Jakarta (Greeners) – Meningkatnya suhu Bumi membuat es yang ada di Samudra Arktik semakin berkurang. Hal ini membawa dampak besar pada fauna yang berhabitat di sana salah satunya beruang kutub. Dalam sebuah studi di Jurnal Nature Climate Change, disebutkan bahwa mamalia laut tersebut akan musnah pada akhir abad ini bila manusia tidak segera menangani krisis iklim.

Mengutip forbes.com, hampir semua subpopulasi beruang kutub yang tersebar di wilayah terdingin dunia dapat punah pada 2100. Hal itu terjadi akibat kiamat iklim yang terus mengikis es di lautan. National Snow and Ice Data Center mencatat bahwa es di lautan Arktik telah berkurang sebanyak 13 persen setiap dekade sejak 1970-an.

Baca juga: Limbah Domestik dan Sampah Plastik Turunkan Kualitas Air Kali Surabaya

Jika melihat emisi gas rumah kaca yang kian tinggi, hanya akan ada sejumlah populasi beruang kutub yang selamat dari kepunahan. Walaupun manusia berhasil mencapai pengurangan emisi dengan target moderat, populasi beruang kutub dinilai tetap akan hilang.

Di habitatnya, beruang kutub sangat bergantung pada es yang ada di lautan untuk bepergian, berburu makanan, beristirahat, dan kawin. Namun, akibat perubahan iklim yang terjadi, tempat tinggal mereka semakin lama semakin menyusut. Hal ini membuatnya terdaftar sebagai spesies yang terancam punah berdasarkan Endangered Species Act, Amerika.

Seekor berutang kutub berada di permukaan es yang mencair. Foto: istockphoto
Polar bear on a wide surface of ice in the russian arctic close to Franz Josef Land.The light a

Hilangnya es di kutub memaksa beruang untuk bertahan dalam periode puasa yang lebih lama karena mereka mengandalkan permukaan beku untuk berburu anjing laut atau sumber makanan utama. Melansir dari nature.com, luasan es tempat berburu anjing laut diperkirakan akan menurun seiring dengan pemanasan global dan hilangnya es di laut yang terus berlanjut.

Meski beruang kutub dapat berpuasa selama berbulan-bulan, kelangsungan hidup mereka juga terbatas. Hal ini bergantung pada seberapa banyak energi yang berhasil disimpan melalui makan sebelumnya, energi yang mereka keluarkan selama tak makan, dan lama periode puasa berlangsung.

Kemampuan puasa yang berkepanjangan ini bukan merupakan hal yang bagus. Periode tanpa makan yang berkepanjangan telah terbukti berdampak negatif pada kondisi tubuh, tingkat reproduksi, dan ukuran populasi beruang kutub.

Baca juga: Energi Baru Terbarukan Kalah Saing dengan Energi Fosil

Dr Steven Amstrup, Kepala ilmuwan Polar Bears International dalam bbc.com mengatakan induk beruang kutub tidak akan mampu menghasilkan susu yang cukup untuk diberikan kepada anak-anaknya akibat kurangnya lemak di tubuh. Defisiensi tersebut diakibatkan oleh semakin sedikitnya sumber pangan mereka, yaitu anjing laut.

“Terancamnya populasi beruang kutub adalah pengingat lain bagi kita agar bertindak sekarang untuk mencegah terjadinya masalah terburuk yang akan terjadi di masa depan,” kata Amstrup.

Di ekosistem, beruang kutub berperan sebagai pemangsa di tingkat puncak. Mereka merupakan binatang karnivora yang bertugas untuk menjaga keseimbangan populasi biologis. Beruang kutub juga merupakan penentu sehat atau tidaknya suatu lingkungan. Jika spesies kunci tidak sehat, menandakan seluruh ekosistem berpotensi dalam masalah.

Penulis: Ida Ayu Putu Wiena Vedasari

Editor: Devi Anggar Oktaviani

International Orangutan Day is celebrated on August 19 aiming to increase awareness on the endangered species. 

