Borneo's Diversity and Ecosystem
Biodiversity
/sun_bear_borneo_wildlife_amazing_borneo_tours.jpeg)
Home to many Organisms
222 mammals (44 endemic)
420 birds (37 endemic)
150 amphibians
394 fish (19 endemic)
13 primate species
3 new species are found each month
In 2012 Nycticebus kayan otherwise known as Slow Loris was found. This is the only primate that is venomous
In 2008 a new fish was described, Eirmotus insignis which boasts zebra like stripes
In 2008 scientists found something incredible - a frog which doesn't have any lungs. It breathes entirely through its skin, the Barbourula kalimantanensis
Plants
15,000 plants
6000 nowhere else found in World
Borneo is home to many Orchids such as the Thrixspermum erythrolomum which is endemic to Borneo
1000 species of insects can be found on 1 tree
Accounts for just 1% of the world's land yet holds approximately 6% of global biodiversity
Conservation Efforts
Heart of Borneo (HOB)
Government lead program aimed at conserving the biodiversity of Borneo
Aimed at helping people who relied on Borneo
Active since 2007
Aimed at helping the forest fires
Built dams which helped alleviate the prevalence of fires
Borneo Nature Foundation
Mission is to protect, maintain and enhance Borneo's forests
Reforestation
268,816 trees planted & monitored
80% seedling survival rate
Aims for 1 million trees in the next 5 years
Habitats
Working to protect 365,827 hectares of forest, 9,355 orangutans
Climate Change Impact
Forest Fires
Because of human activity, fires are more likely to happen
Carbon leaching poisoned fish stocks, a major source of protein for local communities
Illegal logging
Has become a huge problem, many square kilometers of forests have been cut down
Protection laws are in effect throughout Borneo, but are not enough or are flagrantly violated
A main driver in deforestation is oil palm plantations
Indonesia has said the by the next decade it will double the oil palm production
WWF say that if Borneo continues at its current rate of deforestation, it will be heavily affected by climate change through the increased risk of floods and forest fires, human health impacts
Sea levels are also projected to rise affecting many people
Animals are becoming extinct and losing their habitat
Elephants are increasingly coming into conflict with humans
Many smaller mammals are more prone to being extinct as they may not be able to relocate to a different enviroment
Animals like orangutans need large areas of space to survive
They are also often sold as pets and hunted and eaten in some parts, their skulls sold for 70$
David Attenborough, biologist and filmmaker, chose the pangolin as one of the species he would save
The pangolin is an animal that is commonly sold for medicine or food
Discovered in 2008 Phobaeticus chani or Chan's mega stick is a species of stick insect, the longest in the World
(examples)
