04/05/2025
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗾𝘂𝗲 – 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 / 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟮
Wildlife conservation is often thought of as protecting animals. But on Simeulue, it starts with people.
The Long-Tailed Macaque Project works not only to study and protect the endangered Simeulue macaque, but also to support the communities living alongside them. Because any real solution to this conflict has to work for both.
I spent time in the field with Ilham Kurnia, a primatologist from Padang, Sumatra, and one of the driving forces behind The Long-Tailed Macaque Project. Alongside him is Aqbal, a biology student of Ilham who grew up here on Simeulue. Together, they lead the daily efforts to understand the conflict: tracking macaque activity, checking camera traps, recording coconut losses, and visiting farms. Always doing it with patience, presence and the biggest smile.
A big part of the effort focuses on the farmers: listening to their experiences and finding ways to reduce conflict. One promising direction is exploring how damaged coconuts can be repurposed to create alternative sources of income. Solutions like these don’t come overnight, but they begin with conversation and with a shared understanding of what’s at stake.
At the same time, education plays a key role. The team visits schools, talks with teachers, and introduces a new children’s book that helps reshape how the younger generation sees these animals. Not as pests, but as part of their island’s story.
These kinds of efforts don’t often make headlines. They happen quietly, in places many people have never heard of. But behind the scenes, there are people like , Aqbal, and the rest of the team at , who continue to guide and support this work with care and vision. Together with local collaborators and a small but dedicated team, they are doing the hard, beautiful work of protecting both people and wildlife so that the Simeulue macaques can continue to survive in the forests that have always been their home.
