Trip reports

Field reports from Sumatra, written by the people who made the trips. Each one is reproduced with permission, with its species lists and photographs, and the animals it records link to their pages in this guide.

Trip report · Jon Hall · 2025Sumatra in 2025: a wild rabbit chase and three nights in Way KambasIn September 2025 Jon Hall began a trip to Indonesia in Sumatra with Charles Foley, János Oláh and guide Hari Yono, hoping to find a Sumatran Striped Rabbit in hill forest west of Bandar Lampung. The camp turned out to be a hopeless place to search, so the group returned to Way Kambas National Park, where they recorded 25 mammal species, including Banded Palm Civet, Pen-tailed Treeshrew, Mitred Langur and Siamang. Trip report · Royle Safaris · 2023Sumatra and Java in September 2023: 45 mammals including 12 primates, marbled cat and Javan slow lorisIn September 2023 Royle Safaris ran a Sumatra and Java mammal tour led by Allin, with local guides at each forest. The group worked Gunung Leuser in northern Sumatra, then Gunung Halimun in West Java and sites in Central Java, and recorded 45 mammal species and 78 birds, including 12 of the 13 primates (Sumatran Orangutan, Thomas's Langur, Lar Gibbon, Javan Gibbon, Javan Surili, Javan Slow Loris), Marbled Cat, Sunda Leopard Cat, Hillier's Slow Loris and Great Argus. The report gives the route, species lists by site and photographs. Trip report · Royle Safaris · 2023Sumatra, Java, Bali and Komodo in August 2023: orangutans, Javan langurs and Komodo dragonsIn August 2023 Royle Safaris ran a 17-day Sumatra, Komodo and Java Wildlife Exploration led by Imam and Allin. From Gunung Leuser in Sumatra the group moved through Bali, Komodo and Flores to West Java, finding Sumatran Orangutan, Javan Surili, Eastern and Western Javan Langurs, Javan Small-toothed Palm Civet, Bali Starling and Komodo Dragons, with 8 primate species and 130 bird species. The report has a day-by-day account, species lists with a column for each site, and photographs of the animals seen. Trip report · Royle Safaris · 2019Sumatran Rhino Expedition, August 2019: 14 days in the forest with a rhino patrol teamIn August 2019 Royle Safaris ran a secret expedition to try to see a Sumatran Rhino in the wild, joining a rhino patrol team for 14 days of hiking and camping in remote forest on Sumatra (the location is not disclosed). The report explains the planning and the odds, and lists the mammals, birds and reptiles recorded, including Sumatran Rhino (signs), Tiger, Sun Bear, Asiatic Golden Cat, Sunda Pangolin, Sumatran Orangutan, Siamang and Black Hornbill. Trip report · Jon Hall · 2015Sumatra in 2015: Way Kambas and Gunung Leuser, a mammal-watching trip reportJon Hall spent the last week of May 2015 in Sumatra with two fellow mammal watchers, after five days in Deramakot in Sabah. Based at the Satwa Elephant Lodge with guide Hari, he worked Way Kambas by truck and boat on a dawn-to-midnight schedule, then moved to Gunung Leuser for Sumatran Orangutan. The report covers day-by-day sightings, the costs and logistics, and a species table with 65 mammals across the three sites.

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