The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve REDD Project

and six are Vulnerable (VU). CR species are heavily dominated bycanopy trees in the genus Shorea and to a lesser extentDipterocarpus, both of which are overexploited for timberproduction throughout their range, and have suffered extensivehabitat loss due to conversion to non-­‐forest uses. The mediumsize canopy tree Shorea balangeran, common in nearby TPNP, isconsidered among the most highly threatened dipterocarps onBorneo due to severe over-­‐harvesting throughout its range,where it naturally forms high density stands that make it a targetfor commercial logging operations. The species is likely presentin the project area as well.At least 15 species potentially present in the project area areprotected by GOI. These include medium to tall timber treespecies restricted to peat swamp and wet kerangas forest, suchas Palaquium leiocarpum and Ganua motleyana in theSapotaceae, and Dyera costulata (jelutung) in the Apocynaceae,as well as the ground dwelling pitcher plan Nepenthesampullaria. Also considered potentially present in limited areasof mixed dipterocarp forest in the project area, especially alongflood plains of slow moving rivers, is Bornean Ironwood(Eusideroxylon zwageri), as well as the illipe nut tree Shoreaseminis.Mammals. Swamp forests are known to support lower diversityand densities of mammals than Borneo’s lowland dipterocarpforests (MacKinnon et al 1996), yet many of Borneo’s iconicspecies, as well as species of conservation concern, are present inthe area (e.g. orangutan and proboscis monkey). TPNP is animportant refuge for many mammal species, especially those thatdo not thrive in disturbed habitats (e.g. agile gibbon). Protectionof forests in the Rimba Raya project area will expand this refuge,hopefully reducing pressure on the park, which has alreadysuffered extensive degradation through illegal logging, fire andagricultural encroachment.The Rimba Raya project area likely hosts some 122 mammalspecies (c. 54% of the c. 227 mammal species thought to occuracross the island). Many of these are confirmed present in theneighboring TPNP, while others are deemed likely or potentiallypresent (e.g. unrecorded in or near the project area, but likely orpotentially present based on known habitat and geographicrange, or, were once confirmed present, but are now potentiallylocally extinct – e.g. banteng, Bos javanicus). Annex 7 provides acomplete species list of mammals confirmed, likely or potentiallypresent in the Rimba Raya project area.Species of particular conservation concern are those listed asEndangered by IUCN. These include the Orangutan (Pongopygmaeus), Agile gibbon (Hylobates agilis), Proboscis monkey(Nasals larvatus), Pangolin (Manis javanica), Banteng (Bosjavanicus), Otter civet (Cynogale bennettii), Hairy-­‐nosed otter(Lutra sumatrana), and Borneo bay cat (Catopuma badia).Cetacea (whales, dolphins, porpoises) and Sirenia (dugong) arenot included in the attached mammal species list. Little is knownabout the presence of these aquatic species and their use of localrivers, although the dugong (Dugong dugon) and Irrawaddydolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) are reported to occur in rivers andcoastal waters of TPNP (Siliow 1997, MacKinnon 1996). Thesespecies are therefore considered possibly present in the SeruyanRiver and its estuary.Bats are diverse (96 species in Borneo; ca. 40% of the island’sterrestrial mammals) and perform valuable ecological servicessuch as pest control, pollination and seed dispersal (Hutson et al.44