Visit to Indonesia

Wasur National Park

2008-04-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

Irian Jaya, which occupies the western half of the island of New Guinea, contains some of the most pristine habitat to be found in Southeast Asia. Despite a government resettlement scheme which brings immigrants to Irian Jaya from other, more crowded parts of Indonesia, and although the province is inhabited by hundreds of tribes, its population has remained surprisingly low.

Nearly 80 per cent of Irian Jaya is still covered with primary rainforest. Its coastal and marine habitats, with their spectacular mangrove swamps and exquisite coral reefs, are largely intact, and the province's freshwater swamps and peat bogs are some of the most extensive and undisturbed in the region.

Since the late 1970s, WWF has set up numerous projects in Irian Jaya, cooperating closely with both local people and government authorities in an effort to conserve the province's natural treasure trove.

One of these projects focuses on Wasur National Park in the Merauke district in the southeast of the province. The park contains a wide diversity of habitats - enormous open water swamplands, vast tidal mudflats, dry savannah grasslands, luxuriant mangroves, and verdant melaleuca and eucalyptus woodlands. Its wetlands attract huge numbers of the waders and waterfowl that migrate between northern Asia and Australia.

Some 2,500 indigenous people inhabit the park's 14 villages. These people have traditionally supported themselves through the sustainable hunting of animals such as deer, wallabies, and wild pigs. Recently, however, the government's transmigration programme has led to a growth in Merauke's population. Increasing numbers of outsiders have been coming into the park to shoot game, depleting the supply of wildlife, and generally degrading the area. As a result, the park has been unable to protect the plants and animals it was designed to conserve, and the traditional lifestyles of Wasur's indigenous residents have been seriously threatened.

Their lives were further disrupted in 1990, when the government decreed that people would no longer to be permitted to live within national park boundaries. WWF immediately set to work to show the government that protected areas can actually benefit from being inhabited. The people of Wasur had always restricted the quantities of game they hunted. Moreover, by carrying out other traditional landuse practices, such as burning off dead vegetation in the dry season, they were helping to maintain a healthy environmental equilibrium and protect the region's rich biodiversity.

In autumn 1992, the government agreed to allow the traditional inhabitants of Wasur to remain in the park and made them partly responsible for managing the park's resources. Under an innovative management scheme, only people who live within Wasur's boundaries are to be permitted to hunt and sell game from the park. They also have sole trading rights for other forest products such as fruits, nuts, and aromatic oils, and are the only people allowed to cut reeds and grasses to make baskets and mats. Indigenous Wasur dwellers now patrol for poachers and have finally been recognized as the legitimate "guardians of the park".

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Manusela National Park

2008-04-13T04:45:00.000-07:00

Manusela National Park (186,000 ha) is situated in one of the world's least known regions, Central Ceram in the Maluku Archipelago of East Indonesia. Maluku together with Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara Forms the biogeographic transition Zone between Asia and Australia, known as Wallacea, and on Ceram this transition becomes evident through the occurrence of both Asian and Australian biological spectra.

The Park includes examples of all Ceram's forest ecosytems, from sea level to the top of Mount Binaya at 3,027 m, the highest peak in Maluku, which gives a sense of real adventure to visitors with its impressive scenery, diversity, and abundance of flora, fauna and unique geological features.
The Manusela National Park pratects the watercathment area for the adjacent alluvial lowlands; conserves all Ceram's genetic resources and ecosystems, and provides an ideal area for education, scientific and tourism development.
Manusela's plant life is an impoverished derivative of the Asian (Western Malesia) flora with a few Australo-Papuan elements, which has evolved from an interaction of climates, geological history, and the evaluation processes. The result is a diverse, complex flora with several features. Many impressive and beautiful orchids occur, such as the lady's slipper orchid (Paphiopedillum) and many species of Bulbophyllum, Coloegyne, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis (P. amboinensis) and the terrestrial ones, the Phaius species.

Though the Ceram flora is poor in species diversity in comparison with the neighbouring islands, as well as Sulawesi (Celebes) and Irian Jaya (West Papua), but phytogeographically it is important, because Ceram and the adjoining island functionally forms a land bridge for the transition zone between West and East Malesian flora, for an example, in Manusela National Park can be found at least three genera of the Dipterocarps a family which dominates the West Malaesian region.

The northern lowland alluvial plains comprise a diversity of vegetation types such as the mangrove, fresh-water swamp forest, the dry land and the hill mixture Dipterocarp-Agathis forest, and along the river banks, the Eucalyptus trees, form a quasi pure stands, and it gives an impressive scenery with a canopy to 50 m high.

The sub montane and montane vegetations, occupies almost one third of the park area (manusela, Merkele and Kobipoto ridges). Here can be found the Damar forest (Agathis alba) and grows in association with meranti (Shorea sp.), and sporadically, the dense bamboo forest and the thorny rattans make venturing off the cut paths almost impossible.

Most fascinating plantlife is the mossy or cloud forest extending upward from 1,500 m. Here gnarled, often stunted trees are covered thickly by mosses, lichens or orchids, and in this zone, the unique flower of the lady's slipper orchid usually grows on the steep limestone walls along a deep valley of the river.
The park's fauna is much less specialized than its plantlife, and is more representative of Wallacean region, as a transitional zone between Asian and Australian faunas. Typically Australian are the oriental and spotted phalanger, megapodes, cassowaries and numerous parrot species. In addition Ceram has 14 endemic birds, 6 endemic mammals, and several endemic butterflies, including the giant birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera goliath procus) and the beautiful Delias (D. manuselensis).

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Komodo National Park

2008-04-13T04:40:00.000-07:00

The best way to see the Komodo Archipelago,and Komodo National Park, (as with most of Indonesia), is from the safety and comfort of your liveaboard vessel. When you travel with us we will visit the established park facilities and less frequented destinations. There are plenty of activites and destinations to explore. Following is a brief natural history of the Komodo National Park.

Komodo is situated 200 nautical miles (370 Km's) east of Bali between the islands of Flores and Sumbawa. Komodo's symbol of international fame is it's dragons, the world's largest living lizard. Indonesia declared the area a National Park in 1980, and in 1992 Komodo was declared a World Heritage Site. It covers 239,000 Hectares including 75,000 Hectares of land on 4 major and numerous minor islands.

As with most of Indonesia, Komodo rises up from a volcanic chain, wedged between two great continents. This string of volcanic islands makes up the south western reaches of what is known as the "Ring of Fire". Both above and below the sea, Komodo represents a unique range of geological and biological diversity. On shore it is an amazing museum diorama of the Mesozoic era - dry tundra and reptilian supremacy.
In addition to the world famous Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), the larger inhabitants are Buffalo, Rusu Deer, Monkeys, Pigs, and horses. Further down the scale indigenous frogs, snakes and lizards abound on the island. Not to forget the endemic aptly named Komodo Rat. Over 150 species of birds have been identified in Komodo National Park, many of which are migratory and more representative of Australasian than Asiatic species. Distinctive species include megapodes, yellow-crested cockatoos, imperial pigeons, white-breasted sea eagles and maleos.

With the lowest rainfall in Indonesia, Komodo's Fauna and Flora are more similar to an Australian landscape than the lush tropical environment typical of Bali. Sheer cliff faces, and steep rocky mountains reaching high above the horizon give it a forboding and unforgiving appearance. In stark contrast the deserted pink sand beaches invite travellers to venture ashore and explore the hills and foreshores of these mostly uninhabited islands. Dry and sunburnt for most of the year, after the monsoonal rains the hills are transformed with a thick soft blanket of verdant green grass. Mist filled valleys cut deep into the heart of the islands. Heavily wooded and with a microclimate of their own they host and are home to the greatest concentrations of wildlife. The exposed hills and highlands are sparsely wooded fields of savanah grassland. They support herds of grazing species. Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis), wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), wild boar ((Sus scrofa), the macaque monkey (Macaca fascicularis), and wild horse (Equus qaballus) roam the hills. Conscious of the ever present threat of the predatory dragons.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Kelimutu National Park

2008-04-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

Mount Kelimutu with its three colors lakes, in a local language called Kelimutu Tiwu Telu is one of the main volcanoes in Flores island. After eruption in 1886 the mount remained three crater lakes with formerly distinct colors; red, blue and white. The colors, however, have changed continually since the eruption of Mount Iya in Ende in 1969. The changes of its colors make Kelimutu different from others and become one of the attractive places to be seen.
According to the scientists, the changes caused by the geological and chemical processes in the bottom of the lakes. It could be also resulted from refraction of the sunlight, the bacteria populations and the chemicals dissolved in the water.
Kelimutu has been determined as one of the National Parks with 5300 Hectares large, which is known as Kelimutu National Park. It sorrounded by forest with the rare floras and faunas such as palm trees, pine, mountain fig (casuarina yunghuniana), red wood (pterocarpus sp), edelweiss, hog (sus vitatus), javan porcupine (hystrix javanica), the giant rat (papagomys armandvellei), monkey (macaca fascicularis) and gerugiwa (kind of bird). besides natural conservation, this park is also exploited for tourist attraction gathers with parks like Leuser National Park, Kerinci, Komodo, Ujung Kulon and others.
There was a myth about the mountain. Local inhabitants believe that Kelimutu is the last place for their spirits resided and given name as Tiwu Ata Polo (Rek Lake) refers to The Giants, Tiwu Ko’o Fai Nuwa Muri (Blue Lake), to The Orphans, and Tiwu Ata Bupu (White Lake) to The Old Men. The spirits would reside on those three lakes conformed to their social status after passing the gateway called Konde Ratu.

A phenomenon of three colored lakes of Kelimutu has become one of Flores’ main natural tourist destinations. The spectacular view and dramatic sights on peak of Mount Kelimutu left a deepest impression to all visitors who come and visit it. When you are at the Inspiration Point, you can view the natural panorama and beautiful sunrise. Apart from its cool climate and wonderful panorama, Three Colored Lakes of Kelimutu keeps special features as the only one of tourist attractions on earth to visit, to feel and to remind.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Rinjani National Park

2008-04-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

The park covers an area of 41,330 ha on the northern part of Lombok. Named after Indonesia’s second highest volcanic peak outside of West Papua, the peak of Gunung Rinjani (3,726m) dominates the landscape. Within the crater is the spectacular Segara Anak lake and the still-active volcano Gunung Baru (2,363m).
It is surrounded by a further 66,000 ha of Protection Forest and covers the three administrative district of West, East and Central Lombok. The park ecosystem is in the transitional zone between Asia and Australia (Walaceae zone). Average rainfall is about 3,000 mm annually.
Gunung Rinjani is rich in a variety of flora, fauna and vegetation types. On the south western side of the mountain is the most eastern extent of primary rainforest in Nusa Tenggara. This gives way to monsoon forest and drier climate in the east, and savannah in the north east. Notable flora includes the everlasting edelweiss flower (Anaphalis viscida), tiger orchid (Vanda sp.), alang-alang grass (Imperata cylindrica), cemara trees (Casuarina trifolia and Casuarina ocidentale).

Mt. Rinjani, one of the over 40 National Parks throughout Indonesia, was established in 1997. It is valued and protected for its spiritual as well as natural values, and is worshipped by thousands of Balinese as well as Sasak pilgrims. Hot springs near the crater lake are sought after for their healing powers.
Over 20 villages surround Rinjani and there are many routes up the mountain, but the main access is from Senaru in the north and Sembalun Lawang to the east. The challenging three-day Rinjani Trek route from Senaru to the crater rim (Plawangan), down to the stunning crater lake then on to Sembalun Lawang, is considered one of the best treks in South East Asia. Those heading for the summit usually prefer to start in Sembalun Lawang.
The village of Senaru is the main gateway to Gunung Rinjani National Park, the most popular start point for the three day Rinjani Trek up Indonesia’s second highest volcanic peak (3,726m). For the people of Lombok, Sasak and Balinese alike, the volcano is revered as a sacred place and the abode of gods. Within the spectacular crater, the Segara Anak Lake is the destination of many pilgrims who place offerings in the water and bathe away disease in the nearby hot springs.
A model for ecotourism in Indonesia, the community-based activities are focussed on the Rinjani Trek Centre in Senaru, the most popular starting point for the tough trek. Developed with New Zealand Government assistance since 1999, the Rinjani Trek Centre embodies under one roof (satu atap) the unique partnership of the National Park, tourism industry and local communities that has been forged to manage and protect the Rinjani mountain environment.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Bali Barat National Park

2008-04-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

Bali Barat National Park lies at the western side of Bali and is 77,000 ha, some 10% of Bali's total land area. The park is the last refuge of one of the most endangered birds of the world: the Bali Starling.
Bali Barat is mountainous and consists of primary monsoon forest, mangrove forest, savannah and coral islands.
The peninsular Prapat Agung, with its extensive web of footpaths, is the most accessible part of the park. Here at Tegal Bunder, you will find the Bali Starling Recovery Project where the PHPA is trying to reintroduce Bali Starlings.
Pulau Menjangan, an island north of the mainland part of the park, is an excellent place to explore the coral reefs.

Birds : Bali Starling or Rotschild's Myna (Leucopsar rothschildi), Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier), Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis), Pied Fantail (Rhipidura javanica), Edible-nest Swiftlet (Collocalia fuciphaga), White-bellied Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta), Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica), Crested Treeswift (Hemiprocne coronata), White-breasted Wood-Swallow (Artamus leucorhynchus), Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica), Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach), Striated Warbler (Megalurus palustris), Collared Kingfisher (Halycon chloris), Sacred Kingfisher (Halycon sancta), Javan Kingfisher (Halycon cyaniventris), Small Kingfisher (Alcedo caerulescens), Rufous-backed Kingfisher (Ceyx rufidorsus), Stork-billed Kingfisher (Pelargopsis capensis), Racket-tailed Treepie (Crypsirina temia), Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis), Savanna Nightjar (Caprimulgus affinis), Collared Scops-Owl (Otus bakkamoena), Crested Serpent-Eagle (Spilornis cheela), Javan Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia bitorquata), Banded Pitta (Pitta guajana), Mangrove White-eye (Zosterops chloris), Lesser Adjutant (Leptopilus javanicus), Great Thick-Knee (Esacus magnirostris).
Animals ; Banteng (Bos javanicus), Wild Boar (Sus scrofa), Rusa Deer (Cervus timorensis), Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis), Ebony Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus auratus), Barking Deer or Muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), Pangolin or Trenggiling (Manis javanicus), Large Flying Fox or Kalong (Pteropus vampyrus), Black Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor), Water Monitor (Varanus salvator).
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Take Bone Rate National Park

2008-04-13T04:21:00.000-07:00

Take Bone Rate is the largest atoll in Indonesia and the third largest in the world. The archipelago lies in the Flores Sea, to the east of the southern tip of Selayar Island. The area enclosed by the 200 m depth contour and comprising 530,000 ha. has been gazetted as National Park in 1992.
The 21 coral islands of Taka Bone Rate form an incomplete ring surrounding a large lagoon. The shallow lagoon, with its numerous islets, sand bars, seagrass beds and extensive coral reefs provides a home to 261 coral, 325 fish, 250 mollusc and 3 sea turtle species. The islets themselves are overgrown with palms and Casuarina trees.
Threats to the area are posed by commercial over-fishing by outside companies and dynamite-fishing by itinerant fishermen. The center of the atoll is damaged but the outer edge, particulary in the north, still shows its original beauty.

Flora : Casuarinaceae , Casuarina equistifolia , Combretaceae , Terminalia catappa , Palmae , Cocos nucifera , Pandanaceae , Pandanus spp.
Fauna ; ReptilesCITES in blue, Red List species in red, on both lists: purple, Loggerhead Turtle - Caretta caretta , Green Turtle - Chelonia mydas , Hawksbill Turtle - Eretmochelys imbricata
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Watumohai National Park

2008-04-13T04:13:00.000-07:00

Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park supports the population of endemic, rare, and vulnerable fauna. The site has a diverse ecosystems, and only major peatswamp area in Sulawesi.
163 bird species were recorded, 39 of which were endemic species (34 endiemic species for Sulawesi and 5 endemic species for Indonesia) and a number of endangered species such as Cacatua sulphurea, Macrocephalon maleo, Mycteria cinerea and Gymnocrex rosenbergii.

