosciurus notatus LC Camera Trap A A and B
Short-tailed mongoose Herpestes brachyurus LC Camera Trap B A and B
Bearded pig Sus barbatus Vu Camera Trap A A and B
Sambar deer Rusa unicolor Vu Camera Trap A A and B
Red langur Presbytis rubicunda LC Camera Trap, VS A and B A and B
Pig-tailed macaque Macaca nemestrina Vu Camera Trap, VS A and B A and B
Sun bear Helarctos malayanus Vu Claw marks on tree A and B A and B
Asian small-clawed otter Aonyx cinerea Vu Footprint (Fig. 2) A A and B
Mllers gibbon Hylobates muelleri En Visual sighting A and B A and B
Proboscis monkey Nasalis larvatus En Visual sighting A and B A and B
Leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis LC Visual sighting A A and B
Long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis LC Visual sighting A and B A and B
Hylobates muelleri x H.
Hybrid gibbon NL Visual sighting A and B A and B
albibarbis
Banded palm Civet Hemigalus derbyanus Vu Visual sighting A A and B
Clouded leopard Neofelis diardi Vu Visual sighting A A and B
White-fronted langur Presbytis frontata Vu Visual sighting A A and B

2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1 41

Cheyne et al.

Table 2. Summary data for the cameras in each location.

% photos with Total number of
Location # cameras # trap nights # photos # species Capture rate
an animal species
Site A 10 240 465 5 0.33 1.72 5
Site B 10 160 124 7 0.56 7.26 6

Table 3. Summary data for the direct sightings and sign sightings in
each location.

# of individual
Distance Encounter rate
Location mammals species
walked (species/km2)
sighted
Site A 10.4 13 1.25
Site B 10.5 8 0.76

Figure 2. Small-clawed otter print

Table 4. Detection probability and total photo captures of all mammal species.

% of total Detection % of total Detection

Scientific Name Species
photos Site A Probability Site A photos Site B Probability Site B
Macaca nemestrina Pig-tailed macaque 0.2 47.65 1 20.35
Sus barbatus Bearded pig 0.2 20.14 0 NA
Tragulus kanchil / napu Mouse deer (combined) 0 NA 3 10.57
Muntiacus atherodes Muntjac (combined) 0.2 8.47 0 NA
Rusa unicolor Sambar deer 0.6 5.4 0 NA
Callosciurus notatus Plantain squirrel 0.2 4.47 0 NA
Hystrix brachyura Common porcupine 0 NA 1 2.24
Herpestes brachyurus Short-tailed mongoose 0 NA 1 2.24
Presbytis rubicunda Red langur 0 NA 1 2.24

Table 5. Comparison of this study to other forests areas in Kalimantan. NP = national

park, PF = protected forest.
Belantikan Kutai NP Berau PF Murung Raya*
No. trap nights 114 101 195 40
Total area surveyed 140 124 110 2
Total species confirmed 22 19 15 13
% 67 58 45 39
* this study

