Borneo Wildlife Volunteer Project

Planet

Pygmy elephant and orangutan populations in Borneo are under threat from the deforestation of their habitat. This project is vital in reversing this trend, allowing the species to thrive in their natural habitat once more.

As well as working on the reforestation of the area, volunteers on this project also track pygmy elephant migration patterns and observe any conflicts with humans or villages. This allows the behaviour patterns of small groups of the species to be monitored, and the greater our understanding of this issue, the easier it becomes to work effectively on avoiding such conflicts.

People

This project strives to emphasise the importance of elephants to the local community, rebuilding the relationships between the indigenous people and wildlife that have become strained of late.

The reforestation work completed by volunteers will help to regenerate rainforest corridors (which have been destroyed through logging) and bridge the gaps between one forest area and the other. This allows for animals to increase their habitat, and consequently, population numbers may also increase. This also means that the animals are less likely to come into contact with the local people, thus improving the relations between wildlife and the indigenous community. The work carried out by this project and its volunteers is indispensable in the fight against deforestation and threats to Borneo's incredible wildlife.