The habitat of endemic mammals such as Bubalus depressicornis, Babyrousa babyrussa, Sus celebensis, Macaca ochreata and Phalanger celebensis, and nesting place of Macrochepalon maleo was recorded in the site.
The National Park is located in the province of SouthEast Sulawesi. Geographically, the site is located on the eastern coast of Sulawesi where the southeast muson climate affects the area.

The elevation level: between 0-980 metres above sea level.

The coastal area is located in the southern part of the site, whithin which extensive mudflats occur along the coast. The area supports waterbird populations. The fringing mangrove occur in the area is relatively homogenous, vegetated with Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera gymnorhiza and Sonneratia alba.
Extensive savanna occurs in the south along Watumohai-Mendoke mountains to the mangrove in the southeast. The area between the savanna and mangroves has become the main habitat for Bubalus depressicornis.
The highlands are located in the north,i.e. Mokaleleo mountains (790 m) and Matoha highland (270m) in the east. The Watumohai mountain (550 m) and Mendoke mountain (980) are located in the south.
Rawa Aopa basins are surrounded by highlands, and permanently innudated. The Rawa Aopa is swamp area, which is vegetated and coverd by grass (95%) and becomes the habitat for waterbirds.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Lore Lindu National Park 02

2008-04-12T05:05:00.000-07:00

Fifty kilometers south of Palu is the 231.000 hectare national park Lore Lindu. It is located along both sides of the border between the districts of Donggala and Poso, and concludes Gunung Nokilalaki and Gunung Tokasa, the entire Lindu plain with the big lake, the Besoa valley and the western parts of the Bada- and Napu valleys. In these three valleys you can find drums and statues of a long lost culture.
The biggest part of the park is covered by dense tropical forests, inhabited by many of Sulawesi\'s local spiecies, among them the babiroesa, anoa and monkeys. It\'s hard to see those animals. The abundant birdlife however, is better to catch. With a lowest point of 300 meters above sealevel and a highest point of 2610 meters, the park has a rich variety of landscapes: dense forests, grassy plains and swampy valleys. You don\'t need a permit for a visit to Lore Lindu, but when climbing Gunung Nokilalaki, you will need permission of the nature reserve office (KSDA) at Jl. S. Parman in Palu. There are many entrances to the park. You can take a minibus from Palu over a road through the Palolo valley to Wuasa, or southern via Kuwali until Gimpu.
From Palu, there is a road along both sides of the river towards the south. Along the main road on the eastern bank is a series of Kaili villages, to be recognised by the characteristic pillar dwellings, which have a strong resemblance with the Buginese houses, but without the special layered roofs, which tell about the status of the resident in the south.

At a big crossing close to Kalukubula, just south of Palu, you can make a detour towards the east for a visit to Biromaru and Bora, cengter of the former Sigi kingdom. This was once the residence of the mightiest magau, like the raja\'s of Kaili were named - the ruler of the western highlands. Sigi kept the rites that were performed by transvestite bajasa-priests longest, but in contrary to the bissu in the south, the bajasa have now gone from this strict islamic region. The mineral water from the hot source near Bora is still known for it\'s healing powers.
From Palu you can also take a smaller road along the western bank of the river. This crosses the Marawola district with it\'s heavily eroded mountains, which rise high above the savannah. Further south, towards Binagga, wet ricefields appear in the middle of dense forests of coconut trees. They are nowadays replaced by smaller ones, which grow faster and bring in money faster as well. After that, the road crosses the river to merge with the main road about ten kilometers from Palu, near Dolo.
More south, past Sidondo, the main road runs along huge irrigational works, fed by Sungai Gumbasa, which is fed by Danau Lindu The village of Pakuli is the starting point of a faintly upward trip into the hills. Near Tuwa, at the lower end of the Palu valley, the road really starts to climb: the lowlands of Kaili have been replaced by the western highlands.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Lore Lindu National Park 01

2008-04-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lore Lindu National Park comprises an area of 231,000 ha in Central Sulawesi. Most of Sulawesi's endemic mammals and 83% of its endemic avifauna have been recorded in or closely associated with the park. Lore Lindu is listed as a Man And the Biosphere Reserve.
A major part of Lore Lindu National Park lies at an altitude of more than 1,000 m. with Gunung Nokilalaki (2,356m) as the highest mountain. The mountain forests at these heights consist of tree species of more moderate climates as Oaks, Chestnuts and Laurels. At the lower altitudes, which comprise only about 10% of the park, there is lowland rainforest, while in the dryer northern reaches of the park remnants of monsoon forest, a forest type found in no other protected area in Sulawesi, can be found. At altitudes higher than 2,000m the flora is sub-alpine.

Danau Lindu, a large 3,000 ha. ancient freshwater lake, is located in an enclave in the centre of the park. The lake, and parts of the Napu valley to the east of the park, are of special scientific interest because it is the only site in Indonesia where Schistosomiasis (bilharzia) and the related disease Echinostomiasis occurs. If you want to stay healthy don't swim in the lake or drink untreathed water from it and wear boots.

Lore Lindu National Park is enclosed by the valleys of Bada, Kulawi, Palolo and Napu, which are the most visited areas around the park. In the south of the Park is another enclave, the Besoa valley. Tourists interested in Indonesian history also visit the valleys. They visit the various archeological sites where ancient water cisterns and megaliths can be found.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Tanjung Puting National Park 02

2008-04-12T04:57:00.000-07:00

Tanjung Puting sits on a peninsula that juts out into the Java Sea. The peninsula is low lying and swampy with a spine of dry ground which rises a few feet above the omnipresent swamp. Towards the north of Tanjung Puting is characterized by gentle hills and gold-bearing alluvial plains. Maps of the region commonly portray a ridge of mountains coming down into Tanjung Puting. This ridge does not exist, in fact, nowhere does the altitude rise above 100 feet in Tanjung Puting.
Tanjung Puting is a veritable hothouse of ecodiversity. The diverse habitat zones shelter slightly different fauna and flora providing a great variety of microhabitats for plants and animals and thus, the opportunity for many species to be present in close proximity. In a Bornean context, tropical heath forest by itself is not representative of the largest trees, the tallest canopy, or the most diverse ecosystem.

Tropical swamp ecosystems are little represented in protected areas throughout Southeast Asia but are omnipresent in Tanjung Puting. In the peat swamp forest, many trees have stilt roots or aerial roots as adaptations to frequent flooding.
Aside from its remarkable biological attributes, Tanjung Puting is highly important for the well-being of the surrounding local human population. The wetlands provide vital ecological services such as flood control, stream control regulation, erosion control, natural biological filtration system, and seasonal nurseries for fish which are the major source of local animal protein. Many of these services have an impact well beyond the local area. For instance, the waters surrounding Tanjung Puting attract fishing vessels from many different parts of Indonesia. In addition, local people benefit from a great variety of forest products including honey, waxes, aromatic woods, fibers for ropes and cloth, medicinal plants, fuel oils, thatching materials, rattan, firewood, incense, wild rubber, edible latexes, resins, natural pesticides, fungicides and possible virocides.

For the above reasons and many other reasons not noted, Tanjung Puting is recognized as one of the most important and outstanding provincial treasures in Kalimantan Tengah. The national government has also made a strong commitment to protect the forest, its wildlife and to manage the park wisely. Tanjung Puting has increasingly gained international prestige and recognition. As a result, more and more visitors from throughout the world are experiencing a fresh new outlook on nature and an appreciation of the tropical rain forest which was humankind's original "Garden of Eden."

The peat swamp and fresh water swamp forest associations present in Tanjung Puting were at one time extensive along the south coast of Borneo from Banjarmasin in the east to the Kapuas River near Pontianak in the west. These swamps extended up the northwest coast of Sarawak and Brunei and as far as the Klias peninsula in Sabah. In Sarawak in general, peat swamp forests are very well developed and they are still very important there as a natural resource. In Kalimantan, however, much of the swamp habitat has been converted, both permanently and on shifting cultivation basis, to rice fields. Swamp habitats, as found in Tanjung Puting, are becoming more difficult to find. Although Tanjung Puting has suffered some encroachment from human activity, the Park area is still wild and pristine. The vegetation supports a large population of animals, making this one of the most important areas in Southeast Asia for the preservation primates, birds, reptiles and fish.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Tanjung Puting National Park 01

2008-04-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

Tanjung Puting is one of the natural wonders of the world. You may not believe this after you have been there only one day or two days or three days, but after the fourth or fifth day something happens. You are captivated completely by the purity of the air, the openness of the night sky with the most remarkable view of the Milky Way, the magnificence and dignity of the gentle orangutans, the thundering downpours that instantly cool the air, and the clarity of the brilliant crimson sunsets. Tanjung Puting is the largest and most diverse protected example of extensive coastal tropical heath and peat swamp forest which used to cover much of southern Borneo. The area was originally declared as a game reserve in 1935 and a National Park in 1982. While the Park has checkered history of weak protection, nonetheless, it remains substantially wild and natural.

Tanjung Puting is covered by a complex mosaic of diverse lowland habitats. It contains 3,040 sq km2 of low lying swampy terrain punctuated by blackwater rivers which flow into the Java Sea. At the mouth of these rivers and along the sea coast are found Nipa/mangrove swamps. Mangroves teem with animal life. Tanjung Puting also includes tall dry ground tropical rain forest, primarily tropical heath forest, with a canopy of 40 meters (120 feet) with "emergents" exceeding 50 meters (150 ft) in height, seasonally inundated peat swamp forest with peat in layers two meters deep, open depression lakes formed by fire, and open areas of abandoned dry rice fields now covered with elephant grass and ferns. The tropical heath forest which is called "kerangas" in parts of Borneo, is only found on very poor, typically white-sandy soils and is characterized by medium-sized trees.

The best known animals in Tanjung Puting are the orangutans, made famous through the efforts of Orangutan Research and Conservation Program, which is based at the landmark Camp Leakey research station. Tanjung Puting also boasts the bizarre looking proboscis monkey with its "Jimmy Durante" nose as well as seven other primate species. Clouded leopards, civets, and Malaysian sun bears cavort in the park as do mouse deer, barking deer, sambar deer, and the wild cattle known as banteng. Tanjung Puting hosts over 220 species of birds, including hornbills, deep forest birds and many wetland species. Tanjung Puting is well known for its "bird lakes, " seasonal rookeries for a half a dozen species of endangered waterbirds, including the only known Bornean nesting grounds for white egrets. Tanjung Puting also has two species of crocodiles, dozens of snakes and frogs, numerous threatened species, including the fortune-bringing and highly endangered "dragon" fish also known as the Arwana (bony-tongue). Among the most flamboyant of these animals are the many species of colorful birds,butterflies, and moths found in the Park.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Kutai National Park

2008-04-12T04:46:00.000-07:00

The almost 200,000 ha Kutai National Park lies in East Kalimantan province. The park has a stirring history.
In the early seventees an area of 300,000 ha was protected and named the Kutai Game Reserve. This protection did not prevent that one third of the forest was cut in subsequent years. Trying to prevent a further decline the Kutai National Park was established in 1982. However, great wood fires destroyed 60% of the protected forests in 1982/1983. Nowadays the forest is recovering and Kutai National Park is certainly worth a visit.
The main habitat in the park is primary and secondary tropical rainforest, although all habitats of East Kalimantan can be found. At the coast the vegetation consists of mangrove swamps, backed by freshwater swamp. Kerangas can also be found. There are a few lakes in the reserve: Danau Maau, Santan, Besar and Sirapan.

Flora : Eugenia, Octomeles, Pterospernum, Dipterocarp, Rhizophora, Bruguiera, Avicennia, Sonneratia and Barringtonia species. Eusideroxylon zwageri, Nypa fruticans.
Birds : Rhinoceros Hornbill, Short-tailed Coucal (Centropus rectunguis), Wrinkled Hornbill, Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil).

Mammals : Orang utan, Malayan Sunbear, Sambar Deer, Banteng, Maroon Leaf Monkey, White-fronted Leaf Monkey (Presbytis frontata), Grey or Hose's Leaf Monkey (Presbytis hosei), Proboscis Monkey, Bornean Gibbon, Otter Civet (Cynogale benettii), Clouded Leopard, Black Flying Squirrel (Aeromys tephromelas), Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata), Flat-headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps), Yellow-throated Marten (Martes flavigula), Smooth-coated Otter.
Reptiles : False Ghavial, Water Monitor, Crested Lizard (Calotes cristatellus), Estuarine Crocodile.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Kayan Mentarang National Park

2008-04-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

Kayan Mentarang National Park covers an area of 1,600,000 ha and is located in the far interior of East Kalimantan province. The park comprises the largest remaining block of rainforest in Borneo and as such forms a very important refuge for numerous species, including many species that are endemic to the Bornean mountain bioregion. About half of the reserve consists of species-rich dipterocarp lowland and hill forest while mountain forest ranges up to Kayan Mentarang's highest mountain at 2,000 m. 40 Percent of the park has an elevation above 1,000 m.

The park is inhabitated by several thousand Dayak and Punan people who live from shifting cultivation and rice farming. Wildlife is hard to see due to hunting by native Dayaks. WWF has been working on developing eco-tourist projects in cooperation with the local people. It has 5 field-offices in settlements around the park, which are helpful for information. It also has a research station at Long Alango, north of Long Pujungan, which can be visited, and is probably the best place to see wildlife.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Mulu National Park

2008-04-12T04:40:00.000-07:00

Borneo is, after Greenland and New Guinea the third largest island of the world. The territory is divided among three nations: Brunei a small but oil-rich Kingdom on the West coast; Sarawak and Sabah which are states of Malaysia; and Kalimantan which belongs to Indonesia comprises the remaining two-thirds of the island. Our journey into the rain-forest of Borneo began on Sept.10th 1999. We started at Miri, an oil-town in Sarawak, from where we flew half an our in a small aircraft to the Gunung Mulu Nationalpark.

For a long time all we saw below us were the pathetic remains of vast areas of forest, plundered by the timber companies that had left a scarred web of red tracks. It was as if the exposed veins of the former forest were still bleeding. Yes, there were trees left, but the impression was more like that of an open park than a forest. Eventually we reached the virgin tropical rain-forest typified by a mosaic formed by thousands of different tree species.We had not yet reached the National Park but were flying over the Kingdom of Brunei that to date has protected its forests quite well. Suddenly the steep mountains of Mulu with their white limestone slopes rose from the flat plain
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Gunung Palung National Park

2008-04-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

The Gunung Palung National Park is located in the province West Kalimantan and comprises an area of 90,000 ha. The site encompasses a broad range of forest habitats ranging from coastal beach and mangrove forest to untouched mountain forests on the slopes of the Gunung Palung (1116 m) and Gunung Panti peaks. Peat and freshwater swamp forest and highly endangered lowland dipterocarp forests ring the base and lower slopes of the isolated Palung mountain massif.

At Cabang Panti, located deep within the park, Harvard University has established a research station including a research network that encompasses a total area of approximately 1500 ha on the western side of Gunung Palung. A pilot project for community-based buffer zone management, including production forestry, in an area of approximately 8,000 hectares adjacent to the park currently tries to reduce pressure from illegal logging on the park and seems successful. The project is jointly administered by the Directorate General of Forest Utilization in the Department of Forestry and Estate Crops of The Republic of Indonesia and the Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Harvard University. The Harvard research station can't be visited by tourists.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Alas Purwo National Park

2008-04-12T04:29:00.000-07:00

Base on Minister of Forestry decree 26th February 1992 number 238/Kpts-II/1992, Blambangan peninsula with other famous name Alas Purwo National Park the area is considered still sacred or holy by people, and many caves are used to meditation. In side the area is a temple that by Hindus are used to going worship or having ceremony called Pagerwesi and it's usually done every 210 days.
Alas Purwo National Park has 43.420 hectare, situated at south east of Java island. The land is generally flat to rolling rising to tha highest peak of 322 M. Classified by Schmidt and Ferguson this area has B climate with rainfall average 1000 - 1.500 mm. each year.