42 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo


minimum of 30km2 for camera traps is recommended
(Ehlers-Smith and Ehlers Smith; Cheyne et al., 2013).
In terms of variety of species detected by both camera
traps and direct sightings/signs, the number of species
detected by each method was the same (10). In terms of
survey effort, we would advise that camera traps will
provide more information as they can be active for 24h
however, the expense of this equipment often renders
them unsuitable for many projects.
Despite the limitations of this survey, the preliminary
results have identified the presence of 20 large
mammals (including 9 primates and 2 felids), indicating
that the area has a high biodiversity of mammals.
All these species were expected to be resident in
this area. Without comprehensive data collection of
about 6 months and at least 80 cameras, it is hard to
obtain accurate density estimates from camera-trap
data, particularly for clouded leopards, but for a rapid
biodiversity assessment to confirm the presence of 20
species of mammal, including the clouded leopard, it
is excellent. Due to the short survey period at each site,
we suspect these data can only be considered as the tip
of the iceberg. Many of the species we encountered are
targeted for hunting, so more work is needed to protect
this habitat.
Comparing the results of this survey to other similar
sites where SMC has carried out camera trapping, despite
the significantly smaller survey time and area, 39% of
possible species were detected. The number of 33
mammal species come from these longer studies (Table
5).
Two important conclusions emerged from our
research. Firstly, although based on a relatively small
survey duration and sample sizes, it would appear that
the forests of the upper Murung River region have very
high biodiversity conservation potential. It not only
supports a large number of species of large mammal,
but it also supports populations of a number of globally-
threatened, legally-protected and Borneo-endemic
species. Under the High Conservation Value (HCV)
forests concept, this area could qualify for both HCV1.2
(Threatened and endangered species) and HCV5: Forest
areas fundamental to meeting basic needs of local
communities (see Hoeing et al. in this edition). One of
the most important aspects of biodiversity value is the
presence of threatened or endangered species. Forests
that contain populations of threatened or endangered
species are clearly more important for maintaining
biodiversity values than those that do not, simply
because these species are more vulnerable to continued
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Large mammals of Uut Murung
habitat loss, hunting and disease (Jennings et al., 2003).
In total, we confirmed the presence of 12 globally-
threatened vertebrate species (classified as Endangered
or Vulnerable by the IUCN), 14 species protected
under Indonesian law and four species endemic to
Borneo. Thus, considering the large size of the forest,
we conclude that the upper Murung River region is
an important area for biodiversity conservation in
Kalimantan. Key species for conservation in the area
are discussed below.
While cats were not captured on the cameras, they
were sighted and confirmed to be present.
Secondly, it is also clear that more research is
needed to provide a clearer understanding of (i) the
value of the forest for biodiversity conservation and
to local communities; (ii) the threats the forest and its
biodiversity faces; and (iii) the most effective strategies
to mitigate these threats and conserve the forests
biodiversity, while at the same time ensuring continued
provision of valued forest-ecosystem services, and
economic and social prosperity for the local community.
In addition to filling these important information gaps,
a longer-term research presence in the area could be
beneficial. Potential positive outcomes include helping
to afford extra protection to the forest; raising the
profile of the area both locally and internationally;
supporting local conservation efforts; and providing
alternative employment and economic opportunities to
local villagers.
The following species are locally or globally
threatened and present in the upper Murung River
region, which is therefore particularly likely to be
important for their conservation. Note that this list of
species is not complete, and is likely to be expanded
or revised as more research is performed in the area
and a more complete understanding of these and other
species populations emerges.
Mllers gibbon
This species is considered Endangered and is
experiencing wide-range population declines. Gibbon
density in upper the Murung River region appears high
(see Cheyne et al. in review) and, considering the large
size of the forest, it is therefore likely that the upper
Murung River region is home to a globally-significant
population of this species.
Red langur
Although listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the red
langur is endemic to Borneo and inhabits many of the
same forests as orang-utans and gibbons, which are
43
Cheyne et al.
known to be experiencing severe population declines. It
is therefore likely that red langurs are more threatened
than is currently realised, and we expect that the IUCN
classification of this species will be revised soon in
recognition of this (Ehlers-Smith, 2014). Consequently,
we consider the presence of this species in the area to be
of conservation importance.
Bearded pig
Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, owing to hunting
and habitat loss throughout its range, the presence of
bearded pigs is also of conservation significance. In
particular, studies of hunting impact on this species
are required, in order to determine sustainable hunting
rates. The impact of human hunting of bearded pigs on
clouded leopards, is also important to study, as bearded
pigs are important prey for these cats.
Sunda clouded leopard
As a result of habitat conversion and degradation, and
hunting for skin and body parts in home areas, the
distribution of cats in Borneo is very patchy, with vast
swathes of the island unsuitable for them (Wilting et al.,
2006, 2010; Cheyne et al., 2013). As top predators in the
forest, cats naturally occur at low density (e.g. Cheyne
et al., 2013), but the high abundance of deer, other
mammals and birds in the area (based on both detection
probability and % of photos of mammalian prey caught
on camera traps within the study period) may indicate
that this forest supports healthy cat populations.
All species encountered were expected to be present
according to IUCN distribution data (IUCN Red List
http://www.iucnredlist.org/), but the confirmed presence
of a wide range of species from short surveys highlights
the diversity of the mammal community in this region
and warrants further research.
References
Bodmer, R.E., Mather R. and D.J. Chivers (1991).
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45
The butterflies of Borneos Upper Barito Watershed: A
preliminary checklist and remarks on the importance of
community managed forests in sustaining diversity
Peter R. Houlihan1,2,3,a, Junaidi Shalot1,4,, Kursani1, Pak Bani1, Djunijanti Peggie5, Rosichon Ubaidillah5,
Susan M. Cheyne6, Dominic Rowland1, Michal Zrust1,8, Andrea Hoeing1 and Gregory F. Ball3,7
1
Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation and Communities, Puruk Cahu, Murung Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
2
Department of Biology & McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of
Florida, Gainesville, USA
3
Former Address: Department of Behavioral Biology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
4
Department of Forestry, Puruk Cahu, Murung Raya, Indonesia
5
Department of Entomology, Museo Zoologicum Bogoriensis, Bogor, Indonesia
6
The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project (OuTrop), Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
7
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
8
The Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
9
Deceased

