Mount Leuser National Park: A Natural Laboratory Rich in Biodiversity in Sumatra

UNGKIT.COM – Mount Leuser National Park (TNGL) is a nature conservation area in Indonesia spanning 830,268.95 hectares, administratively located across the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra.

Situated at the northern tip of Sumatra Island, the park takes its name from Mount Leuser, which towers at an elevation of 3,145 meters above sea level in Aceh.

This area encompasses ecosystems ranging from coastal zones to high mountains, all blanketed by dense tropical rainforest.

With the designation of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra as a World Heritage Site in 2004, Mount Leuser National Park was also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, alongside Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS) and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (TNBBS).

Mount Leuser National Park serves not only as a natural laboratory rich in biodiversity but also hosts several locations that are compelling tourist attractions.

In managing nature tourism, the Mount Leuser National Park Authority has divided the area into zones for commercial operations and public use. There are 20 accessible nature tourism sites within the park, offering experiences ranging from waterfalls and lakes to mountain hiking.

Among these natural tourism attractions, the most renowned sites within the TNGL area are the Sumatran Orangutan Observation Center at Bukit Lawang (located in the Bukit Lawang–Bohorok Nature Tourism Area, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra) and Tangkahan.

The history of Mount Leuser National Park dates back to the 1920s—the era of the Dutch colonial government—following a series of research and exploration activities conducted by a Dutch geologist named F.C. Van Heurn in Aceh.

Subsequently, a positive initiative emerged—supported by community leaders—urging the Dutch colonial government to grant conservation area (Wildlife Sanctuary) and protected status to the region stretching from Singkil (at the headwaters of the Simpang Kiri River) in the south, along the Bukit Barisan range, toward the Tripa River valley and the Meulaboh coastal swamps in the north.

On February 6, 1934, the Tapak Tuan Declaration was issued, representing a commitment by local community representatives in the vicinity of the Leuser area to environmental protection, while also establishing criminal sanctions. This declaration was also signed by the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies.

Subsequently, on July 3, 1934, the Gunung Leuser Wildlife Reserve was established, covering an area of ​​142,800 hectares, pursuant to Zelfbestuur Besluit (ZB) Number 317/35.

In 1936, the Kluet Wildlife Reserve in Aceh Province was established, covering 20,000 hectares. In 1938, the Langkat Wildlife Reserve in North Sumatra Province was established, covering 51,000 hectares. In 1976, the Kappi Wildlife Reserve in Aceh Province was established, covering 142,000 hectares.

On March 6, 1980, the Minister of Agriculture announced the designation of the Gunung Leuser Wildlife Reserve as one of Indonesia's first five national parks.

In 1984, the operational area of ​​Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL) was defined to encompass five wildlife reserves and two recreational forests, covering a total area of ​​862,975 hectares. On May 23, 1997, Gunung Leuser National Park was officially designated, covering an area of ​​1,094,692 hectares.

From a formal legal standpoint, the existence of Gunung Leuser National Park was first established through the Minister of Agriculture's Announcement Number 811/Kpts/Um/II/1980, dated March 6, 1980, regarding the inauguration of five national parks in Indonesia: Gunung Leuser National Park, Ujung Kulon National Park, Gede Pangrango National Park, Baluran National Park, and Komodo National Park. 

Based on the Minister of Agriculture's announcement, the area of ​​Mount Leuser National Park was established at 792,675 hectares. This announcement was followed up by a letter from the Directorate General of Forestry (Reference No. 719/Dj/VII/1/80, dated March 7, 1980) addressed to the Mount Leuser KPA (Nature Conservation Area) Sub-Agency.

The letter stated that management authority for Mount Leuser National Park was granted to the Mount Leuser KPA Sub-Agency. (Archived 2022-07-17 at Wayback Machine).

To provide a legal basis for the forest area gazettement process, the Minister of Forestry issued Decree No. 276/Kpts-II/1997 regarding the designation of Mount Leuser National Park, covering an area of ​​1,094,692 hectares located in the Special Region of Aceh and North Sumatra provinces.

The decree specified that Mount Leuser National Park comprises a combination of the following areas: Mount Leuser Wildlife Reserve (416,500 hectares), Kluet Wildlife Reserve (20,000 hectares), West Langkat Wildlife Reserve (51,000 hectares), South Langkat Wildlife Reserve (82,985 hectares), Sekundur Wildlife Reserve (60,600 hectares), Kappi Wildlife Reserve (142,800 hectares), Gurah Recreation Park (9,200 hectares), and Protected Forest and Limited Production Forest areas (292,707 hectares).

Located on the island of Sumatra, Mount Leuser National Park is an area of ​​high biodiversity and the only place in the world where four key species coexist. Rare species found in this national park include the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus), Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), and Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis).

Additionally, the Gunung Leuser National Park area is home to 350 bird species. Nearly 65 percent—or 129 species—of the 205 large and small mammal species found in Sumatra inhabit the park.

Due to this high level of unique biodiversity, Gunung Leuser National Park was designated as a Natural World Heritage Site and a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1981, and was named an ASEAN Heritage Park in 1984. (*)

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