Gunung Walat, Sukabumi – Monitoring of Mammals in GWUF by the “Tarsius” Mammals Observers Group of Himakova (IPB Faculty of Forestry Student Association of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism) 2013 had taken place every weekend in May 2013 in the Gunung Walat University Forest.
“Tarsius” Mammals Observer Group (KPM) is one of the observer groups in the Student Association of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism (Himakova) which is a student professional association under the guidance of the Department of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecotourism (KSHE), Faculty of Forestry, IPB. In addition to the “Tarsius” Mammals Observer Group, there were several other observer groups in Himakova, namely the “Perenjak” Bird Observer Group, “Python” Herpetofauna Observer Group, “Sarpedon” Butterfly Observer Group. “Rafflesia” Flora Observer Group, “Hira” Cave Observers Group, “Footprint” Ecotourism Observer Group, and Conservation Photography.
One of the KPM Tarsius activities this year is monitoring mammals in Gunung Walat University Forest, Sukabumi. This activity is a routine activity held by KPM Tarsius every year. In this year mammal monitoring activities, the number of Tarsius KPM members who conducted monitoring activities was 41 people. The data collection activities were carried out in four sessions at the end of every week in May 2013 alternately with 10-11 people in each session. The first session was held on 3-5 May, the second session was on 10-12 May, the third session was on 24-26 May, and the fourth session was on 31 May-1 June.
This activity aimed to find out the latest data on the diversity of mammals species in GWUF. In addition, this activity also aimed to find out the points of a discovery of mammals which will later become reference data in educational tourism in GWUF. Mammals monitoring activities were conducted by inventory all types of mammals such as small mammals (rodentia), moderate mammals, and bats. Inventory activities were carried out in the morning, afternoon, and night. In addition KPM Tarsius, they also conducted an inventory of bats in White Cave in the dusk that was still in the GWUF area.
Mammals found by KPM Tarsius team in this mammals monitoring included: Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), “luwak” civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) , Coconut Bajing (Callosciurus notatus), squirrels (Tupaia javanica), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and several types of bats including the Javanese pedant bat (Nycteris javanica), lasiwen deignan (Myotis horsfieldii), forest prok bruk (Rhinolophus affinis), and bruk loncos (Rhinolophus acuminatus).
The purpose of KPM Tarsius to choose GWUF as a place for monitoring mammals was because GWUF is a valuable asset for the community of the Faculty of Forestry IPB and its diversity was still quite good so it needs to be monitored periodically so that diversity can be maintained.
In addition, the presence of mammals in GWUF could be one of the learning media for visitors to be more sensitive to changes in environmental conditions that were increasing so that they become motivated to continue to preserve and conserve the nature.
By Kendy Danang Prayogi, “Tarsius” Mammals Observer Group of Himakova 2013
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