Corresponding author: Peter R. Houlihan, email: phoulihan@ufl.edu

Abstrak
Hutan hujan tropis di daerah perbukitan dan pegunungan Kalimantan Tengah merupakan tempat yang didiami oleh keanekeragaman hayati
dengan tingkat yang sangat tinggi, diantaranya bahkan merupakan spesies endemik dan terancam punah. Akan tetapi daerah ini lebih
banyak dieksplorasi oleh industri ekstraktif dibandingkan oleh ilmuwan. Untuk membangun suatu sistem pangkalan data keanekaragaman
hayati di wilayah Murung Raya, Kalimantan tengah, Indonesia, dilakukanlah survei terhadap keanekaragaman kupu-kupu pada musim
kemarau 2011. Daftar jenis yang ditampilkan dalam tulisan ini merupakan yang pertama untuk daerah sungai Murung. Penelitian lebih
jauh perlu dilakukan pada musim-musim dan daerah lainnya untuk bisa memahami secara menyeluruh daerah sebaran kupu-kupu. Tidak
hanya itu, sehubungan dengan perubahan lansekap secara besar-besaran pada daerah ini, hasil sementara penelitian ini mengindikasikan
pentingnya hutan-hutan yang dikelola masyarakat lokal sebagai refugium untuk kelestarian keanekaragaman hayati

Abstract
The hill and montane rainforests of central Borneo harbour high levels of biodiversity, including many threatened and endemic species.
However, this region has been explored far more by extractive industry than scientists. To establish a baseline for biodiversity in the
Murung Raya region of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, butterflies were surveyed during the dry season of 2011. Species lists presented
here are the first of their kind for the upper reaches of the Murung River. Further study is necessary from additional seasons and localities
to form a comprehensive understanding of the regions butterfly fauna. Nevertheless, amidst ongoing landscape-wide change to this
region, our preliminary results indicate the value of community-managed forests as refugia for sustaining biodiversity.

Keywords: Borneo, butterflies, biodiversity, conservation, ecology, Kalimantan

Introduction Borneo is home to approximately 1,000 known species

Situated within the Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot
(Myers et al., 2000), the island of Borneo was long
recognised for its vast swaths of jungles teeming with
a rich diversity of life. At the core of the island, hill
and montane rainforests rise up from the surrounding
lowlands, which support high levels of endemism,
particularly amongst insects (Beck and Chey, 2008).
Received and accepted 29th April, 2015
of butterflies (Otsuka, 1988); as with much of the
islands biodiversity, the foundation of our knowledge
regarding the ecology of these species was generated
from a wealth of studies conducted in the Malaysian
states of Sabah and Sarawak (i.e. Beck et al., 1997;
Beck & Schulze, 2000; Benedick et al., 2006; Cleary,
2004; Cleary & Mooers, 2004; Hamer et al., 2003;
Hamer et al., 2005; Hamer et al., 2006; Huser et al.,
1997; Hill et al., 2001; Schulze et al., 2001; Tangah
et al., 2004; Wilott et al., 2000). However, in recent