Flora and Fauna
The area is dominated by low land tropical forest along the shore is arow of coastal forest, ketapang (Terminalia cattapa), nyamplung (Colophylum inophylum), kepuh (Sterculia foetida), keben (Barringtoni asiatica).
The endangered fauna is Banteng (Bos javanicus) and ajag (Cuon alpinus), as well as wildpig (Sus sp), kijang (Muntiacus Muntjak), rusa (Cervus timorensis), lutung (Presbytis cristata), kera abu-abu (Macaca fascicularis), merak (Pavo muticus), and ayam hutan (Gallus sp) in the period October - December the full length of Segoro Anak can be found more than 16 species of immigration birds from Australia. This coastal zone is an ideal place for species of turtles to lie the egg, e.g. green turtle (Chelonia mydas), leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), hawkbill turtle (Erithmochelys imbricata) and olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea).

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Baluran National Park

2008-04-12T04:24:00.000-07:00

Baluran National Park as technical field authority unit under Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation. Declared by Ministry of Forestry on May 12th 1984 number 196/Kpts-II/1984 and base on Director Geral of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation decided on December 1984 number 46/Kpts/VI-Sek/1984, the area pervades three major areas namely, Baluran National Park Banyuwangi Wild Reserve and Kawah Ijen Nature Reserve.

The effort designation area of Baluran to wild life reserve was tought by Botanical garden office in Bogor since in the year of 1928, this idea supported by AH. LEDEBOER intuitive, a Dutch who colonized the area by then. In 1937 Baluran was defined as wild life reserve declared by Govermental of Indonesia Indie in 1937 (Governing decree in 1937 number 544). The purpose of becoming wild life reserve is to protec endangered wild life from its disaappearance. When the day of Word Wild Life Strategy conference was held in 1980 then Minister of Agriculture declared that Baluran to become National Park.

Flora and Fauna : Baluran National Park is one of area in Java which has natural savannah, it is about 10.000 hectare or 40 % from the total area. The area has comlete ecosystem namely Mangove, coastal forest as well as plateau and low land.
The endemic flora is Widoro Bekol (Zyzyphus rotundifolia) the others are asam (Tamarindus indica), gadung (Dioscorea hispida), pilang (Acacia leucophloea), kemiri (Aleuritas mollucana), kepuh (Sterculia foetida), walikukun (Schoutenia ovata), mimbo (Azadirachta indica), kesambi (Schleicera oleosa), lontar (Borassus sp).

Inside the area there are 147 bird species, the endangered big mamals is Walet ekor jarum (Hirundapus caudacutus). The endangered big mamals is Banteng (Bos Javanicus) and ajag (Cuon Alpinus) that can still bee seen at Baluran. Other significant fauna are wild pig (Sus sp), kijang (Muntiacus muntjak), rusa (Cervus timorensis), macan tutul (Felis pardus), kerbau liar (Bubalus bubalis), lutung (Presbytis cristata), kera abu-abu (Macaca fascicularis), merak (Pavomuticus) and ayam hutan (Gallus sp).
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Meru Betiri National Park

2008-04-12T04:20:00.000-07:00

The Meru Betiri National Park lies at the south coast of east Java and is 50,000 ha. It was named after the highest mountain in the area: the Gunung Betiri (1,223 m).
The park consists of one of the last extensive areas of lowland rainforest on Java, as well as mangrove, lowland swamp forest and beach formations. Rumour says that here the last Javan Tigers have their domicile. Other endemics in the park are the plants Rafflesia zollingeriana and Balanphora fungosa. On the southern beaches, near Sukamade, five species of sea turtle lay their eggs.

Biodiversity
Fauna : Rhizophora spp., Avicennia spp., Bruguiera spp., Sonneratia spp.. Endemic species: Rafflesia zollingeriana, Balanphora fungosa.
Animals : Javan Tiger?? (Panthera tigris sondaicus), Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Banteng, Leopard, Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor), Javan Leaf Monkey, Long-tailed Macaque, Pangolin, Silvered Leaf Monkey, Black Giant Squirrel, Reticulated Python, Water Monitor, Green Turtle, Leatherback Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Large Flying Fox.
Birds : Green Peafowl, Black-banded Barbet, Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus), Asian Pied Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Javan Coucal, Spotted Kestrel (Falco moluccensis), Rufous-bellied Eagle (Hieraaetus kienerii), Black Eagle, Collared Scops-Owl (Otus lempiji), Javan Owlet (Glaucidium castanopterum), Osprey, Banded Pitta, Red-breasted Parakeet, Crested Serpent-eagle, Blyth's Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus alboniger), Changeable Hawk-Eagle, White-bellied Sea-Eagle.

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Bromo Tengger National Park

2008-04-12T04:12:00.000-07:00

Bromo Tengger Semeru National Parks is a technical field authority unit under Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation -Department of Forestry declared by Decision Letter of Ministry of Forestry number 1049/Kpts-II/1992, dated November 12, 1992.

Before declared as a national Park, mountainous highland of Bromo Tengger Semeru is a forest area with many function like Strict Nature Reserve, Recreation Forest, Protection Forest and Production Forest.

Declaration of Bromo Tengger Semeru area as a National Park is bassed on some considerations, i.e : rare and endemic flora, habitat of migrant wildlife, unique ecosystem, active volcano, scenery of nature, cultural and traditional lives of local people, as a catchment area for waterresources around the area, etc.
The area of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park covers 50,273.30 hectares of mountainous highland and vertile valley, between 1,000 - 3,676 M above sea level. Beside the area is dominated by mountainous, there are also 4 lakes inside, namely : Ranu Pani (4 Ha), Ranu Regulo (0,75 Ha), Ranu Kumbolo (14 Ha), and Ranu Darungan (0,50 Ha). Geografically the area lies between 7°54’ - 8°13’ South Latitude and 112°51’ - 113°4’ East Longitude on the globe. Administratively is situated in four regencies, i.e : Probolinggo, Pasuruan, Malang and Lumajang - East Java Province.

According to Schmidt and Ferguson there are four climate types, i.e : A, B, C, and D. The monsoon showers fall from late October through the end of April when the dry season commences. The temperature ranges from 3 degrees to 20 degrees average with frequent intense heat waves that cause bush - fire in the June - August period and stifling humidity of 80 % can be felt during the wet season. The activities of Bromo Tengger Semeru sometimes have great effects in the freak weather. Winds with the velocity of up to 60 km can become intolerably cold.

FLORA : The vegetation of the park area consists of four main vegetation types : Highland Forest, Alvin Forest, Casuarina Forest and Grassland. It is predicted about 600 species of flora in the park. The common species are : Casuarina junghuhniana, Vaccinium varingaefolium, Albitzia lomphata, Acasia decurens, Anaphalis javanica, Anethum graviolens. At southernpart of Mt. Semeru there are about 157 species of orchids. There are also endemic species in the park like : Melastoma zollingerii, Begonia laciniata, Carpesium cermum, Epilobium cinereum, Genarium homeanum, Rumex brownii, Stellaria vestiva, Tylophora adnata, Oplismenus undulatifolius, Styphelia pungeus.

FAUNA : Little information of wildlife in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is recorded. There are only about 16 species of mammals and 70 species of birds. The mammals are : wild pig (Sus scrofa), timor deer (Cervus timorensis), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), panther (Panthera pardus), silver leaf monkey (Presbytis cristata), common porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) etc.
The common birds are Hornbill (Rhycticeros undulatus), banded pitta (Pitta guajana), crested spent eagle (Spilornis cheela), and Australian grey duck (Anas superciliosa) at Ranu Pani and Ranu Kumbolo.

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Mount Halimun National Park

2008-04-12T04:03:00.000-07:00

The forests of the Mount Halimun Massif are the largest tract of true rain forest now remaining on Java. The wide altitudinal range contributes to great habitat diversity. The area's particular importance for wildlife protection was acknowledged on 26 February 1992, when Halimun National Park was established by Ministry of Forestry decree.

Originally, most of the 40,000 ha was classified as protection forest, declared during the period 1924-1934. The area was slightly enlarged in 1979 when its status changed to that of nature reserve. On 26 May 1992, management and responsibility for the setting up of the new National Park was transferred to the Headquarters of Gede Pangrango National Park.

The park is located between longitudes 106°21' - 106°38' East and latitudes 6°37' - 6°51' South, within the regencies of Bogor, Sukabumi and Lebak. The gazetted area is mountainous, ranging from 500 m to 1,929 m above sea level (a.s.l.). Many peaks lie within the boundary: Halimun 1,929 m, Sanggabuana 1,919 m, Kendeng 1,867 m, Botol 1,785 m, South Kendeng 1,764 m, South Halimun 1,744 m and Amdan 1,463 m.

Apart from the primary function of habitat protection, the National Park plays an important role in supporting regional development and opportunities for research, education, eco-tourism and horticultural activities such as orchid growing.

With the creation of Mount Halimun National Park, the three West Javan Parks (Gede Pangrango, Halimun and Ujung Kulon), taken together, now provide a range of habitats from sea level to the highest peaks. Such conservation planning will help assure a secure future for the rich wildlife of this densely populated province.
Mount Halimun is particularly important for Javan gibbon conservation. The gibbon (Hylobates moloch) lives in primary forest between sea level and 1,250 m. It ic confined to western Java. Since most lowland forest has been lost to agriculture, Halimun National Park offers a much-needed secure home. The Javan leaf monkey (Presbytis comata), our other] West Javan endemic primate, is also endangered. Its future will depend, crucially, on protection in forested National Parks. Halimun is also home to the ebony leaf monkey (Trachypithecus auratus.), which is found only on Java and few of the lesser Sunda Islands. The long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), common and famous throughout South East Asia, is also resident.

A quiet walk in the magnificent forest may yield views of wild pig (Sus scrofa) and barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), the latter preferring secondary forest. These animals form the main diet for the now very rare wild dog (Cuon alpinus).

Flocks of bright red and black minivets fly through the canopy. In fact, there are around 130 species of bird, 90 of which are more or less permanently resident. Of the 30 or so "javanese endemics" nine can be seen within the park. At least two are endangered: the spotted crosias (Crosias albonotatus) and the rufous-fronted laughingthrush (Garrulax rufifrons). Other endemics include the pygmytit (Psaltria exilis); only found in West Java, it is the island's smallest bird.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Kepulauan Seribu National Park

2008-04-12T04:02:00.000-07:00

Geographical Location Lies some 50km off the north coast of west Java, within the administrative province of DKI Jakarta. Access is by boat from Ancol marina in Jakarta, or from the numerous fishing villages that fringe Jakarta Bay. Alternatively, it is possible to reach the island of Pulau Panjang by light aircraft from Jakarta. 5°26'-5°37'S, 106°24'-106°37'E

Physical Features Comprises a complex of small islands and coral reefs that stretch for over 80km along a north-south axis. The islands themselves are coral cays composed of reef debris and erosional products flung up by waves on to the reef flat, and are characterised by low elevation and sandy fringing beaches. The reefs are all patch reefs, typical of the Sunda Shelf, between 15m and 20m deep, over a substrate of sand and mud (Salm et al., 1982a).

Climate The archipelago is influenced by two major weather patterns. The north-western monsoon, from November to March, is characterised by short periods of violent squalls, heavy rain and easterly currents. The south-east monsoon, by contrast, is generally calmer and accompanied by westerly currents and an increase in water clarity (Salm et al., 1982a).

Vegetation The terrestrial vegetation is generally poor, with much of the original flora having been replaced by coconut plantations. Species include Scaevola spp., Hibiscus tiliaceus, Calophyllum spp., Barringtonia spp., Terminalia spp., Pemphis spp., Suriana spp., Tournefortia spp., Pandanus spp., Spinifex spp. and Ipomea spp. Mangrove species include Rhizophora spp., Avicennia spp., Sonneratia spp., Bruguiera spp. and Ceriops spp. (Salm et al., 1982a).

Fauna A total of 134 species, from 68 coral genera and subgenera, was identified in the management plan and 193 species from 56 genera identified by Moll and Suharsono. At least two principal types of patch reef are distinguishable; those permanently submerged and those at sea level which are emergent at low tide. Both types display a variety of habitats, each with characteristic coral morphologies and specific biotic assemblages. The reef flat of permanently submerged patch reefs is dominated by branching and occasionally massive corals, particularly Acropora spp., and Porites spp. With increasing depths, the reef slope displays mainly massive corals such as Mycedium spp., Echinophyllia spp., Oxypora spp. and Pachyseris spp. The inner reef flat of sea level patch reefs in sheltered habitats is characterised by sand, coral debris and small, branching or massive corals such as and Acropora spp., Porites andrewsi and P. lutea. On the outer reef flat, branching and massive corals form micro atolls and Acropora spp., P. andrewsi and P. lutea are typical . The coral assemblages of reef flats around Pulau Pari, to the south, are dominated by Acropora spp. which show a distinct zonation pattern. The unconsolidated landward section of the outer reef flat is dominated by A. pulchra and A. aspera, the mid-seaward section, by A. digitifera and the seaward edge by A. hyacinthus. The reef crests themselves are dominated by branching, tabular, massive and foliaceous corals such as Acropora spp., Clavarina spp., Pavona cactus, Pachyseris spp., Montipora foliosa, Echinopora lamellosa and Galaxea spp. The upper fore reef slope is typified by branching and vase-shaped colonies including Acropora spp., Pachyseris spp., Turbinaria spp. and Echinopora lamellosa. On the lower slopes, massive forms such as Mycedium spp., Echinopora spp., Oxypora spp. and Pachyseris spp. are predominant.

The inner reef flat of sea-level patch reefs in exposed habitats is similar to those in sheltered habitats. On the outer reef flat, the dominant forms are robust, branching, small, tabular and massive corals, such as Acropora spp., Porites sp. and faviids. Species diversity is lower on exposed reef flats than in sheltered areas and Acropora spp. display a similar zonation pattern to that of sheltered habitats. The reef crest is typified by tabular and large and small massive corals, such as Acropora spp., Porites sp. and Coeloseris spp. The upper fore-reef slope supports a mixed coral assemblage, while the lower slope is dominated by massive types such as Mycedium spp., Echinophyllia spp., Oxypora spp. and Pachyseris spp.

Other notable fauna includes reptiles such as hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata (E) and small numbers of green turtle Chelonia mydas (E), both of which breed within the park on the beaches of the northern islands. Reef fish are plentiful in some areas and depleted in others. Valuable commercial species, such as groupers, snappers and porgies, are uncommon, or entirely absent on heavily fished reefs. Molluscs of commercial importance such as pearl oyster Pinctada spp., commercial trochus Trochus niloticus, cowries and turbans have been seriously depleted due to overharvesting. Giant clam Tridacna gigas (V) is apparently now extinct within the park.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Gede Pangrango National Park

2008-04-12T03:59:00.000-07:00

Gede Pangrango National Park, together with four others, was established under a declaration made by the minister of Agriculture on 6th March, 1980. These first five park had the distinction of launching Indonesia's National Park Programme.

The park, covering 15,196 ha, evolved from several already existing conservation areas: Cibodas Nature Reseve (240 ha), gazetted in 1889, was the oldest reserve in Indonesia and in 1925 was extended to 1,040 ha; Cimungkat Nature Reserve (56 ha) gazetted in 1919; situgunung Recreational Park (120 ha) gazetted in 1975; and Mount Gede Pangrango nature Reserve (14,000 ha) gazetted in 1978.

The park is situated between longitudes 106°51'-107°02' East and latitudes 6°41-6°51' South. Administratively, it is shared between the Regencies of Bogor, Cianjur and Sukabumi.

