Orangutan,
Community based conservation
Securing Forests and Ape Populations on Community Lands in the Lower Kinabatangan–Segama Wetlands Ramsar Site
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Since 2006, LEAP has worked closely with Indigenous and local communities, government agencies and a trusted circle of NGO partners in conservation efforts of the Lower Kinabatangan and Segama floodplain, recognised internationally as one of Borneo’s strongholds for Orangutans and other flagship species. A new State policy now mandates co-existence of humans with wild orangutan populations across mosaic landscapes, moving away from the former reliance on capture and translocation of orangutans into protected areas.
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Recent field studies confirm that ape populations persisting outside gazetted protected areas are larger than previously estimated; in the adaptive crucible of the new Anthropocene era, orangutans have learned to exploit fruit-rich forest and other novel habitats (Spehar SN, et al).
You should define mosaic landscape is - don't assume your reader knows what it means
In line with Sabah’s Ten-Year Orangutan Action Plan, LEAP and our long-standing village partners launched the Community Orangutan Ranger Team (CORT) in 2020. A cohort of fifteen community rangers—predominantly women and youth—now blends rigorous citizen-science methods and traditional knowledge of the forest to study local populations of orangutans and conduct phenological monitoring, including camera trapping and riparian forest restoration work with technical training by local organisations HUTAN Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project (HUTAN-KOCP) and Koperasi Pelancongan Mukim Batu Puteh (KOPEL).
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Grassroots mobilisation is underway to secure remaining fragments of orangutan habitat lying beyond protected areas, advancing traditional respect and co-existence with apes and other wildlife among Indigenous Sungai and Tidung communities.
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Stewardship Sites of the Programme
CORT currently operates in and around the village of Abai and Dagat, as stepping stones for survival of Orangutan individuals between the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, Balat Damit and Tabin Wildlife Reserve and the Ramsar site. Together, these communities are working to sustain at 1200 acres of forest outside of Protected Areas, allowing apes and other wildlife to move safely between forest patches.
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Location of research activities in the village of Abai bordering several protected areas in blue.
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Sustainable Livelihoods
Conservation cannot endure unless families prosper. Accordingly, the programme has facilitated the registration of community cooperatives that channel earnings from nature-based tourism, guiding and renewable energy micro enterprises. The household income survey in 2024 shows that these conservation-linked ventures now contribute 31% of average household income in Dagat, reducing pressure on unsustainable practices.
Anticipated Impacts and Benefits
The programme strengthens Indigenous stewardship and promotes more equitable, collaborative management of biodiversity, directly advancing Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and Sabah’s Biodiversity Strategy 2023-2033. Recognising Indigenous knowledge as a legitimate asset not only builds local pride but also yields data for ongoing and future efforts.
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Citizen-science results empower communities to decide how best to govern forests that remain critical ape habitat and strengthen traditional respect for apes, while creating career pathways for young stewards and new income streams tied to a thriving, living landscape. By helping villages shift away from resource-depleting activities in forests, mangroves and fisheries, the programme contributes to Sabah’s broader transition to a circular economy—even as conventional ecotourism remains depressed by lingering security advisories along the East Coast.
Support and Funding
This programme is operated by LEAP Spiral and is currently supported through generous funding by the Arcus Foundation.
