Sulawesi Program

Sulawesi is an exceptionally important area for biodiversity conservation. Of 127 mammals found in Sulawesi, 62% are endemic to the island while among 233 birds, 36% are endemic. These include the maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) which incubate their eggs in sun- or volcanic-heated soils, the babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) which has two large tusks that grow to pierce the snout before curling back in front of the eyes, the crested black macaque (Macaca nigra) which is the biggest primate in Sulawesi, the anoa (Bubalus spp.) a unique dwarf buffalo which stands a mere one meter at the shoulder, the cuscus (Ailurops ursinus and Stigocuscus celebensis) Australasian-originated marsupials which have never reached the islands beyond the western coast of Sulawesi, and the civets (Macrogalidia musschenbroeckii) which are the world’s least-known large carnivores.

The Human Aspect
Three key things that may escalate human intervention to natural ecosystems in Sulawesi are population increase, economic pressure and national policy.  In the last decade, human population in northern Sulawesi increased by more than 20%. Job scarcity and low wages as a result of Indonesian financial crisis started in mid 1995 and has not ended in this region. The easiest way for poor, new farmers to find a livelihood is to expand agricultural land into the natural forests. The expansion often passes the borders of protected areas. The national policy on regional autonomy has encouraged provincial government to build up its own revenue. Again, forest is seen as an immediate capital to generate money.

Threats
Hunting and habitat destruction are a serious threat to Sulawesian wildlife species. Consumption of wildlife happens anywhere in the island, but it is most prevalent in North Sulawesi Province, where the people are not constrained by religion against consuming wildlife species such as monkeys, pigs, bats, and rodents. Maleo eggs are a delicacy to many people, promoting egg collecting and causing serious population decline. Illegal logging and forest conversion are common even within protected areas.

WCS Activities
•Promoting law enforcement. Through its Sulawesi Wildlife Crime Unit, WCS encourages law enforcement agencies to protect the protected wildlife species by legal prosecution with relevant data and information. WCS also maintains coordination and information exchange between stakeholders in law enforcement throughout Sulawesi.
•Reducing wildlife trade. WCS quantifies the consumption of wildlife species through monitoring wildlife trade in local markets. WCS also investigates the extent of wildlife hunting by patrolling the major roads that connect the hunting-fields and the markets. First hand information on hunting is collected through patrolling programs within the protected areas.
•Raising public awareness on wildlife conservation. WCS designs and produces materials such as posters, banners, leaflets, wildlife-shaped puppets, and children ‘s wildlife comics;  runs conservation campaigns including school visits, exhibitions, puppet shows and library displays to raise public awareness on the importance of wildlife conservation.  
•Conservation training. We seek to build capacity for conservation. We have trained school teachers, forestry guards, police officers, prosecutors, judges, local NGOs, mass media, local people from villages near BNWNP, and university students. Previous training topics have included wildlife identification; conservation law, policy and enforcement; field conservation techniques and principles.
•Park management through partnership. WCS has facilitated the establishment of Dewan Mitra, a partnership approach to the management of BNWNP. Dewan Mitra provides a communication forum and data exchange between the stakeholders within the Bogani landscape ecosystems including BNWNP and surrounding areas.

Important Next Steps
•Developing and expanding the Wildlife Crime Unit Network to all Sulawesi and Maluku Province. Improving its effectiveness at reducing trade.
•Developing a land purchase and local stewardship model for the protection of Maleo nesting grounds. Including the development of sustainable financing.
•Developing the Dewan Mitra collaborative management forum.
•Promoting better incorporation of conservation objectives within local spatial and development planning, through working together with local government.
•Expanding the school education and awareness programs to more areas.