46 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo


years, Lepidoptera studies have started to become more
prevalent in parts of Kalimantan (Houlihan et al., 2012;
Houlihan et al, 2013; Purwanto et al., 2015; Marchant et
al., 2015). Nevertheless, many remote highland regions
across Kalimantan, likely to harbour a multitude of new
arthropod taxa, remain scientifically unexplored.
The Upper Barito watershed in the northern Murung
Raya district of Central Kalimantan remains minimally
studied, especially in terms of arthropod diversity; to
the best of our knowledge, a butterfly survey conducted
by Walpole & Sheldon at Project Barito Ulu in 1992
is the only previous butterfly assessment conducted
within this region (1993, 1999). On the first expedition
of the Barito River Initiative for Nature Conservation
& Communities (BRINCC) in 2011, surveys were
conducted to investigate butterfly diversity in
undisturbed tropical rainforest and community managed
forest [Bahasa Indonesia: hutan desa] (Cheyne et al.,
2012). Species lists presented here represent the first
documentation of butterfly diversity along the upper
Murung River and its Burak River tributary.
The aims of this study were to:
Conduct a preliminary assessment of the butterfly
diversity along the Murung River, a tributary to the
Barito;
Investigate the species richness of butterflies
within hutan desa (community forest), compared to
undisturbed dipterocarp forest;
Develop baselines for future research concerning
the utility of biodiversity monitoring programmes
led by Indonesian researchers within Central
Kalimantan.
Methods
Butterfly Trapping
Sampling was conducted at two sites during the
dry season months of July and August, 2011 one
community forest (hutan desa) adjacent to Tumbang
Tujang on the Murung River (Hoeing et al., 2015 - this
issue) and one forest site on the Burak River, a tributary
of the Murung, which was undisturbed in 2011 (exact
location to remain undisclosed as coal exploration and
mining operations increase in the area). Butterflies
were sampled systematically using fruit-baited traps,
and opportunistically with hand-nets outside of these
sampling areas, so as to supplement species lists while
avoiding interference with analyses of trap data. A total
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Butterflies of Borneos Upper Barito watershed
of 18 traps were baited with fermenting bananas, which
were replenished daily between 0800-1200hrs when
traps were monitored. Traps were placed 1.5m above
ground in the understory and greater than 100m apart at
each site, with half (n=9) distributed along a prominent
ridge (250-400m a.s.l.) and half along a stream in the
ridges adjacent valley (225-300m a.s.l.). Fruit-baited
traps and other entomological collecting equipment for
the 2011 BRINCC Expedition were sponsored to PRH
from BioQuip Products, Inc., which were later donated
to the Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project (OuTrop) for
the establishment of a long-term butterfly monitoring
programme in Central Kalimantan (Purwanto et al.,
2015; Marchant et al., 2015). Butterflies were identified
according to DAbrera (1982; 1985; 1986) and Otsuka
(1988).
Community Diversity
Due to the different abundances in each assemblage,
expected species accumulation curves were constructed
using the Mao Tau estimator of sample-based rarefaction
and rescaled by individuals to provide a direct
comparison of species richness (Randomizations=50;
Bootstrapped 200 times) (Magurran, 2004; Barlow
et al., 2007; Colwell, 2011). These statistics were
calculated using EstimateS (Version 8.2.0).
Results
Butterflies were surveyed for a total of 20 (hutan desa)
and 15 (undisturbed) consecutive days (15 July - 3 August
& 11-25 August, 2011 respectively), recording a total of
77 taxa. Species accumulation curves constructed from
bait-trap data did not reach asymptotes during sampling
periods (Fig. 1), suggesting that continued sampling
was necessary to accurately extrapolate species
richness. The list presented here (Table 1) is tentative
and additions will be made when specimens from the
Lycaenidae and Hesperidae families are identified at the
McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity of the
Florida Museum of Natural History.
Discussion
In regions of rapid habitat loss and degradation,
comprehensive long-term surveys are often unrealistic.
Indonesia is currently the world leader in annual
deforestation (Gaveau et al., 2014), and Murung Raya
47
Houlihan et al.
Figure 1. Butterfly species accumulation curves for fruit-baited traps in undisturbed forest and community forest.
is one of the countrys final frontiers for extracting
coal, gold, diamonds, rubies, timber, and more recently,
gaharu trees for perfume. Preliminary surveys here
highlight the impressive diversity within community-
managed forests and consequently, their importance in
harbouring butterfly diversity.
In larger datasets that still experience undersampling
for certain assemblages, Shannons entropy (eHbc) can
be calculated to provide a bias-controlled comparison of
the effective number of species (Beck & Schwanghart,
2010; Beck et al., 2011; Houlihan et al., 2013). From
additional work in Central Kalimantan, we have learned
how drastically butterfly communities can fluctuate
within a year, with respect to seasonality (Marchant et
al., 2015). Thus, here we simply present a preliminary
list of butterflies that will be informative for future
biodiversity surveys in the hill forests of central Borneo.
These results serve as baseline data for an area
that is on the verge of imminent and permanent
environmental change. More research investigating the
life histories of these Bornean butterflies is critical to
understanding how converted landscapes will impact
host plant relationships, and which plant species are of
highest conservation priority with respect to sustaining
butterfly diversity. Our results suggest that community
managed forests are capable of supporting high levels of
48
biodiversity. Legal recognition of customary land tenure
and community owned forest is increasing in Indonesia
following rulings by the constitutional court (Bettinger
et al. 2014). Protection of community forests could
potentially become crucial as havens of biodiversity
and support the livelihoods of numerous communities
along the Murung River (Colchester, 1994; Curran et
al., 2004; Dixon and Sherman, 1990; Porter-Bolland
et al., 2012; Wilkie et al., 2006). Generalist butterflies
may fare better than less mobile organisms during the
course of fragmentation (Houlihan et al., 2013), but
connectivity between forested islands managed by
local communities is critical to prevent a widespread
biodiversity collapse.
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49
Houlihan et al.

