Save the Sumatran rainforest

The wildlife of Harapan Rainforest

Other wildlife of Harapan Rainforest

Harapan Rainforest is so rich in wildlife that it can be described as one of the world's 'biodiversity hotspots'.

The Sumatran tiger, one of the world's rarest mammals, makes its home in Harapan Rainforest, along with at least 57 other mammals.

Many of these mammals are at risk of extinction, including the clouded leopard, fishing cat, agile gibbon, giant squirrel, Asian elephant, Malayan tapir, Malayan porcupine and Sumatran otter.

Our researchers have found at least 43 amphibian and reptile species, including the endangered spiny turtle and threatened Asiatic softshell turtle.

Intriguing animals such as the silvered leaf monkey, pangolin and the world's smallest bear – the sun bear - also make their home in the forest.

Read on to find out more about the diverse wildlife that make Harapan Rainforest their home.

Clouded leopard

Clouded leopard

Clouded leopards are so secretive in the wild that few researchers have recorded their behaviour; most of our knowledge comes from observing captive animals.

The best climbers in the cat family, their short, stout legs and sharp claws enable them to not only climb upside down underneath tree branches, but to also hang from branches with their hind feet. Their tails, which can be up to 3 feet long (one metre) act as superb balancing aids.

The cats' cloud-like markings are ideally suited to providing camouflage in the light-and-shade dapple of the rainforest.

Surprising new research reveals the existence of two completely separate species of clouded leopards.

Scientists have found that clouded leopards on Sumatra and Borneo have quite different coat patterns and colouration to those on the Asian mainland. Genetic tests confirm distinct differences.

Now, rather than being classified as a subspecies of clouded leopard, the animals in Sumatra and Borneo will be re-classified as a new species.

Given that clouded leopards are already endangered, and that the Sumatran and Bornean forests are among the very most threatened in the world, conservation efforts to save their habitats need to be doubled.

Lowland agile gibbon

Lowland agile gibbon

The agile gibbon is found in eastern Sumatra, the Malay Peninsular, southwest Borneo and southern Thailand.

They live high in the rainforest canopy, swinging rapidly from branch to branch, feeding on a diet of ripe fruit, leaves and insects.

Agile gibbons are extremely protective of their territory and defend it with visual displays, unique gibbon songs and ghostly howls. Just like us, some gibbons are better singers than others!

With few natural predators, the greatest threat to their survival is loss of their rainforest habitat.

Malayan tapir

Malayan tapirs survive throughout Southeast Asia in fragmented populations, making these mammals vulnerable to extinction.

Malayan tapirs live in both pristine forest, and in areas of forest that have grown back after being deforested.

They habitually use the same paths to travel long distances during the night in search of food. The males mark these paths with urine.

Blurred vision means that tapirs rely on their acute sense of hearing and smell for both communication, and to locate food and detect predators.

You might think that the tapir's black body with its' prominent white or grey saddle would be easily seen, but actually they are well camouflaged on moonlit nights in the forest.

Due to their size, tapirs have few natural predators. The greatest threat to their survivial is human activity; deforestation and flooding caused by the daming of rivers for hydroelectric schemes, and illegal trade.

Rajah Brooke's birdwing butterflies

Birdwing butterflies are the largest butterflies in the world - their black and electric green–coloured wings reach an expanse of 6–6.75 inches - and are found in the rainforests of Borneo, Sumatra and Malaysia.

Their name refers to the shape of their forewings, which are larger and more slender than the hindwings and resemble a bird's in flight.

These butterflies live on the sandy banks of rivers and hot springs in the rainforest, and gather in groups of up to 80 individuals to drink.

Threatened by the loss of rainforests and the rivers and springs on which they depend, they are also threatened by the wildlife trade. Harapan Rainforest is one place where these butterflies still breed in the wild.

Sumatran tiger

Sumatran tiger

There have been nine different subspecies of tiger – the Balinese, Javan and Caspian tigers went extinct in the 20th Century. The Siberian, South China, Sumatran, Indochinese, Malayan and Bengal tigers remain.

Of these, the Sumatran tiger is the smallest and darkest, weighing 100-150 kg.

The tiger's stripes provide excellent camouflage, and each animal's stripe pattern is completely unique, just as a human's fingerprint is.

To thrive, tigers need some form of dense vegetative cover, sufficient large prey and access to water.

At present, humans are the tiger's greatest enemy. Commercial poaching, reduced prey (through loss to hunting and poaching) and habitat loss are the greatest threats to their survival. As a result, the Sumatran tiger is critically endangered.

In central Sumatra, conservationists and oil palm companies are looking at the possibility of creating wildlife corridors joining good patches of forest, including Harapan Rainforest, via forested areas in plantations.

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