A joint team from the West Java Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BBKSDA), together with the Mount Halimun Salak National Park Agency (BTNGHS) and our partners YIARI, released 19 Javan slow lorises (Nycticebus javanicus) within the Mount Halimun Salak National Park (GHSNP), West Java, on Monday, 12 December 2022.
The nineteen slow lorises consisted of 13 females named Arsi, Incess, Jet, Krev, Maroon, Pahing, Rael, Relish, Rem, Respati, Slow, Slowmo and Travis, and six male slow lorises named Aurette, Egi, Lawson, Pelupu, Scar and Pipiw. The slow lorises had been handed over by residents around West Java to the West Java BBKSDA and the Yogyakarta BKSDA, or had been involved in accidents or suffered injuries. The slow lorises were cared for at the YIARI animal rehabilitation centre in Ciapus, Bogor Regency, West Java, where they underwent medical treatment and a rehabilitation process before being returned to their natural habitat.
The release area for the 19 lorises was chosen after a painstaking survey process that took several months. The area of 113,357 hectares is considered to meet the required habitat characteristics, namely lowland rainforest, lower montane rainforest, and central montane rainforest. The area, which is located at an altitude of 100 – 1929 m above sea level, also has an abundance of food, such as puspa plants (Schima wallichii), bubuay (Plectocomia elongata), suwangkung (Caryota rumphiana), rattan (Calamussp.), and herbaceous plants and other saplings as well as insects, reptiles and small birds such as finches which also form part of the slow lorises’ diet. Javan slow lorises are rarely found in this area, so there is little competition for food. The community living adjacent to the area already has an understanding of the importance of preserving slow lorises, so there is also a low level of threat and disturbance. So the area meets all the requirements as a suitable release location.
The release point, which is about 64 kilometres from the YIARI Rehabilitation Centre in Bogor, is reached by car and on foot, with the total journey taking approximately four hours.
Previously, the YIARI team had built a habituation cage as a means of adaptation for the slow lorises in a new location. The habituation cage is a fenced forest area of about 1 hectare. Released slow lorises undergo a habituation process for 4-5 days in the GHSNP area. During the habituation period YIARI’s Survey, Release and Monitoring team observe the behaviour and health of all the slow lorises. If it is judged that they are adapting well to their new environment, the slow lorises are then released from their habituation cages into the wild.
Head of the West Java BBKSDA, Irawan Asaad, stated: “The slow lorises released today have been examined by veterinarians and have been declared healthy. From the series of processes starting with their evacuation through to the eventual release of the lorises, we learn that, in efforts to conserve wildlife, collaboration between parties, including the community, is absolutely necessary. This moment also shows that public awareness of the importance of conservation is increasing and improving,” he said.
In his statement, the head of the GHSNP Centre expressed his appreciation of this joint work as a real conservation effort for the preservation of wild animal populations. “This is not the first time, even the release of the Javan slow loris in TNGHS can be said to be routine. The choice of our area as a release site shows that GHSNP is a healthy forest area from an ecological standpoint,” said Wasja, Head of the GHSNP Office. “This is proof that scientific-based work is needed. Based on our previous habitat suitability study, the Ciwalen Block is an appropriate location for the release of the Javan slow loris. We hope that the joint work of various parties can continue to be carried out as the
embodiment of the ‘extended family.’ Eventually, the aim of making the GHSNP area continue to be a home for various types of wildlife can be realised,” he added.
YIARI Programme Director, Karmele Llano Sanchez stated: “We appreciate the support from the government, particularly in this case the West Java BBKSDA and the Mount Halimun Salak National Park Authority, in this release activity. We hope that the collaboration with the government and the community in slow loris conservation efforts can be maintained and will continue to increase so that slow lorises and other animals can continue to live safely in their habitat. We also hope that this good collaboration and synergy can continue so that we can continue to protect the forests around us together, so that the natural habitat where wildlife can return home can be maintained.”