21 NOVEMBER 2025, KUCHING - Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), together with the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS), Borneo Adventure, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Malaysia Program and WWF-Malaysia, has reported encouraging indications of orangutan population growth in the Ulu Sungai Menyang (USM) landscape following the latest 2025 population assessment.

According to the 2025 survey carried out by WWF-Malaysia Terrestrial Mammals team in Sarawak, the orangutan population in USM is now estimated at around 167 individuals, compared to about 115 individuals recorded in 2014. The analysis indicates a high level of confidence (around 82%) that the population has increased over the past decade, reflecting the impact of sustained protection efforts led by the Sarawak Government and its conservation partners.

Despite this positive trajectory, the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) remains classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and continued vigilance is required to ensure that recent gains are not reversed.

As the statutory wildlife authority under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998, SFC leads long-term scientific monitoring, enforcement, habitat management and community collaborations in the USM landscape, working closely with FDS and other agencies.

“This encouraging indication reflects the impact of our sustained management efforts and strong collaboration with FDS, WCS Malaysia, Borneo Adventure, WWF-Malaysia and local communities,” said Abang Arabi, General Manager of SFC. “While the results are positive, continued vigilance is essential. Orangutans are highly sensitive to habitat changes, and long-term protection must remain a priority.”

Located within the Batang Ai region, the USM landscape supports the only known viable orangutan population outside Totally Protected Areas in Sarawak. At current estimates, this population accounts for approximately 8% of the State’s total orangutan population, underscoring the area’s strategic importance for orangutan conservation.

“The observed increase since 2014 suggests that existing management and protection measures in USM are having a measurable positive impact,” said Abang Arabi adding that the first surveys were carried out by SFC, FDS, WCS Malaysia and Borneo Adventure. “The latest findings from WWF-Malaysia are particularly significant given the broader population declines observed across Borneo.”

All partners emphasised that deep, long-term collaboration with local Iban communities is a critical success factor. The designation of USM as a Special Conservation Area in 2015, coupled with formal partnerships with FDS, Borneo Adventure and conservation NGOs and the local Iban community, has strengthened protection outcomes on the ground.

“Our partnership with the surrounding communities—through awareness programmes, community ranger schemes, and support for sustainable livelihood initiatives—has been crucial,” added Abang Arabi. “These community-based efforts have reduced pressure on the forest and contributed to the stability of orangutan habitats.”

He said Borneo Adventure’s long-term involvement, since 1987, with several communities in the area has provided employment opportunities through sustainable tourism. With a focus on the surrounding rainforest and wildlife, the tourism provided cash incomes to the residents and support to the communities while at the same time promoting conservation of orangutan and the habitat.

SFC highlighted that community-based initiatives, such as sustainable tourism, aquaculture and small-scale agriculture, have created alternative income streams, reducing reliance on forest-based resources.

“These positive signs are the result of good science, strong collaboration, effective law enforcement and the cultural values upheld by local communities. They demonstrate that with sustained collaboration and science-based management, Sarawak can make a real difference for wildlife conservation.”

While the survey points to encouraging trends, the partners stressed that development undertaken without sufficient oversight could undermine these gains.

“These gains are immensely positive, but we must be clear-eyed that new developments—if not carefully planned—could undo years of conservation progress,” said WWF- Malaysia Sarawak Conservation Programme Head Cynthia Chin.

Planned and potential road developments in the broader region, if not managed with appropriate safeguards, could lead to:

• Habitat fragmentation and loss of connectivity,

• Increased forest edge effects and degradation, and

• Higher risk of human–orangutan conflict, exposing both communities and wildlife to greater danger.

“Development is a much-needed driver of progress for Sarawak,” she added. “The challenge and opportunity before us are to position Sarawak as a regional example of how to build infrastructure while maintaining biodiversity and natural heritage.”

