The Leuser Ecosystem is an area of forest located in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Covering more than 2.6 million hectares it is one of the richest expanses of tropical rain forest in Southeast Asia and is the last place on earth where the Sumatran elephant, rhino, tiger and orangutan are found within one area.[1] It has one of the world's richest yet least-known forest systems,[2] and its vegetation is an important source of Earth's oxygen.[3] Leuser also possesses more lowland rainforest than the rest of Sumatra combined and supports some of the last viable populations of tiger, rhino, orangutan and elephant.[4] These, and many co-occurring species, are severely threatened by habitat destruction and poaching. [5]
- ^ "Robertson, Y. (2002) "Briefing Document on Road Network Through the Leuser Ecosystem". Cambridge University". Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ^ "The Green Heart of Sumatra : NPR". npr.org. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
- ^ "Aceh's Leuser Ecosystem pays a high price for the peace dividend". smh.com.au. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
- ^ Griffiths, Mike (March 4, 2020). "Saving Asia's Last Great Wilderness, the Leuser Ecosystem". Global Conservation. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ Figel, J. J.; Hambal, M.; Krisna, I.; Putra, R. & Yansyah, D. (2021). "Malignant Snare Traps Threaten an Irreplaceable Megafauna Community". Tropical Conservation Science. 14. doi:10.1177/1940082921989187.