SUMATRA RAINFOREST

SUMATRA RAINFOREST

     Sumatra’s largest rainforest is comprised of three national parks: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park, and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. Together, they are home to nearly 10,000 square miles of UNESCO-protected forest.

 Sumatra’s rainforests house many rare and endangered species. Noteworthy animals found there include Tigers, Elephants, Orangutans, Clouded Leopards, Sun Bears, and quite a few others.

Additionally, the beautiful forests of Sumatra are still home to numerous indigenous, nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes.

Unfortunately, Sumatra’s Rainforest is also among the world’s most endangered forests. In fact, it represents the most rapidly deforested area in the history of the planet. Some estimates suggest that over half of it has been felled in recent years in the name of creating rubber, paper, and palm oil plantations.

Though many NGOs are fighting to save these forests, industrialization and corruption are continuing to prove formidable adversaries.