Why is the Leuser Ecosystem Threatened?
Why is the Leuser Ecosystem Threatened?
Threats to the Leuser Ecosystem Leuser’s jungles are being burned, leaving shrinking habitats for endangered wildlife. These forests are being burned to the ground. At that rate, the forest will be completely destroyed within two decades. The primary threat to this unique ecosystem is illegal palm oil expansion.
Where is Leuser Ecosystem located?
The Leuser Ecosystem is an area of forest located in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
What is the status of Sumatra and Bornean orangutan species in the IUCN?
Both the Sumatran and Bornean species are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (with the Tapanuli orangutan in the process of being listed – also as Critically Endangered!), a list of the world’s most imperiled species that is kept and updated by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Why does Indonesia have high levels of biodiversity?
Indonesia’s rainforests are home to some of the highest levels of biological diversity in the world. Many sources credit Indonesia as the most species rich country on earth. Tragically, the rapid loss of Indonesia’s biologically wealthy rainforests is driving in-numerable species to the very edge of survival.
Why are forest ecosystems important?
Forests and grasslands provide a wide range of ecosystem services. In addition to providing food, fuel and fiber, forests clean the air, filter water supplies, control floods and erosion, sustain biodiversity and genetic resources, and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and cultural enrichment.
What are the effects of deforestation on the environment?
The loss of trees and other vegetation can cause climate change, desertification, soil erosion, fewer crops, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and a host of problems for indigenous people.
How do orangutans affect the ecosystem?
They play a vital role in seed dispersal and in maintaining the health of the forest ecosystem, which is important for people and a host of other animals, including tigers, Asian elephants and Sumatran rhinos. So by conserving the orangutan’s habitat, we’re also benefiting local communities and other species.
Where is the Leuser Ecosystem?
Leuser Ecosystem, Aceh The Leuser Ecosystem is an area of forest located in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
What animals live in the Sumatran ecosystem?
The ecosystem is home to the largest remaining populations of the Sumatran tiger, Sumatran elephant, Sumatran rhino and the Sumatran orangutan. There are at least 130 species of mammals within the ecosystem which means that one in 32 of the world’s mammals are found there, or one quarter of Indonesia’s mammals.
Where do orangutans live in Sumatra?
The Leuser Ecosystem. Home to more than 85% of all remaining Sumatran orangutans, the 2.6 million hectare Leuser Ecosystem straddles the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces in Sumatra.
How big is the Sumatran rainforest?
Covering more than 2.6 million hectares it is one of the richest expanses of tropical rain forest in Southeast Asia and is the last place on earth where the Sumatran elephant, rhino, tiger and orangutan are found within one area.
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