TERMITE HOSPITALITERMES BICOLOR (HAVILAND, 1898) (ISOPTERA: TERMITIDAE) AS A SUPPLEMENTARY PROTEIN SOURCE FOR SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN (PONGO ABELII) IN THE SWAMP FORESTS OF SUMATRA

The Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii Lesson, 1827) is an endemic and critically endangered primate.One important but less-studied component of its diet is termites, particularly the open-air processional species Hospitalitermes bicolor (Haviland, 1898).Results revealed that H. bicolor colonies were widely distributed in lowland peat swamp habitats, with a mean density of 3.4 colonies/ha.Foraging trails extended up to 28 m from the nest and termites were most active during the late afternoon (15:00-18:00).Orangutans consumed termites opportunistically, with 17 feeding events observed, suggesting that termites provide a supplementary protein source.The findings highlight the significance of termites in orangutan diets and provide new insights into the cross-taxa interactions between primates and termites in tropical forest ecosystems.