Build a Landscape-Wide Biodiversity Database

Challenge

The availability of biodiversity data in the Mendawak Landscape is still limited, especially as most of the landscape is allocated to industrial concessions and there is often a reluctance by companies to conduct biodiversity surveys or publish data. This lack of data makes it difficult to build a scientific basis for conservation planning and integrated landscape management, especially in forest corridors where knowledge of mammal presence is necessary for the identification of key habitat and any other issues associated with the forest recovery projects (for example human-wildlife conflict as a result of foraging by mammals in forest-farm areas).

Solution

We are conducting biodiversity surveys throughout the landscape and encouraging companies operating concessions to publish any biodiversity data they hold.

Progress

We are conducting biodiversity surveys in recognised biodiversity hotspots in Mendawak, with priority given to the forest corridor we are developing in Mendawak’s east. In 2025, we placed 35 camera traps in and around PT Mayawana Persada. This confirmed the presence of orangutans in every section of a 35,623 hectare forest block that runs from south to northeast of the concession, and in the far east of Mata Pancing, an unprotected Production Forest outside of the concessions.

The presence of orangutans in the concession was further confirmed by an orangutan nest survey conducted by the Faculty of Forestry at Tanjungpura University, the data from which was analysed by experts from the NGO Yayasan Palung. These confirmed orangutans were present in every part of forest and PT Mayawana Persada supports a population of 124 orangutans, down from its likely historic high of 2,000.

Wildlife survey activities conducted in Mendawak

Checking and reviewing data recorded by camera traps

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As well as orangutans, other Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable species found inside PT Mayawana Persada include:

The Critically Endangered Sunda pangolin (<i>Manis javanica</i>). — The Critically Endangered Sunda pangolin (*Manis javanica*).

The Endangered pig-tailed macaque (<i>Macaca nemestrina</i>) — The Endangered pig-tailed macaque (*Macaca nemestrina*)

The Endangered Bornean crestless fireback (<i>Lophura pyronota</i>) — The Endangered Bornean crestless fireback (*Lophura pyronota*)

The Endangered Storm’s stork (<i>Ciconia stormi</i>) — The Endangered Storm’s stork (*Ciconia stormi*)

The Vulnerable Sun bear (<i>Helarctos malayanus</i>) — The Vulnerable Sun bear (*Helarctos malayanus*)

The Black partridge (<i>Melanoperdix niger</i>) — The Black partridge (*Melanoperdix niger*)

The Vulnerable Binturong (<i>Artictis binturong</i>) — The Vulnerable Binturong (*Artictis binturong*)

The Vulnerable Bornean ground cuckoo (<i>Carpococcyx radiceus</i>) — The Vulnerable Bornean ground cuckoo (*Carpococcyx radiceus*)

The Vulnerable Fairy pitta (<i>Pitta nympha</i>) — The Vulnerable Fairy pitta (*Pitta nympha*)

The Vulnerable Sambar deer (<i>Rusa unicolor</i>) — The Vulnerable Sambar deer (*Rusa unicolor*)

As of April 2026, further camera trap surveys are being conducted in Bagan Asam village. These are being complemented by the placement of bioacoustics recorders, which will confirm the presence of wildlife that vocalises but is not picked up by cameras (for example, gibbons, which vocalise but rarely come to the ground and are underrepresented in camera trap surveys).