Sarawak is already exploring green infrastructure approaches in strategic road projects. The partners encouraged that similar solution —such as wildlife underpasses, canopy bridges and landscape-scale ecological corridors—be systematically integrated into planning in and around the USM landscape, ensuring that ecological connectivity and wildlife movement are maintained.

“Progress and conservation can and must meet in the middle,” said Chin. “By integrating wildlife crossings, maintaining corridor connectivity and planning at landscape scale, we can enable both economic development and ecological resilience.”

Conservation agencies, including SFC, FDS, WCS Malaysia, BA and WWF-Malaysia are working closely with planners and decision-makers to provide science-based inputs and co-develop mitigation measures that align development needs with biodiversity protection.

The partners noted that the continued protection and sustainable management of USM is strongly aligned with Sarawak’s Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which envisions inclusive, innovation-driven economic growth grounded in environmental sustainability and community well-being.

“USM is emerging as a model landscape that showcases how community stewardship and strong partnerships can translate into measurable conservation outcomes,” said Dr Mark Rayan Darmaraj, Country Director, WCS Malaysia. “Orangutans are vital seed dispersers and indicators of forest health. Protecting them helps secure the resilience of Sarawak’s forests and the many benefits they provide.”

Protecting them means protecting so much more – the integrity of our forests, the watersheds and its ecosystem services—and thereby ensuring that future generations can continue to benefit from Sarawak’s rich natural heritage and culture, he added.

“Conservation works best when people can see tangible benefits from protecting nature,” said Philip Yong, Managing Director, Borneo Adventure. “By investing in high-quality, community-based tourism and other sustainable enterprises, Sarawak can show how wildlife conservation and local prosperity reinforce each other. Tourism to Ulu Ai (USM) currently contributes over RM 1 million per year in the involved communities. That is how both wildlife and communities will thrive in the decades ahead.”

The Sarawak Government, through SFC and FDS and in collaboration with Borneo Adventure, WCS Malaysia and WWF-Malaysia and local communities, remains committed to the Sarawak Orangutan Strategic Action Plan (2010-2020) and its incoming revision, which provides the framework for:

• Long-term scientific monitoring and research,

• Strengthened law enforcement and patrols,

• Habitat management and connectivity planning, and

• Community engagement and sustainable livelihood initiatives across key orangutan landscapes.

“The progress we see today reaffirms the importance of long-term partnerships and consistent investment in protection,” said Abang Arabi. “SFC will continue working with all stakeholders to safeguard Sarawak’s natural heritage so that future generations can continue to benefit from our rich forests and wildlife.”

Important Note:
Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC)
Forest Department Sarawak (FDS)
Borneo Adventure (BA)
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Malaysia Program
World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia)
Ulu Sungai Menyang (USM)

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Issued on behalf of Sarawak Forestry Corporation by the Communication and Public Affairs (CPA)
For enquiries and further clarification, kindly contact CPA, Sarawak Forestry Corporation at 082 610088 or email to asmahmusa@sarawakforestry.com

Photos:

Photo 1: Aerial view of Ulu Sungai Menyang, Batang Ai, Sarawak. © Pixbugs Studio / WWF-Malaysia

Photo 2: WWF-Malaysia's Terrestrial Mammal team members spotted a fresh orangutan nest. © WWF-Malaysia

Photo 3: WWF-Malaysia team members together with communities involved in one of the orangutan surveys posed for a group photo after a hard day work in the field earlier this year. © WWF-Malaysia

Photo 4: An adult orangutan captured on camera trap set up by WWF-Malaysia this year. Camera traps also were placed to obtain overall biodiversity data in USM.
© Anderian Alfonso / WWF-Malaysia

Photo 5: Abang Arabi Abang Aimran. © Sarawak Forestry Corporation

Photo 6: Dr Mark Rayan Darmaraj. © Wildlife Conservation Society

Photo 7: Philip Yong. © Borneo Adventure

Photo 8: Cynthia Chin. © Akifah Jazman / WWF-Malaysia