The Barcelona Zoo Foundation and the Borneo Nature Foundation have renewed their partnership to jointly promote projects for the conservation and protection of the natural habitat of the Bornean orangutan in Indonesia.
This agreement, which extends the collaboration initiated in 2021, seeks to safeguard orangutan populations on the island of Borneo through concrete actions of preservation, forest restoration and environmental awareness aimed at the local population.
The Bornean orangutan, classified as a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), faces significant threats due to deforestation and fires in the jungles of Borneo and Sumatra.
Habitat loss has led to an alarming decline in the populations of this species, with a 65% decrease in the last 40 years, and only 20% are found in protected areas.
Agreement for the conservation of the Bornean orangutan
The new agreement between the Barcelona Zoo Foundation and the Borneo Nature Foundation establishes several actions for the in situ conservation of the Bornean orangutan.
The Barcelona Zoo Foundation will support initiatives to protect forest areas in Sebangau National Park and the Rungan area in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.
These initiatives include combating deforestation, restoring degraded areas and creating new biodiversity green corridors to ensure the long-term viability and connectivity of orangutan populations.
In addition, the agreement will facilitate the monitoring of the orangutan population through surveillance activities and mapping of priority conservation areas.
New field work teams and research expeditions will be established to obtain valuable data on the distribution, behavior and ecology of this emblematic species.
Support for outreach programs
The Barcelona Zoo Foundation is also committed to supporting outreach and environmental education programs aimed at the local communities of Sebangau and Rungan.
These efforts will focus on the implementation of training modules for children and adolescents, promoting environmental education and awareness of the importance of preserving the natural heritage and orangutan populations.
The first deputy mayor and president of the Barcelona Zoo Foundation highlighted the importance of the agreement, noting that “this agreement is a clear demonstration of the role that the Barcelona Zoo plays in the conservation, scientific research and dissemination of wildlife and their habitats, especially when it comes to endangered species”.
For his part, the co-director of the Borneo Nature Foundation, Bernat Ripoll Capilla, emphasized that “the collaboration agreement with the Barcelona Zoo represents a great step forward in integrating awareness, participation and awareness of the current ecological crisis”.
