Another strategy employed by our team is village sweeping, a method in which camp participants were actively involved. Riding atop and in the back of a mini truck, participants scanned for protected songbirds being kept as pets. This approach, which emphasizes working within the local community, relies heavily on building rapport and fostering collaboration—key elements of wildlife conservation efforts. During these village sweeps, our team not only raises awareness about conservation but also persuades poachers, loggers, and land encroachers to consider alternative livelihoods—some of whom have even joined the local conservation team.

The base camp was located at a hilltop lodge overlooking Bukit Lawang village and its surrounding forests. The team shared the lodge with an Asian Leopard Cat kitten, the previously rescued Slow Loris, several snakes, and a Crested Serpent Eagle. After days of observation and providing basic care, participants assisted in the release of rescued animals—returning the slow loris to Gunung Leuser and releasing the snakes into the nearby forest. In addition to the daytime conservation activities, nighttime walks became a highlight once the sun set. Participants ventured into the dark, spotlighting nocturnal mammals and reptiles on thrilling expeditions. Despite the excitement of navigating rocky hills, avoiding pitfalls, and crossing narrow plank bridges, the ever-present signs of land excavation for road construction were a stark reminder of the encroaching urbanization. As wildlife and human paths intersected more frequently, participants encountered rare species, such as two caecilians—elusive, subterranean amphibians—and a striking Malayan Blue Coral Snake, both spotted along an excavated pathway near the lodge.