Banda Aceh — The Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), in collaboration with the Sustainable Ecosystem Foundation (YEL) and the Gunung Leuser National Park Authority (BBTNGL), organized a Workshop and Book Review titled “Feeding Plants of Sumatran Orangutans at the Suaq Balimbing Research Station, Gunung Leuser National Park” on Thursday, 18 September 2025.
The hybrid event, held at the FMIPA Senate Hall and via Zoom Meeting, featured distinguished speakers in the field of wildlife conservation: Mustafa Imran, S.P. (Head of General Affairs, BBTNGL) and Yakob Ishadamy, S.Si., M.Si. (Director of Conservation, YEL). The book review session was led by two USK Biology faculty members, Dr. Dalil Sutekad, S.Pd., M.Si., and Iqbar, S.Si., M.Sc., moderated by Fitriana Saragih, S.Hut., M.Si. from BBTNGL.
In his opening remarks, Dean of FMIPA USK, Prof. Dr. Taufik Fuadi Abidin, S.Si., M.Tech., emphasized the urgency of scientific research and publication on the ecology and conservation of the Sumatran orangutan as a keystone species of the Leuser Ecosystem. Echoing this statement, Head of the Biology Department, Prof. Dr. Lenni Fitri, S.Si., M.P., underscored that synergy among academia, government agencies, and conservation institutions constitutes a strategic pathway to strengthen wildlife habitat protection.
The event also carried a moment of pride for USK, as the author of the featured book, Hermansyah, is an alumnus of the Biology Department. His contribution is considered a source of inspiration for students and early-career researchers. “The dataset presented in this book is remarkably rich. Beyond supporting conservation, it paves the way for more integrated future research,” noted Iqbar, S.Si., M.Sc. In addition, Dr. Dalil Sutekad, S.Pd., M.Si. described the book as “an oasis in a barren desert,” highlighting the scarcity of scientific references on orangutan feeding ecology.
Alongside the book launch, the event also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and Implementation Agreement (IA) between the Department of Biology FMIPA USK and YEL. This agreement establishes a foundation for collaborative research, scientific development, and sustainable conservation initiatives in the Leuser landscape.
The workshop was attended by representatives from the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), the Environmental and Forestry Agency (DLHK), academics from various universities, and conservation partners including the Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Through this workshop and book review, USK aims to cultivate stronger cross-sectoral collaboration to safeguard the Leuser ecosystem’s sustainability and enhance scientific contributions to the conservation of Indonesia’s wildlife heritage.
