Published November 1, 2011
by iris_author
Come join us on November 10th at York Lanes room 305 from 12:00 to 1:30pm to meet Dr. Anne Russon and learn about the Borneo Orangutan Society of Canada (BOS Canada) and their research projects in Kutai National Park.
Brief Overview of Anne's Work:
Dr. Anne Russon is a prominent Canadian primatologist and York University professor of psychology, who specializes in research on wild orangutan intelligence. She has recently taken-over Camp Kriu in Kutai National Park, in Indonesian Borneo, where she studies a large population of wild orangutans. Her work is represented in Canada as part of BOS Canada - The Borneo Orangutan Society of Canada.
In 2002 Borneo suffered massive fires, and Kutai National Park was heavily damaged. The park was all but thought to be a write-off, although as Dr. Russon will now describe, this is anything but the case. Secondary growth in the forest of Kutai has taken-off, providing an incredibly rich habitat for wildlife, with faster growing plants, and more available fruit than in a primary forest setting. Consequently, a healthy wild orangutan population is now thriving there. The park, however, is not unthreatened. Across the narrow Sangata River that divides Kutai from private land, there is a coal mine large enough to be seen from space. Like the rest of Borneo, the park risks being rezoned for timber, mining or palm oil, should its value as a nature reserve come into dispute. It is important to note that this region of Indonesia represents the second most biologically diverse area of the world after the Amazon. It is quickly being swallowed by the oil, timber and mining industries.
Dr. Russon's profile in the park, as someone living and working there, help to keep it protected. In order to continue building the profile of her project, and expanding the research activities at Camp Kriu, Dr. Russon is welcoming interested students and researchers to join her. This event is designed to help spread the message about her work, about the work of Borneo Orangutan Society of Canada and about the many potential opportunities for research, available in this incredibly unique and threatened wilderness.
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