Correlation analysis of biophysical factors with the spatial distribution of human-sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) conflicts Nurdin Sulistiyono, Muhdaril Ahda, Ahmad Fauzi Daulay, Gunplawan Lumban Tobing, Sundari Marsudi, and Wita Asmanijar
1 Study Program of Forestry, Faculty of Forestry, University of North Sumatra, USU Bekala Campus 2, Simalingkar A, Pancur Batu, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra - 20353.
2 KEHATI-Link, Center for the Study of Biodiversity and Environmental Services, University of North Sumatra. USU Bekala Campus 2, Simalingkar A, Pancur Batu, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra - 20353, Indonesia
Abstract
The Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) is a great ape in the Sumatran forest ecosystem. Various human activities around the forest disturb orangutan habitats and force them to find other places to live, even near to community settlements, resulting in human-sumatran orangutan conflict (HOC). The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes the Sumatran Orangutan as a species with a status critically endangered due to the effects of HOC. This study aimed to determine the relationship between biophysical characteristics such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), topography, slope, distance from forest, distance from settlements, distance from the road, distance from agricultural land, distance from plantation land, and distance from the river with the HOC occurrence in Management Section of National Park (MSNP) V and VI, Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP). The method used Geographic Information System (GIS) for spatial analysis and Pearson correlation to determine the relationship between biophysical parameters and HOC occurrence. The results of this study indicate that the distance from the settlements factors have a positive correlation and distance from the river has a negative correlation on the occurrence of conflict (p<0.05).