Indonesia, the home to three sub-species of orangutan, — Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) in Kalimantan, Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) in Sumatra. 

Unfortunately, orangutans are listed as critically endangered at the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2017).

Based Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA, 2017), Tapanuli orangutan ranked bottom with only 800 individuals, out of 13,710 Sumatran orangutans and 45,590 Bornean orangutans. 

READ ALSO : Twin Orangutan Tapanuli Spotted in North Sumatra

To tackle declining population, the government has launched the Strategy and Action Plan for Orangutan Conservation (2019-29) in Jakarta, on August 12. 

Wiratno, director general of nature resources and conservation of Ministry of Environment and Forestry, said Indonesia as the home to Bornean and Sumatran orangutans encourage all stakeholders to increase awareness and cooperation to preserve orangutan and its habitat.  

“With the action plan, it is expected that orangutan population can continue to rise. Of course, with the involvement of central government, regional government, NGO, orangutan rehabilitation centers, researches, private sector, local people, indigenous groups and religious groups to work on conserving the species,” he said. “The collaboration is expected to save orangutan and establish common awareness on orangutan preservation and its habitat.”

Direktur Jendral Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam dan Ekosistem (KSDAE), Wiratno. Foto: greeners.co/Danny Kosasih

Lukas Laksono Adhyakso, Conservation Program Director of WWF-Indonesia, said that the action plan will be the main guide for WWF Indonesia to work on its conservation efforts in five orangutan habitat, — Kapuas Upstream Landscape of West Kalimantan, Muller-Schwaner-Arabela Landscape of West Kalimantan – Central Kalimantan, Sebangau Katingan Landscape of Central Kalimantan, Kayan Landscape of North Kalimantan, and Northern Sumatra Landscape of North Sumatra.

Jakarta (Greeners) – Amid massive illegal wildlife trading, Ministry of Environment and Forestry reveals that some of priority endangered animals have increase their population, such as Sumatran elephant, Sumatran tiger, Javan rhino, Bali sterling, Javan eagle, and Javan gibbon, in several national parks.

Wiratno, director general of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation, said that the priority endangered animals population spread in several conservation areas, forest areas, and outside of forest areas.

In Bali National Park, there is an increase of 31 birds in 2015 to 191 birds in 2019. For the same period, Javan rhino population in Ujung Kulon National park rises from 63 to 68 rhinos.

Meanwhile, Javan gibbon increases from 546 to 1,107 individuals, 611 to 693 Sumatran elephants, 180 to 220 Sumatran tigers, and 91 to 113 Javan eagles.

READ ALSO: KLHK to Conduct the Second Sumatran Tiger Population Survey 

Wiratno said that the successful is due to active public participation in conservation efforts. He said that the ministry is open to other parties giving information about conservation.

“All national parks and natural resources conservation offices have call centers. If there are reports, they need to respond. If not, then they can directly report to my personal number, I will respond them,” he said in Pekanbaru on Monday (13/5/2019).

He said that public participation is one of the keys for ecosystem conservation. He cited the shift of attitude in Tangkahan eco-tourism in Langkat district of North Sumatra.

“There were forest encroachments but people no longer destroying forests, they’re preserving areas so more tourists come to the areas. There are billions of money generated to provide for people living in the areas,” he said.

Currently, conservation areas in Indonesia reaches to 27.14 million hectares and more than 6,000 villages surrounding conservation areas.

READ ALSO: Green Watchdogs: Lawmakers Argue Current Law Still Relevant Stalls the Revised Conservation Bill to Pass 

Meanwhile, Sustyo Iriyono, director of prevention and forest security at the ministry, said that his office has been consistently pushing the efforts, to prevent and to enforce the law on environment and forest crimes.

“Though only four years old, but law enforcement from ministry of environment and forestry is very firm. We strengthen not only numbers of personnel but also their capabilities. We cooperate with other institutions so that information needed to prevent and enforce the law is easily done,” said Iriyono.

