The Leuser Wins

An Ecosystem Under Siege

This vital ecosystem also provides food and water for millions of people. Generations of Gayo, Alas, Kluet, Aneuk, Jamee and Karo communities rely on the area's unique biodiversity for their livelihoods, as they have done for millennia. In addition to decimating critical wildlife habitat, deforestation also puts nearby human communities at risk for flash flooding.

What's more, Leuser's unique peatlands hold unusually high environmental carbon stores. In this wildfire-prone area, it's not uncommon for a single year's burn to release thousands of years' worth of fossil fuel emissions. As a zoo-based conservation organization, we're naturally focused on protecting the region's rare and charismatic wildlife. But losing a place like Leuser is really a loss for the entire planet.

How Denver Zoo is Helping

Denver Zoo is excited to be working with Forum Konservasi Leuser (FKL), a passionate grass-roots NGO working to protect this unique area and its wildlife. Through this partnership, Denver Zoo will help FKL build a field station for research and poaching patrol, assist with the restoration of local habitats and much more.

We’ll also work in surrounding Sumatran communities to raise awareness about the long-term effects people have on these fragile ecosystems—with a focus on helping local people secure livelihoods with lower environmental impact. And here at the Zoo, our Sumatran tiger and orangutan family are also raising awareness! By helping our guests form a connection with charismatic individuals like ChloJo the Sumatran tiger and Siska the Sumatran orangutan, we can spread the word about the dire need to protect their relatives in the wild.