Occupancy modelling for wildlife tourism and conservation planning of endangered Bintan langur (Presbytis siamensis rhionis)

The Bintan Island Pale-thighed Langur (Presbytis siamensis rhionis), or Bintan langur, is an endangered subspecies endemic to Bintan Island, Indonesia. Despite its threatened status under the IUCN Red List, it remains unprotected under Indonesian law. The langur’s habitat overlaps with the Bintan Resorts Tourism Area, where increasing tourism development and human activities may alter its distribution and habitat use. Understanding spatial distribution through occupancy modeling is crucial for developing sustainable wildlife tourism while mitigating risks to endangered species. This study applies a single-season occupancy model to assess Bintan langur distribution and its key habitat covariates within a tourism landscape. We collected detection/non-detection data across 232 grid cells from December 2023 to January 2024 and estimated a naïve occupancy of 11.8% based on detections in 26 grids. The best-fitting model, incorporating food availability, proximity to roads, and vegetation cover as covariates, predicted a 30.2% occupancy probability with a 4.3% detection probability. These results indicate that langur presence is influenced by habitat quality and human infrastructure, highlighting potential conflicts between conservation and tourism expansion. Our findings underscore the importance of spatially explicit data in planning wildlife-friendly tourism within established tourist destinations. Given the langur’s limited occupancy and increasing anthropogenic pressures, conservation-oriented tourism planning is essential. Implementing buffer zones, canopy bridges, and road mitigation measures can enhance habitat connectivity and reduce threats like road mortality. This study provides a scientific basis for integrating species conservation into tourism management, ensuring that development aligns with wildlife conservation goals. We emphasize the need for collaborative efforts between conservation institutions and tourism stakeholders to enhance evidence-based management strategies for the Bintan langur and similar endangered species.