Talaud Bear Cuscus
World-first conservation planning and activities for the Critically Endangered Talaud bear cuscus
The Talaud bear cuscus is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and protected under Indonesian law. However, the only available information regarding the species stems from a survey conducted in the late 1990s. The species’ geographic distribution is confined to two small islands, with extremely rare records. This cuscus has been hunted heavily for local consumption, and this threat is exacerbated by the conversion of primary forest – its main habitat - for agriculture. A preliminary visit by the implementing local NGO PROGRES in February 2020 to Salibabu island found that Talaud bear cuscus is still hunted for food, particularly for wedding ceremonies (10 -12 cuscus served during one wedding). The community recognises increasing difficulty finding them in the wild. There are no conservation actions to conserve the Talaud bear cuscus; forests on Salibabu island are not protected. This island is the species’ last stronghold. There is the urgent need for more information on the species and a strategic conservation action plan to save it from extinction.
This project was co-funded by the IUCN Species Survival Commission & EDGE of Existence grant scheme, together with Stiftung Artenschutz
Species: Talaud Bear Cuscus (Ailurops melanotis)
Location: Indonesia
Implementing Partner: PROGRES Sulawesi
Project goals
- To estimate the population number and geographic distribution of Talaud bear cuscus
- To estimate the level of threat for the Talaud bear cuscus
- To use these data to create a Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for the Talaud bear cuscus with active participation of all stakeholders
Planned activities
- To estimate the population size of the species using distance sampling, while collecting ecological data, for instance on habitat use and diet
- To quantify the threats Talaud bear cuscus is facing:
- Mapping to obtain an accurate estimated area of primary forest, secondary forest, and agricultural land, using satellite imagery and ground-truthing
- To conduct a socioeconomic survey to understand the livelihood dependency of local people on Talaud bear cuscus, as well as the attitude and knowledge of local people to be able to integrate conservation measures into the local and cultural context - Arrange a multi-stakeholder meeting to create a Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for Talaud bear cuscus
