Mahakam Investigator Threatened With Extinction, KLH Encourages Habitat Procedures And Water Transportation Traffic

Archives. Pesut was observed swimming in the Mahakam River, Muara Kaman District, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan, Saturday, May 13, 2017. BETWEEN PHOTOS-Sugeng Hendratno

The Ministry of Environment (KLH) is collaborating on a quick action to save the population of Pesut Mahakam (orcaella brevirostris), which is now critically threatened with extinction with a remaining 60 individuals in the waters of the Mahakam River, East Kalimantan (Kaltim).

"These animals must be conserved. It takes strong and integrated cross-sectoral collaboration, involving the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Public Works, local governments, and the local community," said Director of Biodiversity Conservation at the Ministry of Environment, Inge Retnowati in Samarinda, Wednesday, quoted by Antara.

The fast action plan formulated focuses on concrete implementation in the field, such as structuring water transportation traffic in the core zone of the pesut habitat, especially in tributaries that are foraging and breeding areas.

Other solutions sought include preventive measures through modifications of fishing gear, habitat recovery, to law enforcement of illegal activities, such as fishing by poisoning.

On the other hand, community empowerment programs through the development of sustainable ecotourism are encouraged as a solution to provide economic alternatives for local residents, so that they can be at the forefront of preserving pesut.

"This conservation effort is becoming increasingly urgent considering the slow reproduction rate of the pesut, where a female is only able to give birth to one child in a span of three to four years," said Inge.

This critical status is based on research data from the Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia (RASI) Conservation Foundation which shows that the endemic freshwater mammal population continues to face various serious threats towards extinction.

RASI researcher Danielle Kreb detailed a number of major threats that led to the death of the pesut, ranging from entangled fishing insang nets, collisions with pontoon ships, water pollution including microplastics, to underwater noise that interferes with sonar and their communications.

With the loss of the marine dolphin population in the Yangtze River, China, Pesut Mahakam is now one of the rarest freshwater dolphins in the world whose existence must be saved as an icon of pride and biological wealth in Indonesia.