EduAsiaNews, Antalya – The Forestry Ministry is preparing to strengthen its conservation strategy for the Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) over the next decade, drawing on the findings of a scientific survey conducted across Java. The initiative was outlined by Deputy Forestry Minister Rohmat Marzuki during a dialogue session titled “From Data to Action: Building a Decade of Javan Leopard Conservation Together” at the Indonesia Pavilion during the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, on Thursday (Nov. 12).
The Javan leopard is the only native big cat species still surviving on the island of Java and is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The survival of this endemic species faces several challenges, particularly habitat fragmentation, pressure from human activities and increasingly limited connectivity between forest areas. According to a 2021 IUCN assessment, the Javan leopard population is estimated at around 319 mature individuals.
“The Javan leopard is the last native big cat still surviving on Java. Its survival depends on healthy forests, sufficient prey and connected habitats. Protecting this species also means protecting the ecosystems that sustain people’s livelihoods,” Rohmat said.
To strengthen the scientific basis for conservation, the ministry, through its Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE), has been conducting the Java-Wide Leopard Survey (JWLS) since 2024 in collaboration with the SINTAS Indonesia Foundation and several partners. The survey combines camera trapping, field observations and genetic sampling to provide a more comprehensive picture of the Javan leopard’s distribution, population, habitat conditions and threats.
The JWLS involves 69 local institutions and has deployed 680 camera traps at 2,400 observation points. The survey has generated more than 2.3 million photographs, amounting to over 20 terabytes of data, and collected 373 scat samples. Genetic data gathered through the survey cover 226 individual Javan leopards. These findings provide an important foundation for assessing population viability and formulating more targeted conservation policies.
Rohmat explained that the survey findings would serve as a key input for updating the Javan Leopard Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (SRAK), as the 2016–2026 plan approaches its end. He said scientific data must be translated into concrete management decisions, ranging from identifying priority habitats and restoring ecological connectivity to reducing threats and monitoring the effectiveness of conservation interventions.
“We must translate this knowledge into management decisions. Scientific evidence must guide us in determining which habitats need protection, restoring connectivity, reducing threats and directing resources. Data must also help us assess whether our conservation efforts are actually succeeding,” the deputy minister stressed.
In developing its future conservation strategy, the ministry has outlined four priorities: strengthening science-based planning; protecting habitats and ecological corridors; increasing community participation while reducing human-wildlife conflict; and developing partnerships and sustainable conservation financing. Protecting the Javan leopard cannot be limited to conservation areas alone but also requires cooperation in managing broader landscapes.
Rohmat added that conservation success depended heavily on the involvement of communities living near the species’ habitats. Protection efforts must go hand in hand with greater public awareness, measures to prevent human-wildlife conflict and community empowerment. Partnerships with research institutions, conservation organizations, businesses and international partners are also essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of conservation efforts.
The dialogue featured SINTAS Indonesia Foundation Director Hariyo T. Wibisono, Djarum Foundation Program Director Jemmy Chayadi and IUCN Deputy Director General Stewart Maginnis. The discussion, moderated by Forestry Ministry KSDAE Directorate General Secretary Nandang Prihadi, explored how JWLS findings could inform conservation action, the role of cross-sector partnerships and opportunities for international cooperation to protect the Javan leopard.
“Over the next decade, we need a coordinated and realistic conservation agenda, with clear responsibilities and measurable progress. Success must be reflected in better-protected habitats, improved connectivity, reduced threats and a more secure future for the Javan leopard population,” Rohmat concluded.
