Due to its size and location, the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra in Indonesia is hailed as one of the largest conservation areas in Southeast Asia and the last habitat for many endangered animals.
Recent advances in laboratory methods are enabling scientists to recover very old or degraded DNA sequences from warmer places, where DNA degrades at a much faster rate.
A Rainforest Foundation UK briefing highlights very weak governance in the country, which means there is limited ability for the government to control its forest resources and to implement effective planning and management.