Table 1. Species list from Murung Raya. TT = Tumbang Tujang (hutan desa: community forest); SB = Sungai Burak (undisturbed
forest).

TT SB TT SB TT SB
Nymphalidae Morphinae Lycaenidae
Amathuxidia amythaon X Drupadia ravindra X
Apaturinae Faunis kirata X Eooxylides tharis X
Euripus nyctelius X F. stomphax X Pycnophallium (Caleta) elna X
Thaumantis noureddin X
Charaxinae Zeuxidia amethystus X X Papilionidae
Agatasa calydonia X X Z. aurelius X X Graphium agamemnon X X
Charaxes (Polyura) athamas X Z. doubledayi X X G. antiphates X X
C. bernardus X X G. bathycles X X
C. borneensis X Nymphalinae G. codrus X
C. distanti X X Kallima buxtoni X X G. doson X
C. durnfordi X X Kallima spiridiva X G. evemon X X
C. fervens? X Lexias dirtea X G. sarpedon X
C. (Polyura) delphis X Lexias pardalis X Papilio demolio X
C. solon X X Rhinopalpa polynice X X Troides brookiana* X X
Prothoe franck X X
Pseudergolinae Pieridae
Danainae Amnosia decora buluana X X Pierinae
Eoploea diocletanus X Dichoraggia nesimachus X X Appias lyncida X
Idea stolli X Cepora iudith X
Satyrinae Pareronia valeria X
Heliconiinae Coelites epiminthia X Prioneris cornelIa X
Cirrochroa satellite X Coelites e. euptychioides X X
Terinos clarissa X Cupha arias X X Coliadinae
Terinos terpander X Elymnias sp. X Eurema tominia X
Melanitis leda X X
Limenitidinae Mycalesis amoena X X Riodinidae
Athyma asura X M. anapita X X
Athyma pravara pravara X M. maianeas X Paralaxita haquinus X
Athyma reta X M. mnasicles mnasicles X P. orphna X
Bassarona dunya X X M. oroatis X P. telesia X
Dophla evelina X X M. orseis borneensis X X Taxila haquinus X
Moduza procris X M. patiana X Zemeros sp. X X
M. p. agnate X M. thyateira X X
Neptis magadha X Neorina lowii X X
Tanaecia clathrata clathrata X Ragadia makuta X X
Ypthima sp. X

50 University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo

 Butterflies of Borneos Upper Barito watershed

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Willott, S.J., Lim, D.C., Compton, S.G. and S.L. Sutton
(2000). Effects of selective logging on the butterflies
of a Bornean rainforest.Conservation Biology 14(4):
1055-1065.
Wilkie, D. S., Morelli, G. A., Demmer, J., Starkey, M.,
Telfer, P., & Steil, M. (2006). Parks and people: assessing
the human welfare effects of establishing protected
areas for biodiversity conservation.Conservation
Biology20(1): 247-249.

