NEWS

May 2010

Intrusion of monkeys into the village has been successfully stopped 

In the past, members of group Rambo 2 from time to time invaded the village Batuputih raiding crops and sometimes even intruding into houses. To solve the conflict between villagers and the monkeys, the Macaca Nigra Project employed "Opa Welem” who started his new position beginning of the year 2010. Opa Welem’s duties are to prevent Rambo 2 from approaching the village by chasing them back into the reserve. In addition, he regularly checks the area close to the village for traps.

It seems that Opa Welem has been successful in his attempt to reduce the conflict between the villagers and the monkeys, because Rambo 2 has now moved its home range slightly away from the village. Collecting around 30 traps per month, Opa Welem has most likely also saved the lives of several monkeys. Although these traps are not for hunting macaques but birds, they are similar dangerous for the monkeys and we have witnessed the death of several individuals caused by the aftermaths of strangulated limbs when we were not able catch the animal.

Monkeys intrude into the village

An infant in a trap, one foot is already swollen

NEWS

May 2010

Second educative action in the village Batu Putih

The second educative action in the village was a great success. The MNP-team carried out some education activities at the elementary school SDN INPRES in Batuputih (36 children from 6 to 9) on the theme "Save the macaques". The pupils played games with regard to the social system of the macaques with breaks for snacks, puzzles,a quiz and watching some video scenes about the monkeys life. The kids were very enthusiastic, energetic and attentative. The event was supported by several young people from the village.

The warm up

Julianus Mendome, Julie Duboscq and Antri Kakauhe explaining a game

Puzzling with a little help from a "real" monkey (Stephan Lentey) and Diswal Takasihaeng , a helper from the village

One team presents its completed puzzle

NEWS

May 2010

Dwi Yandhi Febriyanti

We would like to say "thank you" and "good-bye" to Dwi Yandhi Febriyanti, who worked as a student assistant in our project for 12 months.

NEWS

May 2010

New research manager

We would like to welcome Giyarto in our project. Giyarto, also called Ugiek, has been working as a Bachelor student in our project. Now he has been assigned as the new research manager in the field station. Welcome back Ugiek!!!

NEWS

April 2010

The Team organized a seminar in the Technical High School  (SMK) of Batu Putih.  The aim was to talk with students about future job perspectives and their experience in conservation/biology wildlife. The underlying strategy was to show the students preserving the environment can be integrated into diverse professional operations and that actually, preserving the environment can be an occupation by itself! About 40 students attended the 2-hours seminar.

The students were very interested and eagerly listened to the presentations. Certificates were delivered afterwards.

Speakers:

1. Julianus Mendome, Meldi Tamengge and Irawan Halir, field assistants, MNP: Field assistants in an international research project".

2. Dedi Azhari, student assistant, UNSRAT: "To study monkeys in their natural habitat".

3. Antri Kakauhe, eco-guide, bird-guide, treasurer of KONTAK association: "Ecotourism in Batu Putih".

4. Simson Katiangho, Deputy Manager, Malene Friis Hansen, Manager, Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education, Pusat Penyelamatan Satwa Tasikoki (Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue Centre): "Taking care of captive endangered wildlife."

5. Untung Suprapto (head), Johny (resort manager), Adang (ranger) and Novita (secretary), Department of Forestry and Conservation (BKSDA), Manado: "Conservation and protection of forest resources: important issues and necessity of collaboration networks."

The MNP team, Simson Katiangho, Malene Friis Hansen,  students, teachers and the principal of the school.

Untung Suprapto (Head of the Department of Forestry and Conservation, Manado) leads a question / answer game (in the back our camp manager Stephan Lentey).

 

NEWS

April 2010

Nicole Thompson, who has worked as a volunteer in the project on male-infant relationships, will return home after 13 months of devotion to data collection. We would like to say “thanks a lot” for supporting the Macaca Nigra Project and we wish you much success in your future professional and personal endeavours!

NEWS

March 2010

Dr. Myron Shekelle (director of tarsier.org, www.tarsier.org) shortly visited our project. He started studying Tarsiers 15 years ago in Tangkoko. At a convivial meeting he reported on his studies here in North Sulawesi.

NEWS

March 2010

Educative action in the village

Our team organized an educative action at the elementary school (Sekolah Gereja Masehi Injili di Minahasa) in Batuputih. 63 pupils from grade 4 to 6 (9-12 years old) participated. We played games related to nature and conservation.

In one of the games, six to seven kids had to form a circle, one of them being a tree and standing in the middle surrounded by the others representing different animals. All circles together formed a forest. Then "illegal loggers" came sawing off "trees" until all the "animals" were crowded around one single "tree" and finally roamed around homelessly. In another game, the kids had to write down a "wish" for the environment (like "please stop burning the forest") on a small paper representing an animal of Tangkoko (monkey, kuskus, tarsius, hornbill...). This wish was then stuck to a board on which a forest was drawn by Meldi - very moving!

We gave a short presentation about a monkey's life with a baby as an example, wrote and sang a self-invented song about the monkeys, and organized a quizz where the right answer was rewarded by a little book about animals (5 in total). The whole day was really fun and the kids were enthousiastic and dynamic! We will try to do another action next month in another school.

NEWS

March 2010

Speaker: Juan Francisco Gallardo Palacios

NEWS

February 2010

Anouncement: