My first illustration for the Tropical Forest Project is of Emma Lokuciejewski, a primatologist & behavioural ecologist, specialising in orangutan conservation. We met at university, and I knew I wanted her to be involved in the project because of her passion and dedication to orangutans and their habitats. Keep reading to find out more about Emma and the story behind the artwork…

How did you get into orangutan conservation?

I have always loved orangutans and knew from a young age that I was going to help “save the orangutans”. During school I would raise money and awareness for orangutan conservation charities though raffles and stalls at the local school fayre. In 2009 I travelled to London to meet Lone Drøscher-Nielson, founder of the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan rescue and rehabilitation centre, run by Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), who told me to never give up on my goals.

I tailored my education towards my goals and chose to study BSc Evolutionary Biology at the University of Exeter, which gave me the opportunity to finally visit Borneo on a field trip.

Whilst in Borneo I visited Samboja Lestari, another orangutan rescue and rehabilitation centre run by BOSF. Seeing an orangutan in Borneo for the first time, and seeing the dedicated work of the reintroduction centre reinforced my passion for this field. Subsequently, I went on to work with BOSF for my Masters by Research project, studying the orangutans that Lone had rescued 10 years prior. I spent 6 months living in a remote research camp in the heart of the Bornean rainforest, following reintroduced orangutans with a team of local field assistants. I studied their behaviour from the initial days post-release, until they were fully adapted to their new life back in the wild.

This painting is of me releasing Suryani, a 12 year old orangutan, who, like the majority of rescued orangutans, was confiscated from a resident in a local village when she was just 2 years old. Most likely, her mother was killed to take her as a pet. The hundreds of rescued orangutans like Suryani must undergo training in ‘Forest Schools’ to learn the key climbing, foraging and survival skills they would have otherwise learned from their mother, before they are able to be released back into the wild.

I now work with Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF), a not-for-profit conservation and research organization, studying wild orangutans and their peat-swamp forest home.

Why is your work important?

Orangutans are a ‘flagship’ species, meaning they are a charismatic animal used as an ambassador to generate interest and awareness about their habitat. They are also an ‘umbrella’ species, meaning that by protecting them, we are also protecting the rest of the biodiversity within their environment. Orangutans are critically endangered, primarily due to habitat loss, therefore urgent conservation action is needed. My work as a researcher helps to identify how orangutans behave in response to changing environments, and how we can protect the remaining fragments of rainforest in Borneo.

What have you found through your research so far?

Through my masters research, my main finding was that orangutans that were rescued at a young age, rehabilitated through ‘Forest Schools’, and finally reintroduced back into the wild, take approximately 3 months to adapt to their new environment. They spend the first few days travelling around the forest, becoming familiar with the new environment, and trying new wild food sources. Gradually, they establish their own home range, and become completely adapted to their new life back in the wild. This highlights the behavioural flexibility and intelligence of orangutans, as they are able to successfully adapt to a new environment, despite a traumatic start to life.

My current work with BNF encompasses the Sebangau National Park, a peat-swamp forest in Borneo, which hosts the largest population of orangutans within a protected area. However, this area is also at a high risk from annual forest fires, primarily due to previous illegal logging activity. Canals were built throughout the forest to aid the removal of timber, but these canals have since drained the usually flooded peat swamp, creating flammable dry vegetation. BNF are currently working to restore the peat swamp forests by damming the canals to re-wet the forest and reduce the risk of fire. Reforestation is also undertaken to restore previously burned areas to re-establish orangutan habitat. This long-term holistic approach involves local communities, education activities and multiple conservation projects, that not only benefit orangutans, but the rest of the biodiversity and communities living within the forest.

What can people do to help?

People can help orangutan and rainforest conservation by firstly being conscious consumers. Only buy rainforest products such as wood, paper and vegetable oils, which are produced sustainably, accredited by reputable organisations such as FSC and RSPO. A common misconception to consumers is to boycott all palm-oil, however, palm oil is the most efficient vegetable oil in terms of yield per area, therefore switching to an alternative oil such as rapeseed, sunflower or coconut oil would require more deforestation for the same amount produced. As a consumer, we have the power to change the supply and demand market, therefore we should demand sustainable palm-oil, and ensure that the criteria needed for sustainability are stringent and always monitored.

You can also help by raising awareness and donating to reputable orangutan conservation charities such as BOSF, BNF and the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program. Though please be aware that some tourist attractions allow close contact with orangutans, which exploits orangutans for profit, risking disease transmission and over-habituation.

Follow Emma on Twitter: ELokuciejewski and Instagram: emmalokuciejewski

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