Approximately 700 different animal species live in the jungles of Gunung Leuser National Park, one of Indonesia’s largest reserves and one of these species is the endangered Sumatran Tiger. Graceful and lithe, the Sumatran Tiger is slightly smaller than their cousins and have distinctive white side whiskers.

Of the estimated 400 Sumatran Tigers still living in Sumatra, more than 110 live within the Gunung Leuser Park (a conglomeration of several game reserves and park.), so it’s probably your best chance of seeing a tiger without bars around it.

There are two orang utan reserves within the parks boundaries, one which rehabilitates animals back into the wild and one purely for research, so you may also have a chance of seeing orang utan. Some of the other exotic residents are the Malayan sun bear, red giant flying squirrel, clouded leopard, rhino and the Asian elephant.

As well as animals, Gunung Leuser has a biodiversity of plants that would make a botanists eyes water, including the giant, fleshy Rafflesia, the world's largest flower.

Logging is still a threat to the animals living here, even though it’s a listed National Park.

Written by  Jodie Kimbah.

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