#tanagupa #nationalpark #kemenhut
Taman Nasional Gunung Palung is more than a protected area—it’s a living mosaic of West Borneo’s green soul. From mangrove and peat swamp at its edges to lowland and montane forests within, every layer shelters hidden lives and ancient rhythms. In these forests, the air still carries whispers of biodiversity older than memory.
A Sanctuary for Earth’s Silent Architects
Across its sprawling 108,000 hectares, Gunung Palung is home to deep canopies and secretive denizens that balance life in layers. Towering dipterocarps and endemic trees like Vatica palungensis rise above, while below, rare fungi and orchids weave silent connections. The park shelters about 2,500 Bornean orangutans—nearly 10 % of their global population—alongside gibbons, proboscis monkeys, sun bears, clouded leopards, pangolins, and over 230 bird species including hornbills and pittas. The woodlands are not merely backdrop—they're the stage upon which life performs a delicate ecological ballet every day.
Photo by Tim LamanUnsplash
But this sanctuary is fragile. Illegal logging, fires, and agro-conversion in buffer zones threaten canopy connectivity—critical for arboreal species like orangutans. In fragmented forests, densities fell from 1 per 2 km² to as low as 1 per 20 km². Still, communities and NGOs have rallied. Stories include reforestation efforts tied to health clinics, chainsaw buy-back programs, and stepped-up patrols—all reducing deforestation and reigniting hope.
Why Gunung Palung Matters
• It conserves one of the world’s richest biological tapestries—from peat swamps to mist-laden hills.
• It sustains one of Borneo’s densest populations of critically endangered orangutans.
• It provides over two decades of invaluable ecological research, shaping global understanding of how food availability influences reproduction in great apes.
• It exemplifies how local stewardship combined with scientific insight can reverse environmental decline.
• Its future echoes far beyond its borders—as a symbol of coexistence between humanity and wilderness.
Emma Roberts
Dr. Sarah Mitchell is a passionate and accomplished biologist with a deep-rooted fascination for the intricate workings of the natural world.
