Pongo Pygmaeus is a rare kind of primates that inhabiting on Borneo Island, this species faces extinction cause of human continual expand in their territory.
Native people called Ponggo Pygmaeus by "Orang Utan" (Forest Man). Ponggo behavior most like human, it has amazing intelligence.
This major problem that Ponggo faced, made Albertus Tjiu, wild life activist, dedicated his time for this creature.
With his colleague in World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - Indonesia, Albert is preparing to build research center for Pongo Pygmaeus in Meliau Village, Batang Lupar District, Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Borneo Province, Borneo Island.
Albert said this project budget estimated to 300 millions Indonesian Rupiahs. In order to Succeed, he add, this research center need sufficient area and suport from villager.
The research center will focusing for one of Pongo subspecies, Pongo Pygmaeus Pygmaeus, other than two other Pongo subspecies that live in Borneo Island, Pongo Pygmaeus Wurmbii and Ponggo Pygmaeus Morio.
According to Albert, about 1.500 Pongo Pygmaeus Pygmaeus is concentrated in Betung Kerihun National Park and other around Kapuas Hulu Regency area.
He expects, research center for Ponggo Pygmaeus Pygmaeus that WWF-Indonesia Build, will able to produce information and data about population, habitats, and nature of Pongo Pygmaeus Pygmaeus..
Albert struggle for Ponggo is not easy as it look. Even his parent questioned his choice, because as WWF volunteer in the first time, 1996, his parent in doubt about their son future. After several years, Albert finally recruited as WWF-Indonesia staff for West Borneo project.
2005 is his first debut as researcher about Pongo Pygmaeus, a number of important researchs and surveys Albert has managge.
One of his enlighted experience is when Albert found a Pongo baby cub, at Teluk Kaur Forrest, that separated from it parent. The young three years old primate have several injure on it caused falling from a tree.
He treat the cub until heal enough, and than releases it in to the jungle. After three days, villagers founded that the baby Pongo is reunited with it parent.
From that experience, Albert believed that Pongo Pygmaeus has similiar instinct and feelling as human. His faith is parallel with expert research, that Ponggo have 97 % similiar genetic with human.
Pongo Killing Field
Existency of Pongo Pygmaeus or "Orang utan" in Borneo Island is threatened to extinction, because of human expansion, especially Palm Oil Plantion Corporation.
Corporation have lethal policy for Pongo Pygmaeus, that is "shoot to kill". The killing proved In East Borneo Province, Kutai Kerta Negara Regancy, corporation hired villager to eliminated Pongo, that they call as "Pest Exterminate" policy.
Authorities already arrested two Pongo killer, and as soon as posible the owner of Palm Oil Plantation will faced the same charge.
This cases get wide public attention, including expert, activist, and NGO, because they believed that about 750 Pongo Pygmaeus were killed in a year alone. (Dasa Novi Gultom)
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