Biology

Javan slow loris is an endangered primate that naturely inhabits in some agroforestry garden namely talun in West Java. This study aimed to determine habitat preferences and to estimate population number. Data collection was conducted during April-December 2008 in four villages in Tasikmalaya District and one village in Ciamis District. The methods used to collect vegetation data were belt transect and nested plot, and method to collect javan slow loris densities was line transects. In total ten observed-belt transects showed that habitat preferences of javan slow loris was talun at two main phases: II (talun kebun or more opened vegetation) and III (talun sempurna or closely secondary forest structure). Dominant vegetation in talun habitat indicated by Important Value Index (IVI) proofed to played role as javan slow loris's food source, sleeping site, and habitat of prey and gave benefits the owner of talun for their financial investment. The greatest IVI of vegetation in the sites are Gigantochloa sp., Paraserianthes falcataria (L) I. C. Nielsen, and Arenga pinnata Merr. Ten line transects were used during day and night, therefore the population estimate in each village was 93.67 individuals at Sukamaju which has 4.43 km2 of habitat representative area, 173.79 individuals at Raksajaya (3.23 km2), 119.78 individuals at Kawungsari (6.96 km2), 58.83 individuals at Sarimanggu (3.48 km2), and 20.45 individuals at Sukakerta (1.39 km2). Javan slow loris tends to adapt to the condition of talun habitat, as a result their distributions abundance in range between 220-985 m height above sea level.

The Critically Endangered Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus) is threatened by habitat loss and the illegal trade. Forests have been replaced by urban areas, agricultural land and plantations, leaving only 10% of the original, with a mere 7% inside protected areas. Until recently, habitat of N. javanicus was presumed to be restricted to primary and secondary forests with low densities in these habitats, particularly in primary forests. In 2002, 2008, and 2011 we investigated the habitat preference of N. javanicus in five non-protected areas of West Java (Tasikmalaya, Ciamis, Garut and Cianjur). These areas consisted of patchy, small scale agricultural areas, known as Talun, consisting of young regenerating forest and plantations. We conducted slow loris surveys and vegetation analyses along 10 transects (19.4 km2) in Tasikmalaya and Ciamis. Nycticebus javanicus was present at all sites and overall density was calculated at 25.52/km2. The three most common species along each transect were Gigantochloa sp., Paraserianthes falcataria and Arenga pinnata. All three species were utilised by N. javanicus, the first for sleeping trees (n=49) and the latter two as feeding trees. Density of N. javanicus in Talun habitats was much higher than in primary (4.29/km2) and secondary forest areas (15.29/km2) and suggests that this species can thrive in such human-dominated landscapes. Further studies are required to assess the long-term viability of these populations in non-protected areas and the potential threat from poachers.

Keywords: javan slow loris, habitat preference, density, vegetation analyses