Reports by Dewi Purningsih

Bogor (Greeners) – Bogor Botanical Garden, under Plants Conservation and Botanical Garden Indonesian Institute for Sciences, introduces new types from genus begonia, hoya, and murraya resulted from latest expedition.

The plants have been bred and cultivated due to several types are considered as endangered.

“This reveal of new types of plants has important contribution in plants conservation and give new understanding on Indonesia’s plants diversity and our resources,” said acting head of the research center of plants and botanical gardens conservation, R. Hendrian, in Bogor on Thursday (25/04/2019).

Hendrian said that it is expected that public can understand endemic plants of Indonesia from the new plants and they are managed accordingly. The newfound plants, he added, can be used for medicinal to body treatment.

“The new species is expected to provide information and new understanding about Indonesia’s plant biodiversity. This is very interesting not just from the dynamics of the data, but I also want from this event, public know and enjoy [the plants] in more popular ways,” he said.

READ ALSO: Indonesian Scientists to Develop Marine Biota Based Cancer Cure 

Wisnu Aji Handoyo, begonia researcher at Indonesian Institute for Sciences (LIPI), said that there are 32 new types of begonia published in 21 international scientific publications. These are the results of expedition and research in the past ten years.

Indonesia is estimated to have more than 400 types out of the total of 1,924 types of begonia in tropical areas throughout the world.

Handoyo said that begonia spreads from Sumatra to Papua with 63 types in Sumatra, 197 types in Kalimantan, including Sabah and Sarawak, 14 types in Java, 12 types in Bali and Nusa Tenggara, 51 types in Sulawesi, 9 types in Maluku islands, and 80 types in Papua.

“These begonias have chemical compound potential as cancer cure medicines. It will be further verified by our pharmacy faculty colleagues. It’s already been tested but need more researches, because we are just getting to the taxonomy research. I call this type of begonia as Begonia Medicine for its active compound potentially to delay cancer cells growth,” he said.

Inggit Puji Astuti, researcher at the LIPI’s Research Center of Plants Conservation and Botanical Garden, showed Murraya cyclopensis, a new type plant from genus murraya. Photo: greeners.co/Dewi Purningsih

Other types being introduced are Murraya cyclopensis Astuti and Rugayah found at Kemiri Said Nature Reserve, Cyclops Mountains of Papua by I Nyoman Lugrayasa in Bali Botanical Garden in 2001.

Initially, the type is being identified as Murraya paniculata but changed into Murraya sp. after analyzing the flower and fruit.

Inggit Puji Astuti, researcher at the LIPI’s Research Center of Plants Conservation and Botanical Garden, conducted more researches to conclude that plant is a new type and given the name, Murraya cyclopensis.

“This new type is similar with Murraya paniculata (L) Jack based on the vegetative character and flower structure. The difference is on its twigs’ feathers, leaves, and leaf stalks. In addition, the flower size is smaller, rounder fruit with red color, and its round seed with short and thick feathers, also has pods covering the red seeds,” said Astuti.

Furthermore, she said that public uses murraya for face treatment, such as cold powder for smooth face. The treatment is particularly favored by Yogya palace residents. Some even use murraya as slimming herbs.

READ ALSO: LIPI Encourages Researchers to Register New Varieties for Legal Basis 

Between 2014 and 2019, there are ten new types of genus hoya, of which nine have been published by international journals and one will be published this year.

Sri Rahayu, researcher at the same research center, said that hoya is a type of plant with high efficiency to absorb indoor pollutants.

“Currently, hoya is being used as decorative plant. There is a research from Florida stating that this type of hoya, compare to other indoor or decorative plants, have function to absorb pollutants with high efficiency. [Hoya] is top 5 the most effective, so hoya is very functional,” said Rahayu.

Reports by Dewi Purningsih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries issued national action plans for 20 priority marine endangered species for the next five years, said a senior official to Greeners, in Jakarta, on Thursday (23/06).

