Curiak goes global
Once an abandoned 2.7 hectares island, Curiak is not far from the Bakut Island Nature Tourism Park (TWA), a proboscis monkey habitat conservation area with mangrove forest ecosystem managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA).
Unlike Bakut Island, which entirely owned by the governemnt, Curiak is managed independently by SBI.
With wakaf land program, SBI raised funds, and Curiak Island's land area increased to 11 hectares thanks to the ongoing planting of rambai mangroves.
The success of conserving proboscis monkey on Curiak attracts many tourists.
With a special interest tourism concept, the tourists are invited to interact directly with the natural environment, such as planting rambai seedlings and observing groups of bekantan hanging from trees. It can be done by exploring the river on small motorized boat locally known as kelotok.
Tourist must make appointment with SBI in advance to ensure more focused ecotourism experience while maintaining the spirit of conservation.
Her extensive network, allows Amel, Amalia Rezeki's nickname, a Doctor of Conservation and Biology lecturer at Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM), to quickly promote Curiak Island to researchers from various universities worldwide interested in the life of proboscis monkeys in wetlands.
She built a research camp called Tim Roberts Camp. The name Tim Roberts is dedicated to Tim Roberts, a professor at University of New Castle, Australia. He was one of professors who helped established Proboscis Monkey Research Station and wetland ecosystem along with the then-ULM Rector Professsor Sutarto Hadi.
Since the success of bekantan conservation, Curiak Island has been continuously visited by special interest tourists, especially students and researchers from various countries.
Amel was once appointed by the South Kalimantan Provincial Government as a delegate to promote proboscis monkey ecotourism at an international event in Finland.
No longer after the event, 60 foreign tourists visited Curiak Island to learn about bekantan and the history of SBI volunteer team's strive in conservation.
Every year, dozens of students from various countries come to Curiak Island for summer course or a short educational program held by universities during the summer holidays.
Amel, the 2019 ASEAN Youth Eco Champion in Cambodia and winner of 2022 Kalpataru Environmental Savior award from the Indonesian government, has really made Curiak Island goes global.
Read also: Curiak Island special site within Meratus Geopark area: GGN