The Gede-Pangrango area has been the centre of much research over the last two centuries, so establishing its worldwide reputation. Sir Thomas Raffles organised the building of a path on the south-eastern slopes in 1811, although the earliest recorded climb of Mount Gede was by C.G.C. Reinwardt in 1819. Other explorations were conducted by F.W. Junghuhn (1839-1861), J.E. Teysmann (1839), A.R. Wallace (1861), S.H. Koorders (1890), M. Treub (1891) and W.M. van Leeuen (1911). C.G.G.J. van Steenis (1920-1952) collected and studied here in preparation for his now famous book: "The Mountain Flora of Java". published in 1972.

Today many Indonesian and foreign scientists carry on the tradition and, as a result, these mountains are one of the most well researched tropical forest systems in the world. Even so, in such a set of complex ecosystems, exact relationships between the myriad of species will keep biologists intrigued for many decades to come. Climate, topography and vegetation all interact.

Gunung Gede-Pangrango, the twin volcanoes of West Java, is one of the first national parks in Indonesia. It covers a total forested area of 15,000 hectares. This area has a special place in the history of both conservation and botanical research in Indonesia. It includes the Cibodas Nature Reserve which has been the scene of numerous botanical and other studies for a period of well over a hundred years by a number of scientists and naturalists, including such eminent figures as Reinwardt, Junghunn and Wallace.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Ujung Kulon Marine Life

2008-04-12T03:57:00.000-07:00

The park has a wide variety of marine habitats. The rocky shores, mangrove swamps, mud flats, sea grass beds, coral reefs and sea trenches, providing diverse and fascinating insights into the underwater world.

FISHES

The easiest to find particularly on the shores of Peucang islaand are the brilliantly coloured reef browsing fish with colors and patterns from nature at its most vivid and creative.
Of these perhaps the most beautiful is the black, white and lemon vertical striped Moorish Idols with long, sweeping dorsal fins emphasizing its gracefulness.
Delicate yet boldly patterned butterflyfishes come in various shades white, yellow and orange with black markings and often have a black vertical stripe through the eye. Usually found in pairs, when alarmed they use their fins and spines to firmly wedge themselves in crevices in the reef.
The most common clownfish in Ujung Kulon are golden brown in color white bands across the body. Often found sheltering amongst the tenntacles of sea anemones, the mucous of the clownfish contains a substance that makes the stinging anemone believe it is one of its own.
Other outstanding fishes include the imaginatively patterned angelfishes of which the Emperor Angelfish with thin blue and yellow horizontal striped and a bright orange tail is a wonderful example.
Yet another spectacular species is represented by the Lionfish which motionlessly hovers over the reefs spreading black usually placid, if approached too closely can inflict an extremely painful sting from the row of poisonous spines along its back.
Often the larger fish are just as eye-catching with briliant red rock cod and snapper, orange striped trigger fish, banded and mottled morays eels and exquisitely paterned surgeon fish. The colorful parrotfish has teeth that are fused into a parrot-like beak with which it crushes corrals and molluscs into fine coral sand. They sleep inside lose cocoons constructed of mucous, sand and weeds in crevices in the reef.

Marine mammals that visit the coastline include the regularly seen dolphins and the unusual and rarely seen dugong or sea cow.

CORALS
The reef builders, the stony or hard corals make up the reefs of shallower waters. During the day many of these area are dull brown color but at nights they are transformed into miniature marine forests of plankton feeding tentacles.

Hard corals are built from the skeletons of tiny marine animals called polyps and come in a wide variety of shapes. These can resemble rocks or branching stag horns, be flat-topped or cup shaped, appear like up-turned mushrooms or have fungi-like folding contours. Their color tend to be more subdued than the soft corals because of the extra sunlight in shallow waters.

The soft corals, colonizers of established reefs, do not have the limestone skeleton of the reef builders and instead are numerous polyp gathered around a fleshy centre. Their lovely formations vary from fan-like shapes to branching varieties or have finger-like tendrils and whips in colours that vary from the delicate to the vivid. The more delicate or leafy forms tend to be found in deeper waters as they are too fragile for strong currents.

ESTUARIES AND FRESHWATER
The mudflats and stream of Ujung Kulon also hold a fascunating array of life forms. Mangrove swamps, rich in nutrients aare home to two unique speciesof fish, the mudskipper and the archerfish.

The bulging-eyed mudskippers, constantly seen hoping across the water surface, often venture onto land but must return to the water to replenish their gill chamber reserves. Mudskippers also have the most unusual attribute of being able to climbing trees.

The clever little archerfish is named for its practice of squirting shafts of water over 2 metres high to knock insects off overhanging leaves.

Yet another fascinating fish, that lives in the fresh waters of the park is a tool using fish. It clings to the underside of floating leaves which it then manoeuvers, often against the current and from its hiding place preys on smaller fish.

Ujung Kulon is alive with crabs of many sizes and colors. Perhaps the most common is the small withish Ghost crab, aptly named because of its quick disappearances, which deposits tiny sand balls in fan shapped designs on beaches.

Hermit crabs are the species that live inside shells, exchanging them for larger ones as the crab matures. The laarge holes found onn the forest floor, sometimes many kilometres from the sea, are made by mature hermit crabs that have abandoned their shells.

Fiddler crabs of colors that include bright red and turqoise are also easily identifiable because they have one claw far larger than the other and are sometimes seen engaging in group claw waving sessions in defense of their holes.

the reefs and waters of the Park have an enermous variety of marine life. A vast world of shells, sponges, anemones, slugs, seahorse, squids, sea cucumbers, lobsters, shrimps, snails, jelly-fishes and worms- these are just a few of the numerous creatures for visitor to discover.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Ujungkulon National Park

2008-04-12T03:53:00.000-07:00

COASTAL FOREST

The most outstaanding trees of the coast include the pagoda-shaaped ketapang and the robust nyamplung which has bunches of bright green fruit resembling large marbles.

The sands are often scattered with the magnificent white-pettaled flower of the broad, low-branched butun tree. These flowers are as large as an opended hand and hold numerous pink tiped stamens which exude a strong, rich perfume. They drop to the ground in the early mornings where they are raided by pollen collecting wasps before rapidly wilting.

The hisbiscus-like flower of the waru laut change in color from bright lemon to a deep brownish pink and are also widely found on the sea shores.

Of the coastal vegetaation the most distinctive is the giant pandanus. Its noteable features are large reddish pinnepale-shaped fruit and a network of tripod-like supporting roots emerging from the trunk some metres above the ground. Large stands of pandanus arre found along the south coast of Ujung Kulon.

The coconut palms, although not numerous, are believed to have been mostly planted by people rather than washed up by the sea and often indicated the sites of earlier cultivation in the park.

Beneath the canopy species of the shores are stretch of tarum, a shrubby lupin-like tree with yellow flowers and long thin pods behind which shelters the white spidery-flowered bakung lily, used by local people as fishingg lures. While twining acrross the sands from the verges of the forest are the bright pink flowering convolvulus.

The mangroves forest of Ujung Kulon are mainly situated along the shores of Welcome Bay and their root systems can vary in appearance. Some are stilt-like, as found in the suprisingly attractive mangrove lined rivers of the Cihandeuleum and Cikabeumbeum. Another species has roots poking above the mud allowing them to breathe at low tide and these can be seen south of Tamanjaya. Yet another has tendril-like roots hanging from lower branchhes.

The manroves' fruit and seed systems also have specialadaptations such as seedlings that germinate while still attached to the parent tree allowing them to quickly take root once they drop. Their seeds come in a wide variety of shapes annd sizes and being buoyant can drift in water for weeks.

Mangrove forest support a wide range of other life forms including marine life and are one of the most productive of all the natural environments that the bounteous rain forests contribute to our planet.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Ujungkulon National Park

2008-04-12T03:47:00.000-07:00

The highest points in the park are the 620 metre Gunung Honje, the Gunung Payung Range peaks of up to 500 metres and Panaitan Island's Gunung Raksa at 320 metres. In the central section of the Peninsula is a large region of wilderness known as the Telanca Plateau which reaches 140 metres above sea level, however most consist of low rolling terrain seldom morre that 50 metres above sea-level.

Surrounded by unusually warm warters, seldom varying from between 29o to 30o C. The coastlines of the park are moulded by the sea around them, battered by thee Indian Ocean, the long, sandy beaches of the south coast are backed by dunes, lagoons and forest broken by rocky outcrops - a wild and windswept shoreline.

The west coat's reef -lined shore has cliffs, promontories and towering sea-stacks along sand and boulder beaches of white sands and coral banks with islands, eestuaries, swamps and forest lined shores.

Along each coastline is a variety of seascapes which, in all their diveresity, offer a wide range of absorbing shoreline experiences.

PLANT LIFE : Ujung Kulon National Parks is one of the last remaining natural forest on Java and one very few areas offering a profile of sea shore to mountain top tropical vegetation. The Park holds well over 700 species of plant life of which at least 57 are classified as rare in Java and perhaps the world.

LOWLAND RAIN FOREST : Amongst the most fascinating of the Park's plant life are the many species of figs. These can take the form of trees, climbers or epiphytes and are the larders of the forest that provide abundant fruit for the wildlife.

The strangling fig begins from seed deposited in cavities in the trunks or branches of large trees by birds, bats and other small animals. Once germinated, the fig sends veils of tendrils down into the soil wich then form a lattice work of roots arround the trunk of the host tree. Eventually, over-whelmed by the vigorous fig, the host tree dies and rots away, leaving within the roots of the fig the hollow shape of the original tree, its strangled victim.

A number of trees such as the kigentel, the tokbrai and the kondang produce flowers and fruit on their lower trunks or larger braanches rrather than at the usual twig ends.

Why this interesting characteristic, called caulifory, has evolved is puzzling. One theory is that the fruit of these plants, being more accessible to larger animals, allows the seed to be scattered over a wide area. However other animal such as monkeys and birds become more vulnerable because they must leave the safety of the forest canopy to feed upon the cauliflorous fruit.

The climbing lianas are a feature of rain forest and grow towards the light without damaging the host tree. These vines only fruit and flower in the forest's canopy and to regenerate must reach the sunlight. They create aerial pathways for wildlife, assisting in their search for food and in seed dispersal. Several species which include kowao, leksa and asahan are water-logged with sap.

Not only animals benefit from climbing plants. Certain climbers are of high medicinal value and are used in the treatment of cancer and in Indonesian traditional tonics jamu. Others provide the Derris root powder used in insecticides or the latex in chewing gum while yet another produces a substance that is 1,500 times sweeter than sugar.

Another climber is the aggressive rattan, valued in furniture making, which use the thorns on its whip-like tendrils to attach itself to vegetation and passer-by. The angle of the thorns enable the rattan to anchor deeper with any attempt to pull away from it. As with other palms, its tightly folded immature leaves are very palatable to wildlife.

One of the characteristics of Ujung Kulon's forest is the wide variety of palms of which the most common is the langkap. Although these forests are found in very few others locations in the whole of the Malayan region, its rapid regeneration and aability to spreaad into undisturbed forest has made this a dominant species in Ujung Kulon.

Rain forests also hold a wide variety of epiphytes and although they also grown on trees, inflict no harm. They include the splendid bird's-nest. ferns and an abudance of orchids. The briliant white with a yellow centre Moon orchid, the deep red Pipit orchid, the white to purple-pink Dove orchid, and the tiny white Squirrel taail which only opens for one day, are just a few of the varieties.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Way Kambas National Park

2008-04-12T03:44:00.000-07:00

Way Kambas National Park (130.000 ha) lies on Sumatra's southeast coast in the province Lampung and easily reachable with the ferry from Java. It consists of swamp forest, lowland rainforest, mangrove forests, dry beach forests, Nibung swamps and vast areas of grass-land.
The park is famous for his Sumatran Elephants of which a large number comes from the Elephant Training School Pusat Latihan Gajah. Moreover, the reserve supports over 270 species of birds.

Biodiversity
A large part of the park is overgrown with Serdang Palms (Livistona hasselti). The lowland forest consists mainly of trees from the Dipterocarpacea family.

Fauna: Because of the vast areas of grass-land, Way Kambas is a reserve where you can easily spot the animals.

Animals : Sumatran Elephant (a lot of them are very dangerous due to ill-treatment in the adjacent elephant training school!), Siamang, White-handed Gibbon, Long-tailed Macaque, Pig-tailed Macaque, Silvered Leaf Monkey, Malayan Tapir, Lesser Mousedeer, Large Mousedeer, Barking Deer, Malayan Sunbear, Wild Boar, Wild Dog, Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Clouded Leopard, Pangolin, Temminck's Golden Cat, Leopard Cat, Agile Gibbon, Common Otter.
Reptiles : False Ghavial, Estuarine Crocodile.
Birds : White-winged Wood-duck, Masked Finfoot, Milky Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Asian Dowitcher, Storm's Stork, White-bellied Sea-eagle, Brahminy Kite, Grey-headed Fish-eagle, Lesser Fish-eagle, Osprey.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Bukit Tigapuluh National park

2008-04-12T03:42:00.000-07:00

Bukit Tigapuluh National Park comprises an area of 164,000 ha. of which the largest part, formerly known as the Seberida Nature Reserve, is located in Riau province. A smaller part of 33,000 ha., comprising Bukit Besar, is located in Jambi province. Bukit Tigapuluh literally means thirty hills which illustrates the hilly character of the area.
Bukit Tigapuluh is the most important area of remaining lowland forest on Sumatra. Lowland forests are under severe threat from agricultural encroachment as well as plantation and timber enterprises all over Indonesia. Bukit Tigapuluh has had the advantage that the area has been relatively isolated and only inhabitated by the local Malay, Talang, Mamak and Kubu tribes. However, recently large-scale plantation and timber companies have moved into the Riau and Jambi provinces and now approximately two thirds of the park has been logged.

In spite of the above, Bukit Tigapuluh National Park is still a very important enclave for the local plant life, animals and the indigenous tribes. The area has a rich rainforest flora, including 83 western Malesian or Sumatran endemic plants, providing a living area for about 200 bird species and globably threatened species like Sumatran tiger, Elephant and Asian Arowana.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Bunaken national park

2008-04-12T03:36:00.000-07:00

The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.
The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27-29 C) and harbor some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

Oceanic currents may explain, in part, why Bunaken National Marine Park is such a treasure trove of biodiversity. Northeasternly currents generally sweep through the park but abundant counter currents and gyros related to lunar cycles are believed to be a trap for free swimming larvae. This is particularly true on the south side of the crescent-shaped Bunaken Island, lying in the heart of the park. A snorkler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park.

Biologists believe that the abundance of hard corals is crucial in maintaining the high levels of diversity in the park. Hard corals are the architects of the reefs, without them, numerous marine organisms would be homeless and hungry. Many species of fish are closely associated with particular types of corals (folious, branching, massives, etc.) for shelter and egg-laying. Others, like the enormous Bumphead Parrotfish, Balbometopon muricatum, are "coralivores" and depend on hard corals for their sustenance. Bony mouth parts fused into an impressive "beak" allow these gregarious fish to crunch corals like roasted peanuts.

Some 20,000 people live on the natural resources of Bunaken National Marine Park. Although there are inevitable conflicts between resource protection and use by people, the Indonesian government is taking a fairly unusual and pragmatic approach to park management. The idea is to promote wise resource use while preventing overexploitation. Local communities, government officials, dive resort operators, local nature groups, tourists and scientists have played an active role in developing exclusive zones for diving, wood collection, fishing and other forms of utilization. Bunaken Marine Park has become an important example of how Sulawesi, and the rest of Indonesia, can work to protect its natural resources.

Bunaken Island offers a plethora of wall experiences for visiting divers. Everyone has their favorite site and mine is Lekuan 2. Judging from the number of divers who frequent the site, many agree with me. The reasons are obvious immediately upon entry. You can't help but notice the high concentration of schooling fish from the drummers and fusliliers that greet you as you begin your descent, the blizzards of brightly-colored anthias you pass along the edge of the reeftop, continuing to fall through the clouds of pyramid butterflyfish and bannerfish underneath. The variety of reef fish is astounding: you could pick out over 20 species of butterflyfish alone if you so desired.

