Primates as Flagships for Conserving Biodiversity and Parks in Indonesia: Lessons Learned from West Java and North Sumatra

Abstract

Conservation International’s Indonesia field program has carried out three conservation awareness programs; two are still running, while one was discontinued due to lack of funding. These conservation education programs are part of a long-term plan to prioritize large-scale efforts to conserve biodiversity in Indonesia by pulling together various stakeholders and partners. Environmental education programs can be sustained through partnerships with local NGOs, the government, universities, the private sector and donors. Successes with regard to the conservation of flagship species have been notable in some areas. The Bodogol Conservation Education Center, for example, has focused on the Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch) and the Javan eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi), while the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) was used as a flagship species in the education programs at the Sibolangit Interpretive Center. Discontinuation of the Sibolangit Interpretive Center occurred due to a lack of donor support, as has been the case for many conservation education programs in Indonesia. Nationwide, few public awareness programs that focus on species have survived and been proven effective without relying on donors. A key to the success of the surviving programs is engagement with a variety of partners that provide diverse skills, funding opportunities, and resources.