“The action plans were compiled by a team comprise of Indonesian Institute of Sciences, universities, civil societies, and other research institutes. In the future, the action plans would be integrated [to other agencies],” said Agus Darmawan, Secretary of Marine Spatial Planning Directorate General, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

READ ALSO: No Accurate Information on Indonesia’s Marine Ecosystem, Scientist Says

Currently, eleven species have been mapped out in the action plans, said Darmawan.

The species are whale, turtle, dolphin, and dugong. However, the latter is still uncertain for its population in Indonesia. Dermawan estimated 1,000 dugongs in the past decade in the country.

On dugong (Dugong dugon), he said that the species was listed as protected species of which its uses, such as meat or tears, were under the law. Exploitation rate by humans over the species, which locally known as ‘ikan duyung’, run faster than its ability to reproduce.

Dugongs can be found in Bintan, Toli-Toli district, Morowali district, Alor, North Sulawesi and West Kotawaringin.

Meanwhile, Wawan Kiswara, a researcher of Oceanography Research Center, said that dugong had already extinct since 1917 in Europe which was followed by diseases attacking seagrass, 13 years later. Seagrass was never grow again in the continent.

“If dugong is gone from our country, then seagrass would be destroyed along with its ecosystem. If seagrass destroyed, then sea cucumber and crab will also be extinct,” said Kiswara.

READ ALSO: In Indonesia, Protected Whale Shark Available for Tourists Under These Terms

Furthermore, he said that seagrass destruction would contribute to dugong extinction. Seagrass accounts for 31,000 square kilometer however LIPI data stated that only 25,752 hectares have been validated in 29 locations in Indonesia.

There is no clear data, distribution and population of dugong in Indonesia.

Darmawan said that follow up would not just stop at national action plan but it must also concentrated on road map of implementation.

“The road map will be the ministry’s work basis. It will be our working paper. I think it will need agreement from all related stakeholders to make this action plans to work,” he said.

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – It is never easy to develop awareness and love for animals and plants in Indonesia. To know, care, and save animals and plants are not limited to those endangered and protected species.

Hence, to reach this goal, this year’s National Flora and Fauna Day chooses the theme ‘Let’s Save Animals and Plants To Support Human’s Life Starting From Our Neighborhood’.

Laksmi Dewanti, head of 2015 celebration, said that the mascots chosen for the national day were Nias myna (Gracula robusta) bird and elephant foot yam or stink lily.

Furthermore, Laksmi said that Nias myna bird is a member of the starling family with high risk of extinction. Meanwhile, the lily, locally known as suweg, is a member of Amorphophallus family (or the corpse flower) but with smaller size and have roots. These roots are considered as staple for people, especially in Java areas.

“Suweg is member of Amorphophallus. We mostly can find it in Java areas. Nias myna bird and suweg are pretty known by people, that is why we make them this year’s mascots, so that people could understand on how to preserve them,” said Laksmi to Greeners, in Jakarta, on Monday (2/11).

The main celebration is due to be held on Nov.28 in South Kalimantan but still waiting for President Joko Widodo’s schedule. Laksmi added two major events will be celebrated at the same time, the National Flora and Fauna Day, which falls every Nov. 5 and National Tree Planting Day on Nov. 28.

“Why in South Kalimantan? Because, National Tree Planting Day is relevant to efforts of rehabilitating burned lands and forests. However, it still can change, ” she said.

In addition, Laksmi said that there was going to be an event of receiving Sumatran rhino back from Cincinnati, US. The male rhino, Harapan, will be returned to Way Kambas National Park in Lampung. Other events are elephant hospital inauguration in Way Kabas and orangutan repatriation from Thailand. The smuggled orangutan will be delivered by Thai government.

“There is alos national dialog between conservationists, music concert and photography competition at Taman Safari, and Boy Scout event, Saka Kalpataru. Afterwards, we will continue the celebration with tree planting month,” she added.

Report by Danny Kosasih