Human-Imposed Threats to Sun Bears in Borneo Methods
HUMAN-IMPOSEDTHREATS TO SUN BEARS IN BORNEO ERIKMEIJAARD, Ecosense Consultants,c/o Inchdryne,Nethybridge, Inverness-shire, Scotland PH253EF Abstract:The sun bear(Helarctos malayanus) is the least studiedbear species, andlittle informationexists on threatsto its survival.Based on studiesof otherbear species, I hypothesizedthat sun bearson the island of Borneo are threatenedby destructionof habitatand hunting. The resultsof this 3-year surveyconfirmed this hypothesis.More specificallyit identified4 factorsthat influence sun bear survival in Borneo:hunting, trade in live bearsand bear parts,habitat destruction, and establishment of plantations.Survey data and background information suggest that hunting pressure on Borean sun bears is high. Tradein bearparts is now uncommonin Kalimantan,but it was higherin the 1980s. In Sabahand Sarawak,however, trade in beargall bladders is still common.My estimatesindicate that the sun bearlost 30-60 %of its totalhabitat in Borneobetween 1960 and 1990, mainlythrough logging and landconversion. Apart from the possible deleteriouseffects of logging andconversion on the carryingcapacity of the habitat,these activitiesare accom- panied by increasinghuman presence and huntingpressure. There is a lack of ecological data on sun bears, so the impactof these factorscannot be assessed.However, this studyprovides a clearerfocus for sun bearconservation, including recommendations on researchand policy matters. Ursus 11:185-192 Key words: Borneo, conservation,gall bladders,Helarctos malayanus, hunting, Malayan sun bear,threats The sun bear,which occurs in forests of lowland tropi- involving 208 field days in Kalimantan.In addition I cal southeast Asia, is the least studied of all ursids spent 69 days in towns and villages for official visits and (Servheen 1989, MeijaardIn Press). Very little ecologi- interviews.
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