Toward the end of the site, the Lekuan point, the current predictably picks up just as you notice the schools of redtooth triggerfish around you. Sharks enjoy the current as well, often coming up to only five meters in depth to cut over the point to Lekuan 1. Resident napoleons, giant trevally, jacks, batfish and solitary giant barracuda are predictably seen along this stretch, but smaller denizens such as leaf scorpionfish are common as well, keeping your attention divided between the lush wall and the blue ocean.

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Siberut National Park

2008-04-12T03:24:00.000-07:00

Siberut island recently received international attention as a priority conservation area, for the unique culture of the ethnic Mentawaian and endemicity of its biodiversity that need to be preserved. Although the island has plenty to offer, the potential has not been utilized fully especially for tourism.

Most visitors to the island are interested only in seeing the well promoted "culture" at the indigenous tribes, such as the communal clan life in the traditional UMA house along the river banks. To visit the island, some tour packages are arranged by tour operators from Padang and Bukittinggi.

Siberut National Park occupies the western half of the island, ranging from the northern coasts. At present the Integrated Biodiversity Conservation Project organized by PHPA, MOF, together with local government, local NGOs and other institutions, conducts the community based conservation program.

This booklet was produced to promote Siberut as a main destination or as an alternative route from mainland Sumatra. Furthermore, it is intended to encourage visits to the National Park and to the Mentawai archipelago, also.

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

2008-04-12T03:18:00.000-07:00

This national park comprises the southern part (365.000 ha.) of the Bukit Barisan Mountains. In the park several sorts of forest ecosystems occur. Seventy percent of the park is lowland rainforest. Smaller areas consist of beach forest, freshwater swamp forest, Nypa forest and hill and mountain forest. You'll also find lakes and swampy areas which are important for waterfowl. Several species of sea turtle lie their eggs on the beaches.

Biodiversity
In the lowland Dipterocarp rainforest grow Rafflesia and Amorphophallus deculssilvae. Beach forest consists of Casuarine equisetifolia, Pandanus and Ketapang (Terminalia catapa). Shorea spp., Dipterocarpus spp., Arctocarpus spp., Hopea spp., Agathis spp. and Durio spp.

Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Malayan Tapir, Sumatran Elephant, Sumatran Serow, Siamang, Agile Gibbon, Clouded Leopard, Wild Dog.
Reticulated Python, Water Monitor, Green Turtle, Leatherback Turtle.

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Berbak National Park

2008-04-12T03:09:00.000-07:00

The Berbak National Park comprises an area of 190.000 ha. of peat (110,000 ha) and freshwater swamp (60,000 ha). A smaller part consists of mangrove forest. The park is situated on the east coast of Sumatra in the province Jambi.
Nine months of the year large areas of the park are flooded. Therefor, the best time to visit the park is during the dry season from June till October. Berbak is very hot and humid.
The park's inaccessibility makes it one of the best refugees for several endangered animals. Berbak might be considered as one of the best Tiger and Tapir reserves in Indonesia. Moreover, it's avifauna is very rich.
The park is inhabited by the a group of approximately 150 original inhabitants of the east Sumatra swamps: the nomadic Kubu tribe.

Biodiversity
Nypa fruticans, Pandanus tectorius, Mammea spp.
Berbak is most famous for it's variety of birds: 250 species belonging to 49 families. A sail along the rivers in the park is the easiest way to watch the birds.
Apart from birds you find several other animals but in lower numbers than in the lowland forests.
Sumatran Tiger, Malayan Tapir, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Malayan Sunbear, Clouded Leopard, Leopard Cat, Siamang, Agile Gibbon, Common Otter (Lutra lutra), Hairy-nosed Otter (Lutra sumatranus), Yellow-throated Marten (Martes flavigula), Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), Banded Palm Civet (Hemigalus derbyanus), Long-tailed Macaque, Pig-tailed Macaque, Pangolin, Greater Slow Loris, Banded Leaf Monkey, Banded Linsang (Prionodon linsang), Large Flying Fox, Cream-colored or Common Giant Squirrel (Ratufa affinis), Silvered Leaf Monkey, Bottle-nose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).

False Ghavial, Estuarine Crocodile, River Terrapin, Bornean Terrapin, Black Marsh Turtle, Reticulated Python, Rough-necked Monitor (Varanus rudicollis), Water Monitor.

White-winged Wood-Duck, Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophotes), Lesser Adjutant, Milky Stork, Storm's Stork, Asian Dowitcher, Nordmann's Greenshank (Tringa guttifer), Wrinkled Hornbill, Wallace's Hawk-eagle, Helmeted Hornbill, Great Hornbill, Shikra (Accipiter badius), Chinese Goshawk, Crested Goshawk, Besra (Accipiter virgatus), Asian Pied Hornbill, Black Hornbill, Jerdon's Baza (Aviceda jerdoni), Black Baza (Aviceda leuphotes), Barred Eagle-owl (Bubo sumatranus), Rhinoceros Hornbill, Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Black-winged Kite, Spotted Kestrel (Falco moluccensis), White-bellied Sea-eagle, Brahminy Kite, Grey-headed Fish-eagle, Black Eagle, Buffy Fish-owl, Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot, Black-thighed Falconet, Brown Boobook, Collared Scopsowl, Reddish Scopsowl (Otus rufescens), Osprey, Oriental Honey-buzzard, Red-breasted Parakeet, Long-tailed Parakeet, Blue-rumped Parrot (Psittinus cyanurus), Crested Serpent-eagle, Blyth's Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus alboniger), Changeable Hawk-eagle, Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), Silvery Pigeon (Columba argentina), Oriental Hobby, Argus Pheasant.
Arowana, Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides).

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

West Sumatera

2008-04-12T03:06:00.001-07:00

ARTA and KATA BEACH

Both these places are popular beach resorts for the local people. Arta beach is located about 23 km from the center of Pariaman. It is known for its beautiful pine trees along the sea shore. The sandy beaches, clean water and bright sunshine are perfect for swimming and sunbathing. The pine trees can protect you from the direct sun rays. Kata beach is about 2 km south of Pariaman.

MENTAWAI ISLAND

Four islands make up the Mentawai cluster off the West Sumatra coast: Siberut, Sipora, Pagai Utara and Pagai Selatan. The people of these islands still live in comparative isolation, maintaining their age-old ways. Siberut is well known for its untouched forests, a part of a nature reserve inhabited by a number of animal species not found anywhere else, among them some rare monkey species. Beautiful coral reefs are found offshore.

ANAI VALLEY

The surroundings of the Anai Valley are magnificent. The dense tropical forest all around is most impressive and is a nature reserve.

Below runs the river Anai with its crystal clear water. Just on the side of the road is a 40 m high waterfall.

NGALAU INDAH CAVES

On the road from Bukittinggi to Payakumbuh these caves extend deep into the mountainside. The domain of thousands of bats which you won't see but only hear and sense as they fly close over your head.

At the main entrance is a stone with an outline of an elephant visible on its face. The coolness and damp air is refreshing after the tropical heat outside. The path through these caves leads out to the top of the mountain from where it is quite panoramic. The drive up to the hillside is itself worth making because of the variety of the exquisite views along way.

BATU SANGKAR

An old small town, 50 km southeast of Bukit-tinggi, it is a centre of the ancient Minangkabau culture. Pagaruyung is the historical site of a Minangkabau kingdom in the 14th century. Nearby is where some archaeological vestiges, such as the Written Stone, the Stabbed Stone and some other relics can be found.

PARIANGAN / BELIMBING

It is said that this little village came into being at the time of the big deluge. It is situated on the slopes of Mt. Merapi, thought to be the cradle of the Minangkabau culture. This historical village still reflects the pure social structure of the Minangkabau conception of a village. A mosque, a council house and traditional house with rice-barns form the nucleus of the village.

PADANG PANJANG

The conservatory of Padang panjang is a national institute specializing in the Minangkabau music and dances.

SOLOK

Diatas and Dibawah Lakes

Solok lies on the Trans-Sumatra Highway, 64 km from Padang and 76 km from Bukittinggi. The town has some fine examples of Minangkabau architecture with horn-shaped and outer walls of wood, completely carved and painted in brilliant colors. Sixty km from Solok are the Twin Lakes (Danau Diatas and Danau Dibawah) which are becoming popular as a holiday resort.

Cool mountain air and beautiful landscapes seen from the hill between the two lakes have made this spot extraordinary.

Set only about 1 km apart, one of the lakes is on a slightly higher elevation than the other.

The spot offers an impressive panorama of the surrounding countryside and offers itself excellently to hiking or camping.

Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

West Sumatra

2008-04-12T02:56:00.000-07:00

The land of the Minangkabau, West Sumatra has a distinct culture which distinguishes it from the rest of the island. A land of scenic beauty with blue green lakes and mountains, West Sumatra's Centre of culture and tourism is Bukittinggi in the highlands, north of the provincial capital of Padang
Most prominent in the landscape is the horn-shaped roofs of the houses nestled in the coconut groves.
The name Minangkabau means triumphant buffalo. It leads a community and family life based on a matrilineal system which clusters around mosques and the traditional adat houses. As it is the women who own the properties, the men are known for their wanderlust and entrepreneurship. Traveling is considered a mark of success and therefore many of them are found "merantau" (immigrated) to other parts of the country. Proof of this is the many Minang or Padang restaurants, serving very spicy food, found in all major towns in the nation. The people are hospitable and eloquent in a poetic style of speech and ceremonies. Festivals are colorful occasions.
West Sumatra has a coast line where the capital is situated. The hinterland is a range of high mountains which dip into picturesque valleys and lakes. Amongst them are the remnants of the old Minangkabau kingdom of Pagaruyung, (the art centers for silver, hand-weaving, embroidery

PADANG
The capital of West Sumatera, Padang has several houses built in traditional architecture, including the Padang Museum which houses objects of cultural and historical interest.
Its beach on the bay of Bungus with its white sands is good for swimming, boating or just watching the fishing boats going out to sea in the afternoon. Small boats can be hired from here to some small islands nearby: Sirandah, Sikuai, Pagang, Parsumpahan.
The heart of the highlands, Bukittinggi is a two-hour drive through beautiful countryside of the Anai valley and up to the Agam Plateau. A center of attraction is the town's clock-tower, topped with a horn- shaped roof and referred to by the people as Jam Gadang. It overlooks the market square and the city's magnificent surroundings.
Located 930 meters above sea level, Bukittinggi, formerly named Fort De Cock by the Dutch, has a cool climate and is surrounded by three volcanoes: Tandikat, Singgalang and Merapi. In the outskirts of the town is the Ngarai Sianok, a canyon separating Bukittinggi from Kota Gadang, 12 km away overland.
Kota Gadang is renowned for its fine silver filigree and hand embroidery.
Also worth visiting is the Museum which is a Rumah Gadang, a traditional extended family house built in the 19th century. There are dance performances at the museum's open stage every Sunday and on public holidays. Night dance performances are at Saliguri. It is also worth seeing the bullfights at Padang Lawas (6 km south of Bukittinggi) every Tuesday at 5.00 p.m.

TAMAN HUTAN RAYA BUNG HATTA
It is a botanical garden covering 70,000 ha, with a rare collection of flora and fauna, situated on the way to Solok, about 300 - 1,000 m above sea level.
The cool mountain air and panoramic views make this area a popular resort for both the young and old.
Monkeys and other animals can be seen here, and are protected by the Park Warden. Transportation to Taman Hutan Raya Bung Hatta is easy.

PANDAI SIKAT

The village of Pandai Sikat is 10 km from Bukittinggi with its hand weaving and carving industry. The village has 1000 looms and turns out richly interwoven cloth. Carved wooden ornaments and furniture are also made here.

LAKE MANINJAU

A winding road with 44 sharp turns descends to Lake Maninjau, 36 km from Bukittinggi. A crater lake, it abounds with fish. There are also facilities for swimming and water skiing. The village of Matur, overlooking lakes, arranges dance performances on request.

LAKE SINGKARAK

Another ideal place for recreation and water sport is Singkarak Lake, 36 km from Bukittinggi. There are several motels and restaurants in the area.

PAYAKUMBUH

A picturesque village and market place. Fine basketry is available here. It is 35 km from Bukittinggi and a little further up is the most dramatic view on the Harau Valley.

HARAU VALLEY

Along the road to Harau Valley is a lovely countryside. Steep granite walls shelter the fertile valley. A waterfall, 150 meters high falls into a basin. The Harau Valley is a nature and wildlife reserve, where tapir, siamangs, boars, wild goats and tigers still roam. The Harau Valley is 15 km from Payakumbuh.

RIMBA PANTI NATURE RESERVE

Fauna and flora of the Rimba Panti Nature Reserve are protected. It is situated 103 km from Bukittinggi. Stop at Batang Palupuh, 16 km from Bukittinggi.

There, in a small reserve is the Rafflesia Arnoldi, the biggest flower in existence, which blooms only once a year. Sixty km from Bukittinggi on this road is a small monument defining the equator at the village of Bonjol.

The reserve's inhabitants include several species of monkeys, honey bears, tigers, flying squirrels, birds, butterflies, etc. A guide can be obtained from the office at the reserve. The provincial office of the Directorate of Nature Conservation (BKSAA) at Padang can give you complete information.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Kerinci National Park

2008-04-12T02:47:00.000-07:00

The Kerinci Seblat National Park is one of the largest reserves in Indonesia, spanning four provinces across the southern part of Sumatra. The area was identified in the 1980's as an important area for wildlife and biodiversity. Much of the area had been set aside from Dutch colonial times. In the past fifty years since independence, settlers have been pouring into the richly forested area from all over Sumatra and from Java. In the mid-1980's, the World Wide Fund for Nature together with the Indonesian government, set aside this area to become a national park. In 1988 WWF established an office worked with the provincial, regional and local government to develop park boundaries. In 1992, due to increasing encroachment, the boundaries were redrawn. By this time, the site had been proposed to become a World Bank and Global Environment Facility pilot project for the integrated conservation and development project concept.

The Kerinci Seblat National Park comprises an area of 1.5 million ha in four provinces: West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu and South Sumatra. A large part of the biggest national park of Sumatra lies above 400 m and is relatively cool. The park probably contains the largest contiguous population of the Sumatran Rhino, estimated at between 250 and 500 individuals.
Due to the fact that a large part of Bukit Barisan Mountain range, including it's highest peak the Gunung Kerinci (3,805m), lies in the park, Kerinci Seblat consists of very mountainous terrain. In the mountains you will find hot springs and many rivers with rapids and scenic waterfalls. Especially around the crater-lakes of Gunung Tujuh (2604m) and Gunung Kerinci, the landscape is very beautifull.
East of Gunung Kerinci lies lake Bento, the highest freshwater swamp in Sumatra. Ladeh Panjang is probably the highest peat swamp woodland (altitude 2,000 m).
The relatively flat Kerinci valley cuts the park in two and forms the main entrance to the area. The valley is situated at an altitude of 800 m and has a population of about 300,000 people.

Biodiversity
More than 4,000 plant species, including 300 species of orchids and the rare Javan Edelweiss (Anapahalis javanica) grow in the park. The world's biggest flower, the Rafflessia arnoldi and the tallest flower, the Bunga bangkai raksasa (Amorphophallus titanum) are also find here. In the forests grow trees of the Shorea and Dipterocarpus family.

