The Existence of Owa Jawa in Indonesia is Categorized as an Endangered Species (EN) on the IUCN Red List

Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch) is the only type of small monkey lesser apes located on the island of Java. The spread of these primates is limited to tropical forests relatively undisturbed forests of West Java and some forests in Central Java (Kappeler, 1987 in Ario, et al, 2011). This tiny organism species of monkeys are primates endemic in Java which has unique behavior for life and all activities carried out in the top of the forest canopy that is exposed to direct sunlight. Behavior daily to eat is very different from other primates, which eat the flora in the header so that the Javan gibbon habitat requiring forest conditions are still good and stable. Food sought to move from one tree to another, preferred type of food is fruit and leaf buds and flowers in the forest (Sastrapradja, 1982: 103).

The nature of the use of space for such behavior that causes a small chance of survival if the Javan gibbon habitat damaged. Degraded habitats would affect the level of species and even whole communities to the brink of extinction (Indrawan, 2007: 104). Excessive deforestation, human population explosion and human hunting on the island of Java, making forests into the Javan gibbon habitat continues to decline drastically, it caused the population of Javan difficult to develop. The existence of Owa Jawa in Indonesia becoming increasingly decreased so his status is categorized as an endangered species and is now threatened with extinction.

Number of Javan gibbon is in Java based on current research Nijman (2004) states that, the number of Javan scattered today in West Java and Central Java, the range is less than 4000-4500 Tails, Tails 400-2000 (Supriatna, et.al , 2001). The amount is very different from decades ago. Level where Owa Jawa increasingly rare to make the status of a row of animals critical (Critically Endangered) in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), while in the CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna) where Owa Jawa enter at level 1, which means the animal is an endangered animal whose existence is endangered (Supriatna, et.all., 1994; Eudey, 1996/1997; IUCN 2001 at Nijman, 2004). This is caused by a factor of forest destruction and human hand itself act as arrests, illegal shooting and memperniagakannya intentionally. Those problems have actually governed by the laws of animal protection, namely Law No. 5 of 1990 Article 40 paragraph (2) it can be explained as follows; "Anyone who deliberately capture, injure, kill, keep, possess, maintain, transport, or memperniagakan, protected animals alive shall be punished by imprisonment of five (5) years and a maximum fine of Rp 100,000,000 (one hundred million rupiah).

The survival of Javan original habitat can be guaranteed by the good habitat components, one of which is a shelter. Shelter needed for protection from the sun, rain, and is used for protection against attacks from other animals and have the potential food source provider.

Categories: Animal, Biology