Site Description

Harapan Rainforest covers 101,000 ha of dry lowland forest and comprises two former logging concessions of approximately equal size. The entire site has undergone some degree of logging in the past resulting in three broad forest habitats: ‘High secondary forest', 'Medium secondary forest' and 'Low secondary forest'. Forty percent of the site is ‘High secondary forest', 25% is 'Medium secondary forest' and 25% is 'Low secondary forest'. The remaining 10% comprises scrub and open ground.

Harapan Rainforest is home to an impressive array of mammals, including the Sumatran tiger, Asian elephant, Malayan sun bear, Mitred langur, Asian tapir, Siamang, Clouded leopard, Agile gibbon, Slow loris and Dhole (Asiatic wild dog), all of which are currently threatened with extinction. Harapan Rainforest is also home to nearly 300 species of lowland birds, including eight globally threatened species and 69 near-threatened species. Despite previous habitat disturbance, a remarkable abundance of species still remain.

Harapan Rainforest is also home to a group of indigenous people known as the Bathin Sembilan. Many of them still follow a semi-nomadic lifestyle, harvesting non-timber products from the forest. Very few native people are still able to follow this traditional lifestyle due to the pressure of deforestation and development all around them. There are eight indigenous family groups (guguk) living within Harapan Rainforest. This initiative provides hope that they will be able to preserve the aspects of their traditional lifestyles that they wish to.