HOPE report

Number:20-059

The Preliminary Study of the Effect of Social Interactions on Behavioral and Physiological Aspects of Borneo Orangutan

Report:Yamazaki Saika

Date:2009/02/23 - 2009/03/27

The aim of this trip was to conduct preliminary research to investigate the effect of social Interactions on behavioral and physiological Aspects of Borneo Orangutan.
On May 5 and 6 March, I visited Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) in Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia and participated in a research team of Ms. Tomoko Kanamori (Tokyo Institute of Technology) and Dr. Noko Kuze (Kyoto University), who have studied ecology of wild orangutan since 2004 in BRL. Then, I received my research pass at Economic Planning Unit of Prime MinisterĂÔ Department in Kuala Lumpur and applied research visa at Sabah Immigration Office in Kota Kinabalu. I had meetings with my local counterparts and visited to Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah at Kota Kinabalu. Furthermore, I have conducted preliminary research for 2 days at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan.
I have visited Danum Valley Field Centre and discussed details about the storage method of fecal samples. On May 5 and 6 March, I have stayed at BRL and conducted behavioral observations of Orangutans and preliminary fecal sample collection. Total observation time was 56hours 59minute (in 7 days). At this time, I encountered 11indivisuals, 3 of which were newly recognized. I observed three times that subject orangutan encountered other individuals during 7days orangutan tracking. On the way back from the study site, I received my research visa at Kota Kinabalu

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