PREDIKSI SEBARAN POTENSIAL FAMILI CERCOPITHECIDAE (ORDO PRIMATES) DI TAMAN NASIONAL BATANG GADIS MENGGUNAKAN MODEL MaXent

Abstrak

The Cercopithecidae family (order Primates) plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of tropical forest ecosystems. However, pressures from deforestation and habitat fragmentation on Sumatra Island have led to a significant decline in its population. This study aims to predict the potential geographic distribution of the Cercopithecidae family in Batang Gadis National Park (TNBG), North Sumatra, using a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approach. Data on the presence of four species: Macaca fascicularis, Macaca nemestrina, Presbytis melalophos, and Trachypithecus cristatus, were obtained from the SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) monitoring system at the TNBG Patrol Center. Environmental variables used included bioclimatic factors, topography, and land cover. The modeling results showed an average area under the curve (AUC) of 0.946, indicating excellent prediction accuracy. The environmental factors that most influence the distribution of Cercopithecidae are rain-fed agricultural land (25.9%), slope aspect (22.7%), and precipitation of the coldest quarter (BIO19) at 19.4%. The habitat suitability map shows a highly suitable area of ​​26.21 km² (3.6%), concentrated in the central to southern parts of the National Park (TNBG), particularly at the Sopotinjak Resort and a small part of the Muara Bangko Resort. These findings confirm that the combination of climate, topography, and vegetation cover plays a significant role in determining primate distribution in TNBG and can serve as a basis for establishing priority conservation zones to maintain the sustainability of Cercopithecidae populations in Sumatra.