General Acknowledgements for all BRINCC work

This project would not have been possible without the collaboration of many individuals, organizations and universities. We
thank Balai Linkungan Hidup in Purak Cahu for permissions to enter the Murung Raya region. We gratefully acknowledge
the invaluable contribution of all the researchers and staff that assisted with the project: Juli Setiawan, M. Yunnus Adrian
Saputra, Suparjan T Uring, Junaidi Shalat, Leni and Godwin Limberg. We gratefully thank Dr Suwido H. Limin at the Centre
for the International Cooperation in Management of Tropical Peatlands (CIMTROP), University of Palangka Raya for
sponsoring the overall research project and providing invaluable logistical support. We thank the Indonesian Ministry
of Science and Technology (RISTEK) and Director General of Nature Conservation (PHKA) and Indonesian Institute of
Sciences (LIPI) for permission to carry out research in Indonesia. Funding for different stages of this work was kindly
provided by FFI Indonesia, American Zoo Association Ape TAG Conservation Initiative, and Lewin Education, Singapore,
Clouded Leopard Project, Royal Geographical Society, Zoological Society of London, Orangutan Land Trust, LedLenser,
Heightec, Nature Society Singapore, Nocturnal Primate Research Group Oxford Brookes University and Amphibian and
Reptile Conservation. Individual donations from our supporters were processed online via the website of the Wildlife
Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford. All entomological equipment was
generously sponsored by BioQuip Products, Inc. PRH was supported by the David S. Olton Award in Behavioral Biology
and Neuroscience, and the Provosts Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) from The Johns Hopkins University. SMC
was supported by the ADM Capital Foundation, Hong Kong.

Furthermore, we would like to thank the "German Academic Exchange Service" - DAAD for supporting AH with a
scholarship and Garmin Germany for providing a free one year ArcGIS license for thesis writing. We would also like to
gratefully acknowledge all participators and helpers with the charity run "Run forest Run", especially Marcus Sanden and
his family, Madlen Baumert, Irendra Radjawali and all participants and sponsors, Christian Oekermann, Claudia Garcia,
Sven Krafft, Ludwig Thoma, Tabea Seitz, Merlin Schaefer, Paul Bomke and Emeline. A special thank you to all the school
children and teachers, especially Joachim Lange from Waldhofschule in Templin, Germany, who financially supported our
research by carrying out a charity run.

We wish to thank the following people for providing help, advice and reviews during the writing of these papers. Thank
you for your willingness to share your experience and knowledge: Dr David Chivers, Dr Konstans Wells, Dr Erik Meijaard,
Professor Shukor Md. Nor, Andy Royle, Dr Jay Malcolm, Dr Robert Anthony, Dr Robert Parmenter, and Dr Eric Rexstad,
Professor Dankmar Bhning, Dr Murray Efford, Dr David Borchers, Professor Steve Buckland, Dr Francis Brearley, Dr
Stephanie Spehar, Dr Sunny Sanderson, Dr John Payne, Dr Jan Beck and Dr Paul M. Lukacs.

Further information about BRINCC can be found:

www.brinccborneo.org
Twitter: @BRINCC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BRINCCborneo?ref=hl

