Orangutan Ecotourism on Sumatra Island: Current Conditions and a Call for Further Development

Abstract

This paper aimed to provide a narrative review of the current conditions of orangutan ecotourism on Sumatra Island, problems in the current management systems, and some recommendations for further development. Orangutan conservation centers have been developed on Sumatra Island since 1973. The Bukit Lawang Conservation Station is one of the orangutan conservation centers that have practiced ecotourism to overcome ecological and socio-economic issues. Even though the Bukit Lawang Conservation Station has operated for decades, this station has faced several issues, in particular a monetary crisis in 1997, a flash flood in 2003, and the COVID-19 pandemic. We identified that orangutan conservation centers on Sumatra Island have the potential to support orangutan ecotourism. These conservation centers have ecological support, available facilities, and rich local wisdom that can provide added value for orangutan ecotourism. Therefore, we propose that the development of orangutan ecotourism on Sumatra Island should accommodate surrounding communities through community-based wildlife ecotourism. We also recommend the following strategies to develop orangutan ecotourism on Sumatra Island: (1) mapping the location and distribution of wild orangutans in their natural habitats; (2) managing captive and semi-captive orangutans in conservation centers; (3) provision of tour packages; (4) community empowerment; (5) institutional strengthening of community-based ecotourism management (CBEM); (6) developing ecotourism through a benefit-sharing model; (7) anticipating and minimizing the negative impacts of ecotourism on orangutans; and (8) integrating orangutan tourism with local wisdom.

Communities Interaction with Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) in the Buffer Zone of Batang Gadis National Park

“…Comprehensive handling is very important to reduce conflict between humans and tigers [4]. Conservation strategies at this time must be able to prioritize the active role of the community, for example through the development of community-based ecotourism [5].…”

Assessing the impacts of local intention on community-based wildlife ecotourism in Tangkahan, Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) and the development strategy in the post- COVID-19 outbreak

“…The key species of GLNP are Rafflesia (Rafflesia arnoldii), orang-utan (Pongo spp), Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatrensis), tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) with critical endanger status by IUCN [9]. Although having the status of a protected area, GLNP is still under the threat of deforestation [10]. The GLNP Agency [11] reported that in 2000, a total of 18,089 ha of the forest area has been felled.…”

“…Wildlife ecotourism has been implemented in some parts of GNLP, such as in Bukit Lawang to conserve Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) since 1973 [10,29] and in Tangkahan to conserve Sumatran Elephant (E. maximus sumatranus) since 2002 [30,31]. It has significantly reduced the disturbances to the forest by empowering local communities.…”

The Contribution of the Tourism Sector to the Regional Spatial Economy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The tourism and hospitality industries contribute to economic development globally, nationally, and locally [7][8][9]. These industries are considered significant influencers to Gross Regional Income (GRDP), specifically those related to hotel investments, level, and duration of tourist visits in an area [10].…”