CONSERVATION OF AN ENDANGERED LARGE MAMMAL BANTENG (BOS JAVANICUS)

IN TEAK PLANTATION IN JAVA, INDONESIA

SATYAWAN PUDYATMOKO

Laboratory of Wildlife Management Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mada University

55281 Yogyakarta, Indonesia, spudyatmoko@ugm.ac.id;satyawan_pudy@yahoo.com Protected areas are essential for biodiversity conservation but not enough to guarantee the long-term existence of natural landscape, ecosystem, species and genetic diversity. Therefore, promoting more biodiversity-sensitive forest management outside protected areas is of highest priority. Most production forests in Java, Indonesia are facing the well known problem empty forest syndrome meaning that large animals are absent in the forest. Conservation of biodiversity in production forest requires incorporation of available scientific knowledge about the species into silvicultural practices. There is still considerable room for improvement of forest management for biodiversity conservation. This study focused on integration of banteng (Bos javanicus) conservation and wood production in teak forest. Banteng is classified as endangered species. Therefore, it has high conservation priority. Because of its large home range, this animal can act as an umbrella species, meaning that improvement of its habitat will benefit other species. Populations of banteng in two locations of teak plantations in East-Java were investigated. Objectives of the study were: (1) to identify distribution and habitat utilization of banteng in teak plantations; and (2) to formulate recommendations of sustainable forest management that considers biodiversity conservation as one of the goal besides forest productivity. Some important findings of the research were: (1) semi mature and mature teak plantations were part of bantengs home range, (2) some locations of teak plantation were key habitats of banteng that provide important resources, (3) poaching events were more frequent in teak plantation than in national park areas. To conserve banteng effectively, current silvicultural system must be changed. Close to nature silviculture is an excellent option to integrate conservation and production purposes. This multipurpose forest management is also essential for Perum Perhutani for achievement certificate of sustainable forest management. Keywords: sustainable forest management, Habitat, Population, Extinction