SBI protects wetland ecosystem of bekantan habitat

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Sahabat Bekantan Indonesia (SBI) Foundation together with Lacoco En Nature were making their effort to protect the wetland ecosystem of the habitat of bekantan or proboscis monkey in Curiak Island, Barito Kuala District, South Kalimantan.

"We build mutual concern for the preservation of bekantan, the endemic primate of Kalimantan which is a key spesies, whose existance is threatened with extinction," said SBI Foundation founder Amalia Rezeki here on Thursday.

Rambai mangrove forest in the Bekantan Research Station area and the wetland ecosystem in Curiak Island is only a small area left as habitat for bekantan (Nasalis larvatus) outside the conservation area. In this remaining area there is proboscis monkey population with a very limited carrying capacity.

“To save bekantan from extinction, the main thing is to save their habitat. SBI together with Lacoco En Nature, a business of Skin Care product, who have a concern for the sustainable development, are collaborating through buy back land program to build a green belt as a buffer zone for bekantan habitat," explained Amel, Amalia Rezeki's nickname.

The bekantan habitat is a riparian mangrove forest with vegetation dominated by rambai plants, besides plants and stands, it is the main food for proboscis monkey.

The winner of the international environmental award “ASEAN Youth Eco Champion 2019" explained that the mangrove forest ecosystem is able to store 40 percent more carbon than other tropical forests. The damage and loss of mangrove forest will trigger the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane.

This means, she added, the loss and damage of mangrove forest is one of the factor that trigger global warming, as it increases the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

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The buy back land program and restoring mangrove forest by replanting will function as a greenbelt. In addition to the proboscis monkey habitat, it is also an effort to mitigate global warming.

"Saving the bekantan by conserving the wetland forest, such as mangrove rambai means saving human civilization from climate disaster caused by global warming," said the lecturer in Biology at the University of Lambung Mangkurat's Faculty of Teaching and Education (FKIP). 

“Lacoco En Nature is moved by the efforts of the SBI Foundation to save Kalimantan endemic primate which is also icon of South Kalimantan by donating for the preservation of proboscis monkey. The donation is to protect the wetland ecosystem of the proboscis monkey habitat," said Fatimah Nada, Brand Director of Lacoco En Nature.

"We support the effort to increase the population of bekantan as is stipulated in the Decree of Director-General of KSDAE No. 180 regarding the determination of 25 priority endangered species to increase their population by 20 percent," she said.