Ulu Segama-Malua

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Summary

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• Northeast Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus morio) are present in the Ulu Segama-Malua landscape.
• It has been estimated that 2,580 (CI: 1,295-5,866) individuals occur in the site.
• The orangutan population trend is unknown.
• The site has a total size of 2,400 km².
• Key threats to orangutans include logging, forest degradation and fragmentation.
• Conservation activities have focused on habitat restoration.

Site characteristics

The Ulu Segama-Malua (USM) landscape is located in the Malaysian state of Sabah between 116°28′E and 4°14′N and comprises approximately 240,000 hectares of lowland forest (WWF 2020, Ancrenaz et al. 2010). The site sustains one of the largest orangutan populations in Sabah (WWF 2020). To the north of USM, Bukit Piton Forest Reserve (12,000 ha) is found, which is an area of high conservation value (WWF 2020). The USM landscape consists of a variably steep terrain, with many hills and ridges, although Malua's topography is predominantly flat and low (Ancrenaz et al. 2010).

Table 1. Basic site information for Ulu Segama-Malua

Species	Pongo pygmaeus morio
Area	2,400 km²
Coordinates	Lat: 4.956727 , Lon: 117.878134
Type of site	Non-protected area
Habitat types	Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, Subtropical/tropical heavily degraded former forest
Type of governance

Types of sites Governance types Habitat types

Ape status

Surveys in 2002 and 2007 show that orangutan populations can be maintained in forests that have been lightly and sustainably logged (Ancrenaz et al. 2010). However, in heavily logged forests there was a decline in orangutan numbers (Ancrenaz et al. 2010). Nest distribution in the forests of Ulu Segama Malua indicates that orangutans leave areas undergoing active disturbance, reaching forests that are located up to 500 meters above sea level (Ancrenaz et al. 2010).

Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Ulu Segama-Malua

Species	Year	Occurrence	Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day)	Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI)	Abundance estimate (95% CI)	Survey area	Sampling method	Analytical framework	Source	Comments	A.P.E.S. database ID
Pongo pygmaeus morio	2007			0.13 (0.04-0.39)		Segama East	Aerial (drones/plane/helicopter)		Ancrenaz et al. 2010
Pongo pygmaeus morio	2007			0.79 (0.29-2.16)		Segama Central	Aerial (drones/plane/helicopter)		Ancrenaz et al. 2010
Pongo pygmaeus morio	2007			1.52 (0.5-4.1)		North Ulu Segama	Aerial (drones/plane/helicopter)		Ancrenaz et al. 2010
Pongo pygmaeus morio	2007			1.64 (0.58-4.52)		Malua	Aerial (drones/plane/helicopter)		Ancrenaz et al. 2010
Pongo pygmaeus morio	2007			1.76 (0.64-4.80)		Segama South West	Aerial (drones/plane/helicopter)		Ancrenaz et al. 2010
Pongo pygmaeus morio	2002				4,584 (2,064-11,064)	Segama forests	Aerial (drones/plane/helicopter)		Ancrenaz et al. 2005
Pongo pygmaeus morio	2007				2,580 (1,295-5,866)	USM forests, total	Aerial (drones/plane/helicopter)		Ancrenaz et al. 2010

Sampling methods Analytical frameworks

Threats

Surveys in 2002 and 2007 show that orangutan populations can be maintained in forests that have been lightly and sustainably logged (Ancrenaz et al. 2010). However, in heavily logged forests there was a decline in orangutan numbers (Ancrenaz et al. 2010). Nest distribution in the forests of Ulu Segama Malua indicates that orangutans leave areas undergoing active disturbance, reaching forests that are located up to 500 meters above sea level (Ancrenaz et al. 2010).

Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Ulu Segama-Malua

Category	Specific threats	Threat level	Description	Year of threat
2 Agriculture & aquaculture	2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Oil palm plantations surround the landscape, especially along the eastern and northern borders (Ancrenaz et al. 2010, WWF 2020).	2010-Ongoing (2020)
4 Transportation & service corridors	4.1 Roads & railroads	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Logging roads that are present in higher frequency in overdegraded forests (Ancrenaz et al. 2010).	Ongoing (2010)
5 Biological resource use	5.3 Logging & wood harvesting	High (more than 70% of population affected)	Heavy logging has led to decreased orangutan abundance at the site, as well as forest fragmentation (Ancrenaz et al 2010).	Ongoing (2010)
7 Natural system modifications	7.1 Fire & fire suppression	Present (unknown severity)	Fires to clear land, but also due to severe droughts (Ancrenaz et al. 2010).	Ongoing (2010)

Threats

Conservation activities

Conventional logging practices and heavy extraction rates, coupled with high road densities and indiscriminate felling, has resulted in a mosaic of highly degraded forests bordering hilltops and isolated patches of moderate habitat; in other words, habitat in the USM landscape is very heterogeneous (Ancrenaz et al. 2010). Multiple logging cycles that began in 1957 and ended in 2007 led to drastic alterations in the original forest structure and integrity (Ancrenaz et al. 2010). Forest fragmentation has forced the orangutan population to spread into less suitable habitats (Ancrenaz et al. 2010).

Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Ulu Segama-Malua

Category	Specific activity	Description	Implementing organization(s)	Year of activity
5 Protection & restoration	5.6 Habitat restoration	Restoration in the Bukit Piton forest is intended to have a positive impact on the rest of the landscape by connecting key patches of forest (WWF 2020).		Ongoing (2020)

Conservation activities

Challenges

Table 5. Challenges reported for Ulu Segama-Malua

Challenges	Specific challenges	Source	Year(s)
	Not reported

Challenges

Enablers

Table 6. Enablers reported for Ulu Segama-Malua

Enablers	Specific enablers	Source	Year(s)
1 Site management
2 Resources and capacity
3 Engaged community
4 Institutional support
5 Ecological context
6 Safety and stability

Enablers

Documented behaviours

Table 7. Behaviours documented for Ulu Segama-Malua

Category	Behavior	Observation type	Prevalence	Observation dates	Source	Habituation	Species	Comment
	Not reported

Behaviours

External links

Ulu Segama Malua - Sabah Forestry Department

References

Ancrenaz, M., Ambu, L., Sunjoto, I., Ahmad, E., Manokaran, K., Meijaard, E., & Lackman, I. (2010). Recent surveys in the forests of Ulu Segama Malua, Sabah, Malaysia, show that orang-utans (P. p. morio) can be maintained in slightly logged forests. PLoS One, 5(7), e11510.

Ancrenaz, M., Gimenez, O., Ambu, L., Ancrenaz, K., Andau, P., Goossens, B., ... & Lackman-Ancrenaz, I. (2005). Aerial surveys give new estimates for orangutans in Sabah, Malaysia. PLoS Biology, 3(1), e3.

WWF (2020). Lessons Learnt from 12 Years Restoring the Orangutan’s Habitat: the Bukit Piton Forest Reserve in the Malaysian State of Sabah. Online: https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?364737/WWF-field-series-Lessons-learnt-from-restoring-the-orangutan-habitat-in-the-Malaysian-State-of-Sabah

Page created by: APES Atlas Team Date: 2021-11-16