The distribution and current state of biobanking in Indonesian wildlife: a systematic review

Abstract

The Indonesian archipelago, where the tropical rainforest ecosystem is home to 15% of the world's vertebrate species, has been the hardest hit by deforestation in Southeast Asia for the last decade. This situation makes ex situ conservation strategies, particularly biobanks, more important than ever to supplement in situ efforts which are becoming increasingly difficult. This study examines the status and future of biobanking implementation in Indonesian wildlife. The results show that current biobanking efforts in Indonesian wildlife are still limited, with a non-uniform distribution among taxa, sex and geographical origin. Current work is largely focused on mammals, while avifauna, reptiles and amphibians, particularly from the eastern region, are generally neglected. Cryopreservation is primarily used as a low-cost preservation method, but success rates are strongly influenced by intra- and interspecific characteristics, making the development of species-specific protocols essential. This report identifies the challenges and suggests ways to establish a national biobanking facility and collaborate with stakeholders to promote sustainable biobanking in Indonesia.