Gunung Leuser National Park
Gunung Leuser National Park is a national park covering 7,927 km² in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, straddling the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. The national park, named after Mount Leuser (3,381 m), protects a wide range of ecosystems. An orangutan sanctuary of Bukit Lawang is located inside the park. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Kerinci Seblat national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.
Elephant jungle patrol near Tangkahan
Geography
Gunung Leuser National Park is 150 km long, over 100 km wide and is mostly mountainous. 40% of the park, which is mainly in the north, is steep, and over 1,500 m. 12% of the Park only, in the lower southern half, is below 600 meters but for 25 km runs down the coast. 11 peaks are over 2,700 m and the highest point is Gunung Leuser, which 3 466 m high.
Ecology
Young Orangutan in the national park
Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the two remaining habitats for Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii). In 1971, Herman Rijksen established the Ketambe research station, a specially designated research area for the orangutan. Other mammals found in the park are the Sumatran Elephant, Sumatran tiger, Sumatran rhinoceros, Siamang, Mainland Serow, Sambar deer, and Leopard Cat.
After researchers put 28 camera-traps in July 2011, 6 months later the researchers found one male and six females and predicted the population is not more than 27 Sumatran rhinoceros which total population predicted is around 200 in Sumatra and Malaysia, a half population of "hoi
Gunung Leuser National Park is a national park covering 7,927 km² in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, straddling the border of North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. The national park, named after Mount Leuser (3,381 m), protects a wide range of ecosystems. An orangutan sanctuary of Bukit Lawang is located inside the park. Together with Bukit Barisan Selatan and Kerinci Seblat national parks it forms a World Heritage Site, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.
Elephant jungle patrol near Tangkahan
Geography
Gunung Leuser National Park is 150 km long, over 100 km wide and is mostly mountainous. 40% of the park, which is mainly in the north, is steep, and over 1,500 m. 12% of the Park only, in the lower southern half, is below 600 meters but for 25 km runs down the coast. 11 peaks are over 2,700 m and the highest point is Gunung Leuser, which 3 466 m high.
Ecology
Young Orangutan in the national park
Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the two remaining habitats for Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii). In 1971, Herman Rijksen established the Ketambe research station, a specially designated research area for the orangutan. Other mammals found in the park are the Sumatran Elephant, Sumatran tiger, Sumatran rhinoceros, Siamang, Mainland Serow, Sambar deer, and Leopard Cat.
After researchers put 28 camera-traps in July 2011, 6 months later the researchers found one male and six females and predicted the population is not more than 27 Sumatran rhinoceros which total population predicted is around 200 in Sumatra and Malaysia, a half population of "hoi
