Trap in the forest.

Within Aceh the Leuser Ecosystem covers a vast area of 2.2 million hectares and is made up of diverse landscapes: from swamp forests to alpine meadows to rich lowland rainforests. The Leuser Ecosystem faces considerable threats from illegal logging, conflict palm oil, illegal infrastructure, illegal forest fires and encroachment. These threats open up the forests to increased poaching of vulnerable wildlife.

Destroying traps

HAkA supports 23 Wildlife Protection Teams managed by Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL) across the Leuser Ecosystem. These frontline guardians combat the threats by patrolling deep into the forests, destroying poachers’ traps, providing a deterrent to law breakers, engaging community, facilitating law enforcement and collecting intelligence to inform our conservation strategies.

Zero kill rate for rhinos

One example of our success in combatting poaching is maintaining a zero kill rate for Sumatran rhinos in the most critical habitat of the Leuser Ecosystem. Between 1964 to 1993, 70 cases of illegal rhino poaching were documented within the Leuser Ecosystem. In 1989, population estimates were as low as 20 individuals. Poaching efforts are still being found, but due to the strict patrolling system of the Wildlife Protection Teams we support, poachers have not succeeded in killing any rhinos for as long as these teams have been deployed. Elsewhere, the formation of new Wildlife Patrol Teams has successfully reduced poaching by up to 95% within 3 months.