About 180 species of birds and 200 species of mammals live in the park.
Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sumatran Elephant, Malayan Tapir, Sumatran Tiger, Clouded Leopard, Siamang, Agile Gibbon or Ungka (Hylobates agilis), Long-tailed Macaque, Malayan Sunbear, Large Flying Fox, Wild Dog, Short-eared Rabbit or Sumatran Hare (Nesolagus netscheri), Kerinci Rat (Sundamys infraluteus), Mus crociduroides, Sumatran Serow.
Schneider's Pitta (Pitta schneideri), Sumatran Scops-Owl (Otus stresemanni), Crested Wood-Patridge (Rollulus roulroul), Argus Pheasant, Salvadori's Pheasant (Lophura inornata) and several species of Hornbills, Trogons and Barbets.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Leuser National Park

2008-04-12T02:37:00.000-07:00

Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the biggest national parks in Indonesia (950,000 hectare). Actually, it's a collection of various nature reserves and forests: Nature Reserve Gunung Leuser, Nature Reserve Kappi, Nature Reserve Kluet, Sikundur Langkat Wildlife Reserve, Ketambe Research Station, Singkil Barat and Dolok Sembilin.

Most parts of the national park lie in the region Aceh Tenggara (SE Aceh). Other parts are situated in the region east Aceh, south Aceh, and Langkat (a part of North Sumatra).
The Gunung Leuser National Park comprises more than 100 kilometres of the Bukit Barisan Mountains. Because of that, the park consists of steep, almost inaccessible mountainous terrain.The altitude ranges from 0 metre, in Kluet (South Aceh), to 3,381 metre, on top of the Gunung Leuser (Southeast Aceh). The Alas river cuts the park into an eastern and western half.
Apart from mountains you find several other ecosystems: beach forest, swamp areas, lowland rainforest, alpine and mountain forest.
In Bohorok-Bukit Lawang is the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Station and in Ketambe stands the Ketambe research station. The research station is not open to tourists.
Flora
Because of the great differences in altitude and the diversity in soil, the Gunung Leuser National Park has an enormous wealth of plant species. About 8,500 different species grow in the beach, swamp, lowland, mountain and alpine woods of the park.
In the beach and swamp forest you find Casuarina trees (Casuarina sp.), Wild Nutmeq (Myristica sp.), Campfor or Kapur baros (Drybalancops aromatica), Nibung palms, Rotan (Calamus sp.), Mangrove trees or Api-api (Avicennia sp.) and Pandan (Pandanus sp.). Along the rivers grows Pometia pinnata.

In the lowland forest, trees like Meranti (Shorea sp.), Keruing (Dipterocarpus sp.), Camfor and Damar (Hopea sp.) and several wild fruit trees like Durian (Durio zibethinus), Mango or Mangga (Mangifera indica), Wild Banana, citrus fruit and wild jack fruit grow in abundance.
In the mountain and and alpine woods, several species of moss and wild flowers: Gentians, Primula's, Strawberry, herbs, and wild orchids are found. The Rafflesia Arnoldi or Bunga padma (Rafflesia sp.) grows here also.
Fauna
About 700 different species of animals (320 birds, 176 mammals and 194 reptiles and amphibians) live in the Gunung Leuser National Park.
Swamp Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), Flying Frog or Kodok (Rhacaphorus pardalis), Flying Snake (Crysopelea), Common Flying Lizard (Draco volans), Hawksbill Turtle or Penyu sisik (Eretmochelys imbricata), Leatherback Turtle or Penyu belimbing (Dermochelys coriacea), Water Monitor (Varanus salvator).

Argus Pheasant (Argusianus argus), Asian Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris), Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros), White-bellied Sea-eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus), Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Cendrawasih National Park

2008-04-12T02:09:00.000-07:00

Cendrawasih Bay was established as a National Park in 1993. The park covers 1,453,500 ha and is the largest marine protected area in Indonesia. While only few people inhabit the park, the large size poses many challenges to the management authority especially now more outside fishers know to find the natural resources within the park.
Coral Reef Types

Five reef forms are represented in the TCMNP area: 1) fringing, 2) patch reef, 3) barrier, 4) atoll, and 5) shallow water reefs mounds. The reef slopes may shelve gently from shallow water or drop vertically from a few meters straight down like an underwater cliff, to a plateau 40 - 50 meter below the water surface. The types of coral species, and their subsequent growth forms, found on the reefs depend on the availability of light, the nature of current, and the effect of wave action on a particular area. The maximum depth of coral growth varies from about 100 m, as for example on certain fringing reefs bordering mangrove-lined coasts where there is a high suspension of sediment in the water (particularly on the west side of the Park), to 35 m in areas of clear water, such as that surrounding the Kepulauan Auri.

Coral Species
The Teluk Cendrawasih Marine National Park possesses some outstanding examples of well developed coral reefs with a high coral diversity; 67 genera and sub-genera, and 183 species of scleractinian corals. Most of the reefs in the Park area have no clearly dominant coral species, however, Porites lutea, P. cylindrica, and Acropora palifera colonies are occasionally dominant on the reef crest and upper reef slope as for example, on the fringing reef west of Yende village on Roon Island, where large branching colonies of Porites cylindrica dominate the reef. Also, on the gently sloping reef on the southwest side of Iwari Island, great whorls of Echinopora lamellosa, Pachyseris speciosa, and Montipora foliosa, shaped like giant underwater roses, dominate the slope.
On the reef flats, small sturdy colonies of Favia sp., Favites sp., Porites lutea, P. andrewsi, Seriatopora hystrix, Montipora sp., Pocillopora verrucosa, and Acropora sp. grow interspersed amongst dead coral rubble. Across the reef crest and down the reef slope, the number of coral species increases. On certain reefs, Acropora colonies, exhibiting a range of shrub, staghorn, and plate-like growth forms of different shades of soft blues, pinks, and greens, form a great bank of color across the reef crest. Smaller less conspicuous corals, such as encrusting Pavona and Leptoseris species, can be found under overhangs and in crevices, and the small branching colonies of Tubastrea coccinea and Dendrophyllia sp. make a bright splash of orange and pink where they occur under overhangs and on the roof a shallow caves in the reef face.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org

Napoleon Wrasse

2008-03-07T00:39:00.000-08:00

The Napoleon Wrasse (also known as a Humphead or Maori Wrasse) is the largest species in the wrasse family, reaching over 1.5 meters in length. An animal 50 years or older may weigh up to 180 kilograms - this is more than twice the weight of the average person.

In a few places around the world, individual Napoleon Wrasse, usually older specimens, have become quite well known and are visited regularly by divers. Some have apparently formed bonds with individual divers whom the wrasse recognize and seek out.

The Napoleon Wrasse is by no measure an abundant species in the wild. They are a solitary species, although they may sometimes be seen in pairs and prefer to inhabit steep outer reef slopes and deep lagoon reefs. Their diet consists primarily of molluscs, sea urchins and crustaceans while they are one of the few known predators of toxic animals such as boxfish, sea hares and the crown-of-thorn starfish. In the event of a plague of the reef destroying crown-of-thorns, the presence of the Napoleon Wrasse is critical in restoring balance to the ecosystem.

Described as sequential hermaphrodites, Napoleon Wrasse are born male and turn female upon reaching sexual maturity. The sex life of human beings could be described as dull when compared to wrasses. When a vacancy appears in the area for a 'dominant' male, a female in the hierarchy transforms into a 'super male' with a distinctive hump on the head.

This remarkable adaptation, together with almost everything else regarding the natural biology of this species remains poorly understood. What we do know is that time is running out for the Napoleon Wrasse. This species of reef fish are now under threat from extinction as a direct result of the lucrative demand for live Napoleon Wrasse in Indonesia.
The Napoleon Wrasse is currently 'red listed' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) - meaning it is a species being adversely impacted by human activity and is susceptible to becoming critically endangered or extinct.
Sources ; pbs.org (Picture from Various source)

Komodo Island

2008-03-07T00:33:00.000-08:00

Komodo National Park is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. Established in 1980, initially the main purpose of the Park was to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and its habitat. However, over the years, the goals for the Park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the Park was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, both indications of the Park's biological importance.

Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area up to 2,321km2). As well as being home to the Komodo dragon, the Park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer. Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays. These habitats harbor more than 1,000 species of fish, some 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges. Dugong, sharks, manta rays, at least 14 species of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles also make Komodo National Park their home.

Famous around the world for the Komodo Dragon and excellent diving, Komodo lies just to the East of Sumbawa. The legendary reputations of Komodo Dragons, coupled with dangerous currents and deep waters around the island, have kept the population and visitors to a minimum. This has helped preserve the island natural flora, fauna and coral formations.

On the strangely foreboding island of Komodo between Flores and Sumbawa is the Jurassic Park of Indonesia, a small island of 280 square km, home to the famous Komodo dragon, a giant monitor lizard over two meters long, the world's biggest reptile which can reach more than 3m in length and 136 kg, perhaps the only living cousin of the dinosaur. Potential man-eaters, the dragons are extremely dangerous and visitors must be accompanied by a park ranger to the 59,000 hectare park. A special "bite zone", a fenced enclosure like a terrestrial shark cage allows visitors to safely take pictures of the dragons as they fight, mate and eat in the surrounding forest.

Bromo Mt.

2008-03-07T00:27:00.000-08:00

Mount Bromo is a convenient stop for travellers between Bali and Surabaya, and the most popular of all of East Java's travel destinations, this active 2,392-metre- (7,85 foot-) high volcano lies 112 kilometres (70 miles), about three hours, southeast of Surabaya. Enclosed by perpendicular walls 350 metres (1,150 feet) high, Bromo's awesome 2,200-metre- (7,220-foot-) high 'sand sea' caldera has three mountains within it, craters within one huge crater, the Bromo Semeru Massif. There are also three small crater lakes inside the larger crater, with waterfowl and excellent hiking.

The ideal time to visit is in the dry season (April-November) when you have a better chance of seeing a blood-red sunrise in the wet season, you might as well sleep late and stroll across the sand sea during the warmer part of the day, after the heavy fog has blown away. The temperature on top of Bromo is around 5°C (40°F); in July, it could drop to 0°C (32°F), so dress warmly. Three times a year, the site is overrun by tourists in February when an annual festival takes place, over Christmas, and during July and August. So plan your visit for another time if you don't like crowds. From Bromo's peak are stunning views of active Gunung Semeru, Java's highest mountain.

Although Bromo can still vent steam and ash, smoke profusely and occasionally boom from the central crater, lava has not been ejected in recent history. Many local and foreign travellers make the trek for the mystical experience of watching the sunrise from the crest of the Bromo volcano. A pony ride from the village of Ngadisari takes you over a sea of sand to the foot of the volcano. Ascend the 50 steps to reach the rim. On the vast expanse of sands formerly a caldera, there are two volcanoes: the extinct Batok, which is a perfect cone and Bromo. Volcanic sulphur fumes and smoke still emanate from the depths, and when the God of Bromo begins to rumble, the surrounding population quickly bring their offerings. The annual offering ceremony of Kasada is held on the 14th day of Kasada, the twelfth month in the Tenggerese calendar year. It is a dazzling event where villagers from the surrounding areas bring their humble offerings to the holy volcano. No matter how much you have heard about it, you won't be prepared for this unforgettable spectacle.

Mount Bromo may be reached via Malang and Surabaya. From Surabaya's Joyoboyo Bus Station, take a bus or minibus for two-and-a half to three hours to Probolinggo (93 kilometres, or 58 miles). Leave Surabaya early so that you can make it to Ngadisari, below Bromo, the same day go to Ngadisari it is two hours by minibus, leaving every hour or The turn off to Ngadisari is four kilometres (2.5 miles) west of in the main highway between Surabaya and Banyuwangi. In April-November, this road is passable all the way to Ngadisari. From Ngadisari to sing, walk or take a horse. The ascent to the Bromo crater from Cemoro is about two hours by foot or one-and-a-half hours on horseback.

Batik Indonesia

2008-03-07T00:22:00.000-08:00

Batik has been both an art and a craft for centuries. In Java, Indonesia, batik is part of an ancient tradition, and some of the finest batik cloth in the world is still made there.

Contemporary batik, while owing much to the past, is markedly different from the more traditional and formal styles. For example, the artist may use etching, discharge dyeing, stencils, different tools for waxing and dyeing, wax recipes with different resist values and work with silk, cotton, wool, leather, paper or even wood and ceramics.

Batik is historically the most expressive and subtle of the resist methods. The ever widening range of techniques available offers the artist the opportunity to explore a unique process in a flexible and exciting way..

Melted wax (Javanese: malam) is applied to cloth before being dipped in dye. It is common for people to use a mixture of bees wax and paraffin wax. The bee's wax will hold to the fabric and the paraffin wax will allow cracking, which is a characteristic of batik. Wherever the wax has seeped through the fabric, the dye will not penetrate. Sometimes several colors are used, with a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps.

Thin wax lines are made with a canting needle (or a tjanting tool), a wooden handled tool with a tiny metal cup with a tiny spout, out of which the wax seeps. Other methods of applying the wax onto the fabric include pouring the liquid wax, painting the wax on with a brush, and applying the hot wax to precarved wooden or metal wire block and stamping the fabric.

After the last dyeing, the fabric is hung up to dry. Then it is dipped in a solvent to dissolve the wax, or ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax and reveal the deep rich colors and the fine crinkle lines that give batik its character. This traditional method of batik making is called Batik Tulis (lit: Written Batik).

The invention of the copper block or cap developed by the Javanese in the 20th century revolutionised batik production. It became possible to make high quality designs and intricate patterns much faster than one could possibly do by hand-painting. This method of using copper block to applied melted wax patern is called Batik Cap.

Indonesian batik used for clothing normally has an intricate pattern. The traditional ones carry natural colors while the contemporary ones have more variety of color. Some batik may be mystic-influenced, but very rarely used for clothing. Some may carry illustrations of animals and people.

Orchid Indonesia 02

2008-03-07T00:14:00.000-08:00

In the effort to research, survey and conserve the diversity of orchids in Indonesia, the Indonesian Botanic Gardens have established a vast collection of wild orchid species. While the primary collection is housed in Bogor Botanic Garden, the gardens at Cibodas, Purwodadi and Bali also possess important collections. Each of the gardens undertakes expeditions several times every year to collect specimens.

Indonesia - and most particularly Bogor - has been a centre for orchid research since the 19th Century. EngelbertKaempfer, an employee of the Dutch East India Company in Indonesia, provided the earliest recorded notes on orchids. Following his travels in Indonesia from 1690-1692, he published notes and drawings on Javanese orchids in 1712. Around the same time, another Dutchman - Georgius Everhardus Rumphius - spent years collecting, identifying, describing and illustrating the indigenous flora of Ambon (Maluku).

C.L. Blume, assistant Director of the Buitenzorg (Bogor) Botanic Garden 1822-26 focused on methods of orchid classification. One of the most eminent and productive Botanists, Johannes Jacob Smith (1867-1947) was a former Director of the Herbarium Bogoriense.

COLLECTIONS

The Bogor Botanic Garden's fascinating collection of orchids focuses primarily on wild species, numbering approximately 900 species from over 100 genera. The glasshouses contain over 5,000 accessions native to Indonesia, with more arriving after each collecting expedition.
The orchid family contains members which are epiphytic, terrestrial and saprophytic. The collection in Bogor Botanic Garden contains examples of epiphytic and terrestrial types: keep a look out for the terrestrials, as these ground-dwelling orchids represent some of the most impressive species.
The specimens you see in the Garden's collections are either the original specimens gathered from the forest, or progeny of those specimens which have been propagated. Although the orchid collection at the Bogor Botanic Garden began during the Ducth era, it wasn't until 1927 that the collection was moved into greenhouses. Beginning in 1994, the Bogor, Bali and Cibodas Gardens renovated their orchid houses.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The Bogor Botanic Garden began focusing on orchid germination, cultivation and propagation in the 1970's, in connection with researchers at the University of California at Irvine. Orchid protoplasm has been isolated for demonstration purposes at the Gardens, but investigations into cytogenetics have not been pursued.

Because certain wild species do not survive for long in collections, it is important to propagate the collections within a year or two after their arrival in the Gardens. New collections are first potted and placed in the propagation house: once they are growing well, they are then moved to the main greenhouses. The collections can then be propagated by two methods: cultivation of seed pods and meristem culture. Staff at the Bogor Botanic Garden currently use seed propagation, splitting and are starting meristem culture.

