Ecological Study and Population of Kukang on Bangka Island

Bangka Slow Loris Project

The study of slow lorises on Bangka Island finally returned after a long period of time. Night primates with the species name Nycticebus bancanus, have a distribution area in Southwest Kalimantan and Bangka Island, which are increasingly rare and rarely seen. To find out how it is in nature, it is necessary to study ecology and its population on Bangka Island. This study was conducted for the first time by Randi Syafutra, an activist for wildlife conservation in Bangka Island. Randi stated that slow lorises on Bangka Island have been very rarely seen in nature due to the rampant conversion of forests as slow loris habitat into conventional tin mining (IT) and oil palm plantations, as well as hunting and trade. Based on CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), slow lorises have been included in the Appendix I list, which means that all forms of trade in slow lorises are prohibited.

The study conducted by the Primatology graduate of the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) began in September 2017 and was completed in November 2018, and supported by The Mohamed bin Zayed Conservation Fund (MBZCF), F2B (Flora Fauna Bangka), ALOBI (Animal Lover of Bangka Island), and PROFAUNA-Indonesia (Protection of Forest and Fauna-Indonesia). According to Randi, this study is very important because it can provide an overview of the characteristics of the habitat and distribution of slow lorises on Bangka Island.

In addition to conducting studies, Randi stated that he would conduct slow loris conservation education activities in local communities and students in hopes of increasing their concern for slow lorises. Before conducting an ecological study and population of slow lorises, Randi had carried out ecological studies and a population of penicillin (Cephalopachus bancanus bancanus) on Bangka Island supported by The Rufford Foundation.