Assistant Orangutan Volunteer Program Coordinator

We are a community based conservation program, run by a group of dedicated local people who are passionate about nature and the environment  and who want to protect the animals and rain forest where they live. If you are looking for a  hands on conservation project where you can monitor wild life, replant the rain forest, help with recycling and up-cycling educational projects to protect the jungle and really make a difference to the communities you will be working with, please come and join us!

Our aim is to protect and conserve the rare and endangered native fauna and flora that occurs in this important buffer zone and Wildlife Biolink occurring on private lands at Batu Kapal which adjoins the Gunung Leuser NP in North Sumatra. Our project site is located in the jungle, a 15-20 minute motorbike ride or a 50 minute walk from the village of  Bukit Lawang.

Forest cover in Sumatra was reduced by 61% from 1985-1997 due to logging, infrastructure development, internal migration, and plantation development. The Sumatran Orang-utan population has decreased by 86% over the past 100 years.  The most recent estimate places the figure around 7,300 left in the wild, with steady losses occurring every year.

The base for your volunteering placement is the Batu Kapal Conservation project site, just 20 minutes by motor bike into the jungle from the village of Bukit Lawang, the last settlement before entering the Gunung Leuser National Park. Gunung Leuser has one of the most concentrated population of Orang-utan in the Southern hemisphere but deforestation and encroachment of their habitat has destroyed their environment and displaced them from the natural forest.

Batu Kapal Conservation Program activities include

1. Surveying, mapping and monitoring the area, habitats and animals with GPS. To identify existing landholdings, their primary land use and the extant native vegetation.
2. To map orangutan and primate habitation and food forage areas. To map known orangutan and priate movement pathways with GPS.
3. To develop a full species list for fauna and flora. To identify the ecosystem service provided by each subject. With a view to developing a better understanding of what is missing. To establish recovery programmes for threatened and vulnerable species.
4. Create wildlife corridors to reconnect fragmented habitat for orangutans, primates and other animals between the national park and the nature buffer zone occurring on private lands as per the project plan

5. Conducting animal and bird monitoring and surveys

• Locating, observing, identifying, monitoring, photographing and GPS recording areas with wild populations of orang-utans and other animals and birds in the Batu Kapal conservation project area and at specified GPS points of interest in the program
• Survey, GPS, photograph and collect data of sightings of Orang-Utan’s Nests and map them on google earth pro
  
• identifying, GPS recording and monitoring orang-utans and other primates daily activity pattern, including migration paths and feeding, resting and travelling patterns
• observe, map, monitor, survey, photograph and GPS record the significant flora and fauna in the Batu Kapal conservation project area, including orang-utans, silver monkeys, other animals and birds
  
• dusk, dawn and night walks by spot light to gps, photograph and record sightings of slow loris, civet cat, leopard cat, sun bear, bats and porcupine
• gps, record and map every large tree  (eg ficus, trembesi and pakam trees) in the area and record when fruiting, as these are important trees for orangutans and other primates and map them on google earthpro
• identify individual orangutans to ascertain the population of orangutans living in the Batu Kapal biolink buffer zone, by taking photos of each individual orangutan face and identifying each orangutans unique features, and hence being able to track their range 
  
• Innovative up-cycling plastic waste projects, including reusing single use plastics to make eco bricks, sleeping mats, bags and baskets
• preparing, consolidating and analysing the monitoring data sheets on  the excel spreadsheet data base and recording data on the mapping software
• GPS trail mapping, using garmin GPS and updating the  mapping software

As the Assistant Conservation Volunteer Coordinator your role and main daily tasks are as follows.

The main purpose of the role is to assist with coordinating the volunteer conservation program and to contribute to specific projects as required.

Duties:

Volunteer Program

The position is responsible for assisting with daily coordination and running of the volunteer conservation program as required under the direction of the Conservation Manager

To assist with updating and delivering volunteer program as directed.

The role will assist with maintaining the images library,  database entry, posting to social media platforms (instagram, facebook etc) with professional current content and images on a regular basis (2 to 3 times a week as a minimum).

Develop and maintain good relationships with volunteers during and after their stay.

Conservation Programs

The position with assist with conservation programs to support the Yayasan conservation programs and objectives, including but not limited to

• Wildlife Monitoring Program - Assist with data collection and observation records taken by volunteers and assure records are entered into the system in the approved method.
• Go on educational monitoring walks with volunteers and /or staff as required
• Assist with reforestation, seed collecting and plant propagation activities
• Assist with community conservation education initiatives as required

Education and community outreach programs

• Attend and assist at jungle school and market school lessons as required.
• Facilitate conservation and English lessons at these schools as required

Projects

Assisting with specific projects and developing plans to support Batu Kapal Conservation and CareSumatra Programs, including but not limited to;

• Specific wildlife projects
• Communications and social media
• Promotion
• Marketing 
• Attracting volunteers
• Developing donor strategies 

THE MOST IMPORTANT DETAIL ABOUT THIS POSITION IS THAT THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NO PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH ORANGUTANS, PRIMATES AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS. WE ARE PURELY A MONTORING AND OBSERVATION PROGRAM.

Our aim is to keep wild animals wild and to protect the habitat that they depend upon for their long term survival

Day 1 : Introduction Day!

Arrive at the Batu Kapal conservation project site! Our the project site is in the jungle, not on a road ! 

On arrival you will receive your induction and orientation

A typical Day

• 6.30am Rise and shine for primate and animal monitoring. Monitoring at this time of the day gives you the best chance of spotting wild animals in the jungle, as it is when they are most active
• 9am Breakfast followed by data entry, or seed collecting, nursery and reforestation activities.
• 12pm lunch
• 1 to 3 pm time to rest relax and swim. Or do a optional activity, seedling collection, reforestation plantings, litter pickup and plastics upcycling projects (making eco bricks or plastic crafts from single use plastic bags)
• 3 to 5pm afternoon wildlife monitoring or the option to participate in one of our community and education outreach programs
• 6 pm help prepare dinner
• 7pm dinner

Evening optional activities include night walk, Indonesian English exchange, guitar and bonfire, cards and games, help with social media posts or just chillout and relax

Batu Kapal is a beautiful jungle location in mountains adjacent to Gunung Leasur National Park on the Landak RIver and just 15-20 minutes by motorbike or a 50 minute walk from  the village of Bukit Lawang - prime wild Sumatran orangutan country.

In your spare time on the weekends you will have the opportunity to visiting some nice places around Bukit Lawang. Or stay on afterwards to explore Sumatra and Indonesia.

We are happy to arrange to take you on day activities (at your own cost) around Bukit Lawang, Batu Kapal, Batu Katak and Tangkahan on weekends or after your volunteering placement has finished at our special volunteer prices and you can also visit Lake Toba and Berestagi (volcano lands).

Choose from any of the optional activities below

1. ½ day, 1 day, 2 and 3 day jungle treks to Adi Back camp and Batu Gajah camp in the national park (POA).
2. Hot springs day trip by 4wd including lunch ($120US pp min 2)
3. Nature and wildlife walk (3 hours) to look for birds, animals, monkeys and orangutans in the trees along the Landak River ($55US pp).
4. 3 hour motor bike tour of the villages and rice fields, visit cottage industries, rice hulling and drying, palm sugar, tofu, bamboo weaving (price $55US pp).
5. Traditional massage ($20US pp).
6. Rock scrambling open caving adventure at Bat Cave and Landak River walk with lunch. ( 4-5 hours. $45 pp).
7. Relaxing, swimming and exploring the Landak River
8. Optional Jungle art. Get your inspiration from the jungle, drawing landscapes, mountains, river, animals, jungle scenery. Pencils and art paper provided
9. River stone sculptures. Stacking and making pebble towers along side the river.
10. Learn some Indonesian language with our team