Java was the first site for the culture of orchid seedlings, and the same techniques are used in the laboratory today. Seed propagation involves collection of the pods and germination of seeds in a special planting mixture. At the Gardens the growing media is made from a mixture of agar, tomato, bean sprout extract and coconut milk. Meristem culture is a method of cloning the original plant by making divisions of meristematic tissue.

The Indonesian Botanic Gardens have been experimenting with orchid crossing for decades, and some of their achievements can be examined in the middle lattice houses. Many researchers have speculated on the immense potential for orchid hybrid creation from Indonesia's storehouse of wild species, but that potential has yet to be realised.

Orchid Indonesia

2008-03-06T23:57:00.000-08:00

ORCHIDACEAE is one of the large families of the flora of India.Since the species are adapted to diverse climatic and topographic conditions,exhibiting epiphytic,terestrial and saprophytic habits,it is one of the most interesting families with wide floral adoptations.

Indonesia has more than 4,000 species of orchid, these are native to almost every part of the archipelago, growing at elevations from sea level (Dendrobium striaenopsis) up to 3,000 meters (Dendrobium cuthbertsonii) and temperatures between 8.7ºC and 32ºC. They are found on branches of Tamarindus trees at roadside in big cities like Jakarta, Bandung or Bogor (Aerides odorata and Rhynchostylis retusa) to the canopy in our tropical rain forests. Today, many new species are still being found. Most of these are members of established genera (recent discovery of Dendrobium tobaense in North Sumatra), but occasionally even a new genus is discovered.

Kalimantan (Borneo) is the richest island in numbers of species of orchids in the world, Sumatra has 986 species, Java more than 971, Sulawesi (Celebes) unrecorded, 123 found in Maluku (Moluccas) at the eastern part of Indonesia and the Province of Papua (West New Guinea) has more than 1000, mainly Dendrobium and Bulbophyllum. Most of these orchids can be seen at Cibodas and Bogor Botanical Gardens in West Java. Bogor Botanical Garden (s'Lands Plantentuin te Buitenzorg) is one of the oldest and most celebrated of Asia's botanical gardens.

Mt. Tangkuban

2008-03-06T23:48:00.000-08:00

Mt. Tangkuban Perahu is Bandung's most famous tourist volcano just 28 km north of the city. This volcano offers many places to see and explore. Whether you look into the huge crater or hike down into it, stroll through the forest on its slopes, or simply enjoy the splendid panoramic view, Mt. Tangkuban Perahu is an interesting destination that everyone in the Bandung area is fond of visiting. When seen from Bandung, Mt. Tangkuban Perahu has a distinctive shape, like an upside down boat. Tangkuban Perahu means, in fact, "up-turned boat" This peculiar shape has stimulated the fantasy of the Sundanese people from early times as expressed in the Legend of Sangkuriang.

Geologically, Mt. Tangkuban Perahu has played a significant role in the development of the Parahyangan highlands. Eruptions have contributed immensely to the hills north of Bandung through lava flowing into the valleys and hardening into rock, thus forming big cliffs over which waterfalls leap. Likewise, mud flows have formed a semi-circular cone of gentle gradient (what geologists call "a fan"), which is now a mass that blocked the valley of the ancient Citarum River near present day in Padalarang (some 18 km west of Bandung), this caused a lake to form covering the whole Bandung plain.

Though the mountain appears peaceful, mild eruptions occurred in 1969, when Kawah Ratu spewed ash and barrages 500 m high. As recently as September 1992 it was closed to the public for a few days because unusually high seismic activity lead volcanologists to fear a new eruption. On the mountain's northern flank is an area called Death Valley, so named for its frequent accumulation of poisonous gases. On a reasonably clear day, from Kawah Ratu, the main crater, you can see not only the mountain range to the east, with Mt. Bukittunggul as its highest peak (2,209 m), but also two other in a northeasterly direction. The lower and nearer one is Mt. Tampomas ( 1,684 m) just north of Sumedang some 40 km away. To the right and about 90 km away is Mt. Ciremai close to Cirebon on the north coast. At 3,078 m, Mt. Ciremai is West Java's tallest mountain. At the foot of Mt. Tangkuban Perahu you see the Ciater tea plantation covering the rolling hills. Farther to the left are the northern coastal plains of Java, and on an extremely clear day you may even be able to see the Java Sea beyond.

Kawah Ratu, which means "Queen's Crater", is today just a big gray hole which sometimes has a pool of water at its center. Poisonous gases sometimes accumulate in Kawah Ratu, thus making it somewhat of a risk to descend to the crater floor. Beyond the saddled shaped depression on the far side of Kawah Ratu is the still active Kawah Upas, the oldest crater on the mountain. On the very far western cliff you see a spot where all vegetation has been destroyed by constantly rising sulphurous vapors. On the crater walls, note the various layers of material consisting of rock, sand, and pebbles. Overtime, new craters have formed again and again in a rather consistent shift from west to east. The most well known of these is the Domas crater, but also there are other smaller ones in jungle on the mountain's northeastern flank.

STORY
It is said that long time ago, there was a couple very much in love. They had a son called Sangkuriang. For some reason, the husband couldn’t walk around in his true form, so he was forced to assume the form of a dog. Sangkuriang loved the dog very much. One day, Dayang Sumbi, Sangkuriang’s mother, felt like eating a deer’s heart. Sangkuriang tried to hunt for a deer, in vain. In desperation, he killed the dog and took the dog’s heart to his mother. Dayang Sumbi, finally realizing that the dog had died, became extremely angry. He hit Sangkuriang, causing a wound on his forehead. Sangkuriang then fled, living somewhere else. Years had passed and Sangkuriang had grown into a fine young lad. Dayang Sumbi was as beautiful as ever. Sangkuriang met Dayang Sumbi then fell in love, not realizing that she was actually his mother. Dayang Sumbi shared the same affection, until she noticed the scar on Sangkuriang’s forehead. Convinced that she had found her lost son, Dayang Sumbi refused Sangkuriang’s marriage proposal. Sangkuriang persisted, so Dayang Sumbi asked him to build a big ship during the night. She thought Sangkuriang wouldn’t be able to finish this task. She was wrong—dawn was near, and the ship was almost complete. Dayang Sumbi then tricked the roosters to crow earlier, so Sangkuriang would think that the time was up. Sangkuriang was fooled. In bitter anger he kicked the ship aside. The ship then turned into a mountain.

Rinjani National Park

2008-03-06T23:41:00.000-08:00

The national park extends over an area of 41,330 ha, with the surrounding protected forest covering 51,500 ha. Community based activities are conducted in conjunction with the Rinjani centre in Senaru. Mount Rinjani and Segara Anak Lake located in the north of Lombok 85 kilometers from Mataram.

Mt. Rinjani is the second highes peak in Indonesia standing at majestic 3726 meters, part of the celebrated ”ring of fire”. The dramatic landscape has been created over a millions of years of cone-building, violent explosions, and erosion. Forested slopes rising directly from the sea create their own weather pattern and act as water – collectors for the whole Lombok.

For the people of Lombok Sasak and Balinese alike, treat this mountain as a sacred place. They consider the Gods live at the summit of the mountain. One of the large craters called Segara Anak, located at 2000 meters above the sea level is the destination of many pilgrims, who make the annual trek up the step slopes in order to place offerings to the Gods in the lake it self. This magnificent crater lake now holds a new and active volcano, Mount Baru Jari which appeared this century. On the north side of the lake is a hot spring ( one of 4 Segara Anak hot springs found here) which is said to cure disease.

A model for echo tourism in Indonesia, It is trully an unforgetable experience to climb such impressive mountain as Rinjani and the 2 trek expeditions that offered and the spectacular scenery cwere contributing factors to Tinjani National Park winning the National Geographic World Tourism Award in 2004.

Starting point for such a trek can begin at Senaru in the north ( or from Sembalun from the east), this three days trek attracts Rinjani from the west with a descent to awesome crater lake before again climbing up and out and on to summit.

For the visitors / trekkers that don't wish to spend several days on this expedition, Rinjani could to explorer in one 1 night 2 days begin from Senaru in the north either Sembalun in the east part, this trip doesn't visit Segara Anak Lake but is it still a breathaking and magic experience.

Mount Rinjani - Lombok Indonesia
Elevation : 3726 Meters / 12,224 feet
Prominent : 3726M
Location
Lombok Indonesia Coordinates : 8° 25′ 0″ S 116° 28′ 0″ E
Types : Stratovolcano (active)

Kris (Keris)

2008-03-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

The kris or keris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Southern Thailand and the southern Philippines. Both a weapon, and spiritual object, krisses are often considered to have an essence or presence, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad.

The kris spread from the island of Java to many parts of the archipelago of Indonesia, such as Sumatra, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, South Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and to the Southeast Asian areas now known as Malaysia, Brunei, southern Philippines, southern Thailand, and Singapore.
In 2005, UNESCO gave the title Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity to Kris of Indonesia.
The term keris had a Javanese origin, though it cannot be ascertained how it came about. The term "keris" may have originated from the old Javanese word ngeris which means ‘to stab’ or ‘to pierce’. Kris is a European rendering of this Javanese term.
As noted by Frey (2003), kris is the more frequently used term, but this pertains mainly to the Western world. The term "keris" is more popular in the native lands of the dagger, as exemplified by the title of a popular Javanese keris book entitled the "Ensiklopedi Keris" (Keris Encyclopedia), written by the late Bambang Harsrinuksmo. Some collectors prefer keris, others kris. Other spellings used by European colonists include cryse, crise, criss, creese.

The Kris is also loosely used to differentiate between the Moro kris swords found in Southern Philippines and the keris daggers found everywhere else in the archipelago.

Keris blades are usually narrow and have a wide, asymmetrical base. Blade length is highly variable. The blade is made from different iron ores and often contains nickel. A bladesmith, or Empu, makes the blade in layers of different metal. The different metals used to forge the blade gives the keris its distinctive ‘watered’ appearance. This is called pamor and is similar in concept to Damascus steel patterning on Indo-Persian blades and "hada" on Japanese blades. Blades are acid-etched after forging to bring out the contrasting patterns formed by the various metals used in the keris. Iron ore sources are rare in some areas of the Malay world, especially in Java. The Empu (for those highly skilled smiths in the employ of Kratons, who can pass down their title of Empu to their sons) or pandai keris (for smiths of varying skill levels, working outside of kratons), often use myriad types of metal ores that they can find to make the blade. There are tales of blades made from meteorite iron (rare and highly prized due to its spiritual significance and higher nickel content) to scrap metals from vehicles, tools, railway tracks, captured Dutch cannons and blades, and in recent times, bicycle chains. Keris blades can be straight or sinuous. With sinuous blades, the bends are called luks. Most keris have fewer than 13 luks and the number of luks should be odd, or the keris would be considered unlucky. The sinuous blade has become synonymous with the keris, especially today as it has become a popular tourist souvenir. In reality more than half of the old keris have straight blades. The luks maximise the width of wound while maintaining its weight.

A keris and its sheath have many parts. The names for these parts vary by region. The following terms apply mainly to the Javanese keris. ukiran – handle/hilt; patra – handle carvings (especially on Javanese ukiran); selut – metallic cap on the ukiran (not on all krisses); mendak – metal cup on the tang between the ukiran and the blade guard; wilah – blade; pocok – blade point; peksi – tang; ganja – guard/parrying structure; wrangka – the wide, top portion of the sheath; gandar – the narrow portion of the sheath; pendok – a metal sleeve for the gandar; buntut- end of the pendok.

The ukiran and the sheath are often made from wood, though examples made from ivory or covered in gold sheets could be found. Different regions in Southeast Asian produce different styles of wilah, ukiran, and sheaths. One beautiful material used for some ukiran and wrangka was fossilized mammoth molar, called "graham". Such a molar would be cut to reveal the dentine patterns within the molar. Aged graham sheaths exhibit an attractive orange, white, and beige stripe pattern.

Kris has a cranked hilt, which served as a support for stabbing strike. At the same time it allowed to add the strength of the wrist to the pressure on the blade while slashing and cutting. Kris has no special protection for the hand, except for the broad blade at the hilt, which offers some protection for the hand. In rare cases Kris has its blade made to rotating around the axis, fixed in the hilt. The idea was to get the blade automatically turning to slip past the ribs. This works poorly and leads to low durability of the weapon.

Krisses were worn every day and at special ceremonies, with heirloom blades being handed down through successive generations. Yearly cleanings, required for as part of the spirituality and mythology around the weapon, often leaves ancient blades worn and thin. In everyday life and at events, a man usually only wore one kris. In Hikayat Hang Tuah the warrior is depicted as wearing two keris, one short keris and one long keris. Women sometimes also wore krisses, though of a smaller size than a man’s. In battle, a warrior carried three krisses: his own, one from his father-in-law, and one as a family heirloom. The other krisses served as parrying daggers. If the warrior didn’t have another kris to parry with, he used the sheath. Krisses were often broken in battle and required repairs. A warrior’s location determined what repair materials he had. It is quite usual to find a kris with fittings from several areas. For example, a kris may have a blade from Java, a hilt from Bali and a sheath from Madura.

In many parts of Malaysia and Indonesia, the kris was the choice weapon for execution. The specialized kris, called an executioner's kris, had a long, straight, slender blade. The condemned knelt before the executioner, who places a wad of cotton or similar material on the subject’s shoulder/clavicle area. The blade is thrust through the padding, piercing the subclavian artery and the heart. Upon withdrawal, the cotton wiped the blade clean. Death was fairly quick within seconds.
Source : Wikipedia

Photo from various source

Green Turtle

2008-02-24T04:51:00.000-08:00

Chelonia redirects here, which is the genus name of this turtle, but has also been used for the Order Testudines which includes all turtles and tortoises.
Chelonia mydas, commonly known as the green turtle is a large sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia.[1] The range of the species extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

As a species recognized as endangered by the IUCN and CITES, Chelonia mydas is protected from exploitation in most countries worldwide. It is illegal to collect, harm or kill individual turtles. In addition, many countries have implemented various laws and ordinances to protect individual turtles and turtle nesting areas within their jurisdiction. However, the turtles' populations are still in danger because of several human practices. In some countries, the turtles are still hunted for their flesh and their eggs are collected from nests and eaten as a delicacy. Pollution indirectly harms the turtle populations both on the population and the individual scale. Many turtles die as a result of being caught in fishermen's nets and drowning. Finally, habitat loss due to human development is a major reason for the loss of green turtle nesting beaches.

The appearance of the green turtle is that of a typical sea turtle. Chelonia mydas has a dorsoventrally-flattened body, a beaked head at the end of a short neck, and paddle-like arms well-adapted for swimming. Adult green turtles are known to grow up to one-and-a-half meters long. While individuals have been caught that reached weights of up to 315 kilograms (693 lb), the average weight of mature individuals is around 200 kilograms (440 lb). The largest Chelonia mydas ever recorded weighed 395 kilograms (871 pounds).

There are a few nesting beaches in Indonesia, one of them in the Meru Betiri National Reserve in East Java, Maluku, Sulawesi and Irian.

Green turtles alternate between three habitat type depending on their current life history stage. Nesting beaches are where the turtles return to lay eggs. Mature turtles spend most of their time in coastal, shallow waters with lush seagrass beds. Seagrass meadows within inshore bays, lagoons and shoals are common locations where adult Chelonia mydas can often be found. This particular species is known to be very selective about their feeding and mating sites and entire generations will often alternately migrate between the same feeding and nesting areas.

