Gunung Leuser National Park Indonesia, Asia
Country Indonesia
Established 1980
Region Sumatra
IUCN Category National Park (CAT. II), Forest Management Units (FMU, CAT. VI)
Project Size 11,525 km² (GLNP + FMU)
Population 6,980,000
Biome Tropical rainforest
Key Species Sumatran tiger, rhinoceros, elephant, orangutan
Conservation Relevance UNESCO World Heritage Site, UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve, ASEAN Heritage Park, Key Biodiversity Area
Managing Authority Directorate for Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) of the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF)
Partner Wildlife Conservation Society
Funding Partner Arcadia Fund
The Wild Heart of Southeast Asia
Legacy Landscapes Fund Project Candidate | Status 05/2021
The Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) is located on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Here it lies at the heart of the Leuser ecosystem, which spans an area of more than 26,000 km² and is one of Southeast Asia’s largest intact rainforest ecosystems.
GLNP is the only place on earth that is home, collectively, to the wild tiger, orangutan, elephant, and rhino. The Leuser ecosystem contains approximately 150 individuals of the critically endangered Sumatran tiger. It also provides crucial habitats for numerous other critically endangered animals, including 11,700 Sumatran orangutans, more than 350 Sumatran elephants, and a viable population of Sumatran rhinos, one of the most threatened mammals on earth.
The park’s outstanding environmental, cultural, and economic values have been recognized through numerous international designations: for example, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its 43 forest watersheds provide key ecosystem services to more than 6.9 million people.
Key Threats
- Habitat loss caused by forest conversion to palm oil plantation
- Illegal logging, mining, and encroachment
- Expanding illegal settlements
Key Activities
- Strengthen protected area management capacities and forest management units
- Engage stakeholders, mitigate social risks and human-wildlife incidents
- Roll out sustainable land use management strategies
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