2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1 51

Guidelines for Authors
The Journal of Indonesian Natural History will publish original work
by:
Indonesian or foreign scientists on any aspect of Indonesian
natural history, including fauna, flora, habitats, management
policy and use of natural resources
Indonesian or foreign scientists on any aspect of regional
natural history, including fauna, flora and habitats
Preference is given to material that has the potential to;
Improve conservation intervention and management in
Indonesia
Enhances understanding of conservation needs in Indonesia
Enhances the understanding of Indonesia's natural history
The Journal language will be in English with abstracts in Bahasa
Indonesia as well as English. Authors of full papers are encouraged
to provide a Bahasa Indonesia/English translation of their abstract.
Submissions in Bahasa Indonesia will be accepted and translated
into English only if accepted for publication.
Papers and Short Communications
Full Research Papers (2,000-7,000 words) and Short Communications
(200-2,000 words) are invited on topics relevant to the Journals
focus, including:
The conservation status, ecology or behaviour of wild species
Status or ecology of habitats
Prehistoric and extinct species and new findings
Checklists of species, nationally or for a specific area
Discoveries of new species records or range extensions.
Biodiversity value associated with land use change, plantation
development and forestry
Biodiversity in High Conservation Value areas
Reviews of conservation policy and legislation
Conservation management plans for species, habitats or areas
The nature and results of conservation initiatives, including
case studies
Sustainable use of wild species
Community use and management of natural resources
Abstracts of unpublished student theses (Short
Communications only)
The Journal will not accept descriptions of new species, subspecies
or other taxa.
How to Submit a Manuscript
Manuscripts should be submitted by e-mail to the Editor at:
editorjinh@jinh.org
In the covering e-mail, the Lead Author must confirm that:
The submitted manuscript has not been published elsewhere,
All of the authors have read the submitted manuscript and
agreed to its submission,
All research was conducted with the necessary approval and
permits from the appropriate authorities
52
Review and editing
All contributors in English are strongly advised to ensure that their
spelling and grammar is checked by a native English speaker before
the manuscript is submitted to the Journal. The Editorial Team
reserves the right to reject manuscripts that are poorly written.
Submission in Bahasa Indonesia is also accepted and the Journal
secretariat will undertake a preliminary review of all manuscripts
for suitability of content and format. Manuscripts that are rejected
at this stage will not be sent for peer review and translation.
Manuscripts that pass through the preliminary review will be sent
for translation and peer review by a minimum of two reviewers.
Authors are welcome to suggest appropriate reviewers.
Proofs will be sent to authors as a portable document format (PDF)
file attached to an e-mail note. PDF-readers can be downloaded
free of charge from http://www.adobe.com and http://www.
nitropdf.com for viewing PDF files. Corrected proofs should be
returned to the Editor within 3 days of receipt. Minor corrections
can be communicated by e-mail.
The Editorial Team also welcomes contributions to the other
sections of the journal:
News
Concise reports (<300 words) on news of general interest to the
study and conservation of Indonesia's natural history. News reports
may include,
Announcements of new initiatives; for example, the launch of
new projects, conferences or funding opportunities.
Announcements of important new reports or other
publications related to Indonesian natural history.
Summaries of important news from an authoritative published
source; for example, new Indonesian species described
in other journals, a new research technique, or a recent
development in conservation.
Summaries and analysis of new policies, decrees and laws
relevant to the conservation of Indonesian natural history.
Letters to the Editor
Informative contributions (<650 words) in response to material
published in the Journal.
Preparation of manuscripts
Full papers follow the style and format of papers published in the
journal Conservation Biology. Authors should consult examples in
Conservation Biology for guidance on general style.
Contributions should be in Bahasa Indonesia and/or UK English,
double-spaced and in doc, rtf or wpd format, preferably as one
file attached to one covering e-mail.
The cover page should contain;
The title and full mailing address, e-mail address and address of the
Lead Author and all additional authors.
Contributing Papers should contain the following sections and be
arranged in the following order: Abstract, Introduction, Methods,
Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments, Literature Cited. Tables,
University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo
Figures and Plates (including legends), if included, should follow
the Literature Cited.
All pages should be numbered consecutively. Do not number
section headings or subheadings.
Title: This should be a succinct description of the work, in no more
than 20 words.
Abstract: Abstracts should only be submitted for Full Papers. This
should describe, in 100-300 words, the aims, methods, major
findings and conclusions. It should be informative and intelligible
without reference to the text, and should not contain any references
