“Engaging the Enemy”: Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio) Conservation in Human Modified Environments in the Kinabatangan floodplain of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Abstract Throughout the equatorial tropics, forest conversion to agriculture often fragments crucial primate habitat. In 30 years, 80% of the alluvial lowland forests along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, have been supplanted by oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis ) plantations. Today, only about 20% of the former orangutan ( Pongo pygmaeus morio ) population remains in the region. Because most of the land is now under the tenure of agribusiness companies, we used a pragmatic approach of mixed biosocial methods and citizen science engagement of oil palm growers (N = 6) as active co... Mehr ...