Leuser Range

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Mount Leuser
View to the west Mount Leuser %3F (8238008842).jpg
Highest point
Elevation 3,466 m (11,371 ft)
Prominence 2,941 m (9,649 ft)
Coordinates 3°44′29″N97°9′18″E / 3.74139°N 97.15500°E / 3.74139; 97.15500
Geography
Indonesia Sumatra relief location map.jpg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Mount Leuser
Indonesia relief location map.jpg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Mount Leuser
Mount Leuser (Indonesia)
Parent range Leuser Range, Aceh

Leuser Range or MountLeuser (Acehnese : Gunong Leuser, Indonesian : Gunung Leuser) is a stratovolcano located in the Aceh province on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. It is part of the Leuser Ecosystem, which is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world and a key conservation area for endangered species. [1]

Contents

Etymology

The origin of the names, Loser and Leuser, are obscure. One source [2] informs that Leuser is a Gayo word meaning “place where animals go to die”. Local folk lore [3] provides a not-unrelated story: a Dutch officer was hunting deer on the Leuser Range in colonial times and accidentally shot his hunting partner on the Loser peak. The porters, accompanying the party, used the Gayo word, los, meaning “dead”, to describe the fate of the partner.[ citation needed ]

Mounts Loser and Leuser, by comparison with Mount Tanpa Nama, rise from the east with precipitous drop-offs on their western faces over the rugged escarpment towards the west coast of Aceh. Most trekkers set Mount Loser as their objective being the higher and more accessible of the two peaks.

Geography

Mount Leuser is situated within the Gunung Leuser National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [4] It rises to an elevation of approximately 3,404 meters (11,168 feet) above sea level. The volcano is part of the Bukit Barisan mountain range, which extends along the western side of Sumatra. The area surrounding Mount Leuser features rugged terrain, dense tropical rainforest, and numerous rivers and streams.

Geology

The volcanic activity of Mount Leuser is characterized by its stratovolcano structure, consisting of layers of hardened lava, volcanic ash, and rocks. While the volcano has been relatively dormant in recent history, it is part of a seismically active region prone to occasional volcanic and tectonic activity.

Flora and fauna

Mount Leuser and its surrounding ecosystem are renowned for their rich biodiversity. The Leuser Ecosystem is home to a wide array of plant and animal species, including endangered species such as the Sumatran orangutan, Sumatran tiger, and Sumatran rhinoceros. The forests around Mount Leuser also support diverse plant life, including rare and endemic species.

Conservation

The conservation of Mount Leuser and the surrounding Leuser Ecosystem is critical due to the area's ecological significance and the threats posed by deforestation and habitat destruction. Efforts are ongoing to protect and preserve this unique environment through various conservation programs and initiatives aimed at sustainable development and wildlife protection.

Tourism

Mount Leuser is a popular destination for eco-tourists and adventurers seeking to explore its rich biodiversity and dramatic landscapes. Trekking and wildlife observation are common activities, with guided tours available to ensure a minimal impact on the environment.

Peaks on the Leuser Range

The Leuser Range is a group of three peaks in the Indonesian province of Aceh. The range lies to the south and west of the Alas River that flows east from the highlands of central Aceh before turning south through Karo Highland in North Sumatra province. The Leuser region is of ancient uplifted formations - it is non-volcanic. The region is billed as the largest wilderness area in South-East Asia. It is often assumed, incorrectly, that the highest peak is Mount Leuser when in fact it is Mount Tanpa Nama. Mount Leuser is the lowest of the three peaks.

BAKOSURTANAL, the Indonesian Survey and Mapping Agency, provides the names and locations of Loser and Leuser on their topographical maps. [5] The Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) authorities have adopted these names and their locations. [6]

The altitude, coordinates and prominence of the three summits [7] are:

Mount Tanpa Nama

Mount Tanpa Nama, 3,466 m (11,317 ft), which in Indonesian means "nameless mountain", is the second highest peak in Sumatra after Mount Kerinci (3,805 m, 12,484 ft). [8] The peak lies inland from the escarpment, is easy to climb,[ citation needed ] and has views in all directions. The mountain has two knolls: a painted sign on the lower knoll (3,455 m, 11,335 ft) reads “Puncak Tanpa Nama” (summit of Mount Tanpa Nama). On the higher, more prominent knoll to the north-east, the true summit, a plaque embedded in a cement block reads, “Prof Dr Syamsuddin Mahmud, Governor Aceh, 1997 ...”.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leuser Ecosystem</span>

The Leuser Ecosystem is an area of forest located in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Covering more than 2.6 million hectares it is one of the richest expanses of tropical rain forest in Southeast Asia and is the last place on earth where the Sumatran elephant, rhino, tiger and orangutan are found within one area. It has one of the world's richest yet least-known forest systems, and its vegetation is an important source of Earth's oxygen. Leuser also possesses more lowland rainforest than the rest of Sumatra combined and supports some of the last viable populations of tiger, rhino, orangutan and elephant.

The Singkil Barat Nature Reserve is a 650-square-kilometre (250 sq mi) nature reserve found on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Located in the province of Aceh, the preserve contains the largest peat swamp within the leuser ecosystem and is hailed as the orangutan capital of the world.

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The Leuser gymnure is a gymnure from the island of Sumatra in Indonesia that was described formally for the first time in 2023. The holotype was collected in 1939 by Frederick A. Ulmer in the upper parts of Gunung Leuser, Sumatra. It is only known from 2,073 to 2,835 m above sea level on Gunung Leuser. Its specific name derives from its voracious behavior described by F. Ulmer. Mitochondrial DNA analysis differentiates this species from Hylomys parvus, inhabiting similar mountain forests in Gunung Kerinci, on the same island of Sumatra, and from Hylomys maxi, a congeneric species inhabiting lower areas.

References

  1. bibl., Incl. (2012). "Saving the heritage of Gunung Leuser National Park: tropical rainforest heritage of Sumatra". unesdoc.unesco.org/.
  2. The Ecology of Sumatra. Periplus. 2000. p. 310.
  3. Pers Com., Mr. Rajajalli, guide/operator, Rain Forest Lodge, Kedah, www.gunung-leuser-trek.net
  4. "Gunung Leuser Biosphere Reserve". UNESCO. UNESCO. 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  5. BAKOSURTANAL topographical map series 50-0-ed, 0519-63, scale 1:50,000, 1977 (to be checked)
  6. Brochure: Pendakian Gunung Leuser 3,119 MDPL (Climbing Mount Leuser 3,119 m ASL), Bali Besar Taman National Gunung Leuser (Mount Leuser National Park Headquarters), www.gunung leuser.or.id
  7. BAKOSURTANAL data where available; otherwise GPS recordings; details subject to correction.
  8. http://www.gunungbagging.com/ - Climbing the Mountains of Indonesia