or undefined abbreviations. Authors are encouraged to submit an
English translation of Indonesian text and an Indonesian translation
of an English text.
Keywords: From five to eight pertinent words, in alphabetical order.
Literature cited in text: Enclose citations in text in parentheses
e.g. Asian tapirs are no elephants when it comes to seed dispersal
(Campos-Arceiz et al., 2011).
Use an ampersand (&) between author surnames when the citation
is parenthetical: (Traeholt & Idris, 2011).
When a citation is not parenthetical, use "and": Our results agree
with the predictions of Wolf and Rhymer (2001).
For citations with more than two authors, use et al.: (Campos-
Arceiz et al., 2011). Do not italicize et al.
List parenthetical citations in alphabetical order and chronologically
from oldest to most recent and separate entries with a semicolon:
(Campos-Arceiz et al., 2011; Geissman, 2009, 2010).
Separate the years with commas when citing multiple papers by the
same author: (Corlett, 2007, 2010; Geissman, 1984, 1995, 1999,
2000).
In press means the cited paper has been accepted unconditionally
for publication. Provide the year of publication in the text (Bird,
2010) and in Literature Cited section provide the volume number,
and substitute in press for page numbers (Bird, I.M. 2010. Nesting
success in arid lands. Conservation Biology 24: in press.).
Papers in review must be cited as unpublished and should not
appear in the Literature Cited section.
Use an initial for the first (given) name and spell out the last name
(surname) for other sources of unpublished data or information: (R.
Fowler, unpublished data; M.E. Soul, personal communication).
Software: capitalize the first letter only if the name of the program
is a word (e.g., Vortex, ArcGIS). If the name of the program is not a
word, use all capital letters (e.g., SAS).
The following are examples of Literature Cited house style:
Campos-Arceiz, A. and R.T. Corlett (2011). Big animals in a shrinking
worldstudying the ecological role of Asian megafauna as agents
of seed dispersal. Innovation 10: 5053.
Campos-Arciez, A., Larringa, A.R., Weerasinghe, U.R., Takatsuki, S.,
2015 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 3 No 1
Pastorini, J., Leimgruber, P., Fernando, P. and L. Santamaria (2008).
Behavior rather than diet mediates seasonal differences in seed
dispersal by Asian elephants. Ecology 89: 26842691.
MacArthur, R.H. & Wilson, E.O. (1967). The Theory of Island
Biogeography. Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA.
Sutherland, W.J. (ed.) (1998). Conservation Science and Action.
Blackwell Science, Oxford, UK.
Beck, B.B., Rapaport, L.G. & Stanley Price, M.R. (1994).
Reintroduction of captive-born animals. In Creative Conservation:
Interactive Management of Wild and Captive Animals (eds P.J.S.
Olney, G.M. Mace & A.T.C. Feistner), pp. 265-286. Chapman & Hall,
London, UK.
Traeholt, C., Bonthoeun, R., Rawson, B., Samuth, M., Virak, C. and
Sok Vuthin (2005). Status review of pileated gibbon, Hylobates
pileatus and yellow-cheeked crested gibbon, Nomascus gabriellae,
in Cambodia. Fauna & Flora International, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Sun H. (2000). Status of the tiger and its conservation in Cambodia.
MSc thesis, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
IUCN (2010). 2010 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Http://
www.redlist.org [accessed 1 February 2011].
Biography: This should describe the main research interests of all
authors (<150 words total), apart from what is obvious from the
subject of the manuscript and the authors affiliations.
Tables, figures and plates: These should be self-explanatory, each
on a separate page and with an appropriate caption. Figures can
be submitted in colour as well as in black and white. The Editorial
Team may decide to convert coloured figures into black and white
should it be necessary due to printing cost and without diluting the
message. Plates (black and white only) will only be included in an
article if they form part of evidence that is integral to the subject
studied (e.g., a photograph of a rare species), if they are of good
quality, and if they do not need to be printed in colour.
Appendices: Lengthy tables, and questionnaires are discouraged.
In special circumstances these may be made available for viewing
online.
Species names: The first time a species is mentioned, its scientific
name should follow in parenthesis and in italics: e.g., Asian
elephant (Elephas maximus). English names should be in lower case
throughout except where they incorporate a proper name (e.g.,
Asian elephant, Cookson's wildebeest, long-billed vulture).
Abbreviations: Full expansion should be given at first mention in
the text.
Units of measurement: Use metric units only for measurements of
area, mass, height, etc.
53
Contents
3 Editorial
5 News and Notes

Contributing papers
7 The biodiversity of Murung Jaya
Godwin Limberg
8 How nature is used and valued by villagers in two villages in Uut Murung
Andrea Hoeing et al.
19 Perceptions towards companies and forest conservation in two villages of Uut Murung, Central
Kalimantan, Indonesia
Andrea Hoeing et al.
31 Report on the small terrestrial mammals of the Uut Murung region, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Michael Zrust et al
38 Report on the large mammals of the Uut Murung region, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Susan M. Cheyne et al.
46 The butterflies of Borneos Upper Barito Watershed: A preliminary checklist and remarks on
the importance of community managed forests in sustaining diversity
Peter R. Houlihan et al.
52 Guidelines for authors

ISSN: 2338 865x