Nicola Collins: Ketambe
The first portion of our trip to Indonesia was spent in Ketambe, located on the border to the Gunung Leuser National park. Whilst in Ketambe, the group stayed at the Ketambe research station established in 1971, the station has allowed for decades of data to be collected on the rainforest and residing species such as the Sumatran orang-utan. It was exciting and a true privilege to be able to stay in the research station where countless research has been undertaken on the Leuser ecosystem, contributing to its overall conservation and preservation.
At Ketambe, we undertook multiple treks in to the rainforest with our Indonesian guide, Arwen. The forest was unlike any I’d ever seen before and was utterly breath-taking from the very beginning. After a long 30 minute climb up a large hill, a particular sight and sound that we all felt fortunate to hear was that of a rhinoceros horn bill flying overhead and all around us. We also came across an orang-utan female and her baby in the canopy above, being able to appreciate them from afar was incredible, and an experience I wont be soon to forget.
One of our treks also included a 4am audio array of the vocalizing primate calls which the PhD student Chris Marsh and Mres student Emma Hankinson have been conducting for their research at Sikundur. The vocalizing primates we expected to hear in the early hours at Ketambe were that of orang-utans, siamangs, gibbons and Thomas leaf monkeys.
There is definitely no other experience that can compare to entering and navigating through the rainforest at 4am in complete darkness. It is also not the easier endeavor to undertake (the leeches make sure of that); however the reward it provides in return is quite simply invaluable.
As the sun rises (and even before), the rainforest begins to come to life, rich with birds, primates and other mysterious animal noises. I have had the fortunate experience of undergoing previous treks through rainforests, however the one thing I always regret not being able to do is sit... Very still, and to watch and listen to the rainforest. We humans will often think ourselves sneaky and subtle as we move, even walking through forested environments. But the unfortunate truth is to other animals we probably sound like a herd of bustling elephants rampaging through a field of paper bags. And the reality is a majority of animals in the forest will hear us before we see them and flee without leaving a trace.
During our array, we heard many primate vocalizations, one in particular that I was really hoping to hear was that of a male orang-utans long call, which fortunately I had the pleasure of hearing twice in quite close proximity! The group I was in also had the pleasure of watching conflict between 2 groups of rambunctious Thomas leaf monkeys unfold in front of us, which even lasted up to 30 minutes and was a brilliant sight (and very loud sound!).
I was very pleased to have Ketambe as my first introduction to Sumatra and the Leuser ecosystem, seeing hornbills, Thomas leaf monkeys, orang-utans and having the pleasure of sitting in a hammock at 4am in the morning letting the rainforest transpire around me was overall a spectacular and an unforgettable experience.
