Hubungan Keberadaan Sarang Orangutan Tapanuli (Pongo tapanuliensis) Dengan Kerentanan Tanaman Budidaya Pada Area Konflik Manusia-Orangutan

Abstract

The habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is limited to the Batang Toru Landscape. The Tapanuli orangutan is threatened with habitat loss due to land-use changes, forcing the orangutans to enter and forage in community agricultural lands. Community crops are vulnerable to disturbance by orangutans as they potentially support the survival of the species. This study aims to determine the presence of Tapanuli orangutans (Pongo tapanuliensis) in Other Land Use Areas (OLU), by analyzing the susceptibility of community crops, and examining the relationship between nest presence and the susceptibility of community crops. Data were obtained through nest observations and interviews with local communities around the study site. The results show there were 18 nests on 7 tree species from 5 families, with most nests located at positions II and III (33.33%) and dominated by class D nests (44.44%). Interviews with the community indicated 25 cultivated crop commodities, with three plant species categorized as highly vulnerable to orangutan disturbance, namely durian (Durio zibethinus), petai (Parkia speciosa), and jengkol (Archidendron pauciflorum). Spearman correlation analysis yielded a value of r = 0.125 and Kendall’s Tau of τ = 0.065, indicating a positive but very weak correlation between the presence of nests and the level of plant vulnerability. These results suggest that the selection of nesting trees is more influenced by ecological factors, while plant vulnerability is determined by the socio-economic aspects of the community.