After hatching, turtles in their first five years are known to spend a majority of their early life stages stage in convergence zones within the open ocean. These young turtles are rarely seen as they swim in frequent deep, pelagic waters where they spend the first few years of their lives

Adult Chelonia mydas are obligately herbivorous. They almost-exclusively feed on various species of seagrasses and seaweed. They have been observed grazing on various species of macroalgae, specifically Caulerpa, Turbinaria, Spyridia, Codium, and Ulva. While mature green turtles are entirely herbivorous, juveniles are known to subsist on a plethora of marine invertebrates. Select preferred prey items include smaller cnidarians and crustaceans. Their digestive intake of plant matter grows larger as they age, until as mature adults they become obligate herbivores. While it has been previously stated that green turtles do not feed while at their respective nesting areas, it has been shown that gravid turtles do in fact feed while in the waters surrounding their nesting grounds.

There are various threats to the species' survival. Direct and directed threats to individual turtles include hunting of turtles for their flesh and shells and the harvesting of their eggs. More prevalent indirect threats include casualties due to turtles being injured by boat propellers, being caught as bycatch by fishermen's nets without TEDs, pollution and habitat destruction. Pollution effects would include direct-impact disturbances such as effluent from harbors near nesting sites. Habitat loss usually occurs due to human development of their nesting areas. Urban development of beaches, reclamation and an increased level of tourism are examples of such development. An infectious tumor-causing disease known as fibropapillomatosis is also a problem in some green turtle populations. The disease kills a sizeable fraction of the turtles that it infects, though some turtles seem to be resistant to the disease.
Source : Wikipedia

Picture from various sources

Parrots

2008-02-24T04:45:00.001-08:00

Parrots are birds of the roughly 350 species in the order Psittaciformes, found in most warm and tropical regions. Also known as psittacines, they are usually grouped into two families: the Psittacidae (true parrots) and the Cacatuidae (cockatoos). Characteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Most parrots are predominantly green, with other bright colors, and some species are multi-colored. Cockatoo species range from mostly white to mostly black, and have a mobile crest of feathers on the top of their heads. Most parrots are monomorphic or minimally sexually dimorphic.

Parrots, along with crows, jays and magpies, are some of the most intelligent birds, and their ability to imitate human voices enhances their popularity as pets. Trapping of wild parrots for the pet trade, as well as other hunting, habitat loss and competition from invasive species, have diminished wild populations, and more parrots are threatened with extinction than any other group of birds.

Parrots are sometimes referred to as "hookbills," which alludes to their most notable physical characteristic: their strong, curved, broad bill. The upper mandible is prominent, curves downward, and comes to a point. It is not fused to the skull, which allows it to move independently, and contributes to the tremendous biting pressure these birds are able to exert. The lower mandible is shorter, with a sharp, upward facing cutting edge, which moves against the flat portion of the upper mandible in an anvil-like fashion. Seed eating parrots have a strong tongue which helps to manipulate seeds or position nuts in the bill so that the mandibles can an apply an appropriate cracking force. The head is large, with eyes positioned sideways, which limits binocular vision, but greatly enhances peripheral vision. They have an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed feet, with two toes facing forward and two toes facing rearward on each foot, (zygodactyl).

The most important components of most parrots' diets are seeds, nuts, fruit, buds and other plant material, and a few species also eat insects and small animals, and the lories and lorikeets are specialised to feed on nectar from flowers, and soft fruits. Almost all parrots nest in tree holes (or nestboxes in captivity), and lay white eggs from which emerge altricial (helpless) young.
Parrots have a strong, direct flight. Most species spend most of their time perched or climbing in tree canopies. They often use their bills for climbing by gripping or hooking on branches and other supports. On the ground parrots often walk with a rolling gait.
Sources : Wikipedia

Picture from various sources

Maleo

2008-02-24T04:38:00.000-08:00

The Maleo, Macrocephalon maleo, is a medium-sized (approximately 55cm long) blackish megapode with bare yellow facial skin, reddish-brown iris, reddish-orange beak and rosy salmon underparts. The crown is ornamented with a black helmet casque. The greyish blue feet have four long sharp claws, separated by a membranous web. The sexes are almost similar with a slightly smaller and duller female.

The only member of the monotypic genus Macrocephalon, the Maleo is endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. It is found in the tropical lowland and hill forests, but nests in the open sandy areas, volcanic soils or beaches that are heated by the sun or geothermal for incubation. (There are also megapode species that use fermenting compost to incubate their eggs.)

The Maleo's egg is large, about five times of the domestic chicken's. The female lays and covers each egg in a deep hole in the sand and allow the incubation to take place through solar or volcanic heating. After the egg hatched, the young birds work their own way up through the sand and hide into forests. The young bird is able to fly and totally independent. It has to find foods and defends itself from predators such as lizards, pythons, wild pigs or cats.

The Maleo is monogamous, and members of a pair stay close to each other all the time. Its diet consists mainly of fruits, seeds, ants, termites, beetles and other small invertebrates.

Since 1972, this species has been protected by the Indonesian government. Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range, high chick mortality rates and overhunting in some areas, the Maleo is evaluated as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I of CITES.
Source : wikipedia

Picture from various source

Cackatoo

2008-02-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

A cockatoo is any of the 21 bird species belonging to the family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae family (the true parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes. The name cockatoo originated from the Malay name for these birds, kaka(k)tua (either from kaka "parrot" + tuwah, or "older sister" from kakak "sister" + tua, "old"[verification needed]).

Five species of cockatoo are native to Indonesia: the Seram or Salmon-crested cockatoo
Cacatua moluccensis; the "Umbrella" cockatoo C. alba; the Lesser Sulphur (or Yellow)-
crested cockatoos C. sulphurea; the Medium Sulphur-crested C.galerita eleonora and
triton; the Goffin's C. goffini; and the Palm Probosciger aterrimus. Observations of
their natural behaviors in the wild are still quite limited and there exist no detailed studies
of any Indonesian cockatoo which approach those in Ian Rowley's book about the Rosebreasted cockatoo, Behavioural Ecology of the Galah. However, enough information is
surfacing to begin to draw some lessons of relevance to the care of these magnificent
creatures in captivity.

Cockatoos share many features with other parrots including the characteristic curved beak shape and a zygodactyl foot, with two forward toes and two backwards toes. They differ, however in a number of characteristics, including the often spectacular movable headcrest, the presence of a gall bladder and some other anatomical details, and their lack of the Dyck texture feather composition which causes the bright blues and greens seen in true parrots. Also Cockatoo species are, on average, larger than the average size of true parrots; however, the cockatiel, the smallest Cockatoo, is a small bird, and some of the largest parrots including the Hyacinth Macaw (the longest parrot) and the flightless Kakapo (the heaviest parrot), are true parrots. Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, but it is not resolved whether or not other living lineages of parrots (such as the lories and lorikeets) are as distinct as they are.

Source : Wikipedia
Picture from various sources

Lorises

2008-02-24T04:25:00.000-08:00

Slow lorises (Nycticebus coucang), otherwise known as kukang in Indonesia, are arboreal primates. Considered cute exotic pets, they are highly in demand,. The slow loris family group, also known in Indonesia as malu-malu or ‘the shy one’, consists of 8 genus from 14 species.

The distribution is quite wide, from southern Africa, Sahara desert, India, Srilanka, Southern Asia, Eastern Asia to South East Asia. Of 8 genus, only 1 is found in Indonesia, this is Nycticebus, which consists of the following 4 species:
1.Nycticebus coucang - found in Malaya, Sumatera and Kalimantan including the nearby islands.
2.Nycticebus pygmaeus - found in Indo China, Laos and Cambodia
3.Nycticebus bengalensis - found in India until Thailand.
4.Nycticebus javanicus, only found in Java (Jawa), Indonesia

Slow lorises or kukang, are primates which live in the tropical forest, preferring primary and secondary forests, in the bush and amongst bamboo forests. The distribution of the species in Indonesia can be found in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Jawa. So far there is no accurate data on their current population in the wild. However the shrinkage of the habitat forest and the high levels of poaching and trafficking can be used as an indicator that the slow loris wild population has decreased.
Source : Profauna Indonesia

Picture from various sources

Rain Forest

2008-02-24T04:06:00.000-08:00

Indonesia houses the most extensive rainforest cover in all of Asia, though it is rapidly developing these lands to accommodate its increasing population and growing economy.

Indonesia's 17,000 islands form an archipelago that spans two biogeographic realms—the Indomalayan and Australasian—and seven biogeographic regions, and support tremendous diversity and endemism of species. Of the country's 3,305 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles, 31.1 percent are endemic and 9.9 percent are threatened. Indonesia is home to at least 29,375 species of vascular plants, of which 59.6 percent are endemic.

Today just under half of Indonesia is forested, representing a significant decline in its original forest cover. Between 1990 and 2005 the country lost more than 28 million hectares of forest, including 21.7 hectares of virgin forest. Its loss of biologically rich primary forest was second only to Brazil during that period, and since the close of the 1990s, deforestation rates of primary forest cover have climbed 26 percent. Today Indonesia's forests are some of the most threatened on the planet.

Sumatera
In Sumatera, The Tropical Rainforest is situated on the middle of Sumatra, Indonesia. It consist of three national parks; Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) (8629.75 km²), Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) (13,753.5 km²) and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) (3568 km²). The total area of the rainforest is 25,000 square kilometres. The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra was chosen because, first, it represents significant area of forests on the island of Sumatra, because of the biodiversity, of lowland and mountain forest. This once vast island of tropical rainforest has been condensed to secluded areas, in the space of 50 years.

Second, the national parks that make up the heritage are all located on the well-known key spine of the Bukit Barisan Mountains, known as the ‘Andes of Sumatra’, and that all around it there are magnificent views. The mountains of each site represent important mountainous backdrops to the established and developed lowlands of Sumatra. The mixture of the stunning Lake Gunung Tujuh (the highest lake in Southeast Asia), the splendour of the giant Mount Kerinci volcano, many small volcanic, coastal and glacial lakes in natural forested settings. This shows the beauty of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

Lastly, all three national parks have a very varied habitat and have outstanding biodiversity. Altogether the three sites make up 50% of the total plant variety, in Sumatra. At least 92 local common species have been recognized in GLNP. The nomination contains populations of both the world’s largest flower (Rafflesia arnoldi) and the tallest flower (Amorphophallus titanum).The Tropical Rainforest of Sumatra has just recently become apart of the World Heritage List, in 2004.

Kalimantan
Indonesia's East Kalimantan Province, located on the island of Borneo, holds one of the world’s most diverse, productive and mysterious rainforest. Here, deep among mist-shrouded trees and sparkling waters, hawksbill turtles, sun bears and clouded leopards reside.
It is also here, hidden away within the forest canopy, where one of the last remaining orangutan populations takes refuge. But illegal logging threatens to destroy Indonesia's fragile forest and all life, both human and animal alike, that depend on it.

Arowanas

2008-02-09T04:37:00.000-08:00

Arowanas, also known as aruanas or arawanas are freshwater bony fish of the family Osteoglossidae, sometimes known as "bony tongues." In this family of fishes, the head is bony and the elongate body is covered by large, heavy scales, with a mosaic pattern of canals. The dorsal and the anal fins have soft rays and are long based, while the pectoral and ventral fins are small. The name 'bony tongues' is derived from a toothed bone on the floor of the mouth, the 'tongue', equipped with teeth that bite against teeth on the roof of the mouth. The fish can obtain oxygen from air by sucking it into the swim bladder, which is lined with capillaries like lung tissue.

Osteoglossids are carnivorous, often being specialized surface feeders. They are excellent jumpers; it has been reported that Osteoglossum species have been seen leaping more than 6 feet (almost 2 metres) from the water surface to pick off insects and birds from overhanging branches in South America, hence the nickname "water monkeys". Arowanas have been rumored to capture prey as large as low flying bats and small birds. All species are large, and the arapaima is a contender for the world's largest freshwater fish title. Arowana typically grow around 3 to 4 feet, but this is only accountable in captivity.

Several species of osteoglossid exhibit extensive parental care. They build nests and protect the young after they hatch. Some species are mouth brooders, the parents holding sometimes hundreds of eggs in their mouths. The young may make several tentative trips outside the parent's mouth to investigate the surroundings before leaving permanently.This species is distributed in Sumatra, Thailand, Cambodia and Kalimantan. Thereare four commercial varieties of Asian arowana. The scales may have differ-ent shades of colors such as gold, silver or blue. Indonesian gold arowana is found in Sumatra of Indonesia.

The scales are copper-gold in color. Scales above the lateral line, dorsal finand upper half of its tail are dark green. The lower half of its tail fin,dorsal fin and anal fin have purplish-red to brownish-red color. Red arowana, the most well known variety is found in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The Asian arowana consists of geographically isolated strainsdistributed in Southeast Asia. More work is needed to understandpatterns of genetic structure and process of diversification inarowana. In this study, the highly variable microsatellites provide aperspective on the diploid nuclear structure of each arowana strainsand the less variable mitochondrial DNA sequences provided a phylo-genetic perspective.

Source : wikipedia and picture from various source.

Botanical Garden Bogor

2008-02-09T04:23:00.000-08:00

The Bogor Botanical Gardens are located 60 km south of the capital of Jakarta in Bogor, Indonesia. The botanical gardens are situated in the city center of Bogor and adjoin the Istana Bogor (Presidential Palace). The gardens cover more than 80 hectares and are said to be the inspiration of Sir Stamford Raffles who was governor of Java from 1811-1816.

The extensive grounds of the presidential palace were converted into the gardens by the German-born Dutch botanist, Professor Casper George Carl Reinwardt. The gardens officially opened in 1817 as 's Lands Plantentuin ('National Botanical Garden') and were used to research and develop plants and seeds from other parts of the Indonesian archipelago for cultivation during the 19th century. This is a tradition that continues today and contributes to the garden's reputation as a major center for botanical research.

The Bogor Botanic Garden, Indonesia's first and foremost botanical garden, is 87 hectares of beautifully kept trees, plants flowers, lawns and ponds within a busy expanding city of 300,000 people. It is also a world famous institution for research and conservation that has developed over many years and is continuing to do so. The garden is an important part of Bogor city providing not only employment but a large recreational area for local residents, visitors from Jakarta and many passing tourists.

These four gardens have internationally important collections of plants, and while Bogor has plants from all over the world, Cibodas is notable as having a collection of plants found in cool, high altitude environments, with Purwodadi having many plants dependent upon more seasonal climate of East Java, and the high altitude garden in Bali with a large collection of conifers and Indonesian montane species.

Today the garden contains more than 15,000 species of trees and plants located among streams and lotus ponds. There are 400 types of exceptional palms to be found along the extensive lawns and avenues, helping the gardens create a refuge for more than 50 different varieties of birds and for groups of bats roosting high in the trees. The bats can be easily detected by the noise they make while competing for space under the canopies. The orchid houses contain some 3000 varieties.

source : wikipedia

picture from various source

Jogyakarta

2008-02-09T04:12:00.000-08:00

The Special Region of Yogyakarta (Indonesian: Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, or DIY), is the smallest province of Indonesia (excluding Jakarta). It is located on the island of Java. It is the only province in Indonesia that is still formally governed by a precolonial Sultanate, the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.

The Yogyakarta Sultanate, formally the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, was formed in 1755 when the existing Sultanate of Mataram was divided by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in two under the Treaty of Giyanti. This treaty states that the Sultanate of Mataram was to be divided into the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat with Yogyakarta as the capital and Mangkubumi who became Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as its Sultan and the Sultanate of Surakarta Hadiningrat with Surakarta as the capital and Pakubuwono III who was the ruler of the Sultanate of Mataram as its Sultan. The Sultan Hamengkubuwono I spent the next 37 years building the new capital, with the Kraton as the centerpiece and the court at Surakarta as the blueprint model. By the time he died in 1792, his territory exceeded Surakarta's.

The ruler Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX (April 12, 1912 - 1988) held a degree from the Dutch Leiden University, and held for a time the largely ceremonial position of Vice-President of Indonesia, in recognition of his status, as well as Minister of Finance and Minister of Defense.
In support of Indonesia declaring independence from the Dutch and Japanese occupation, in September 5, 1945, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX of Yogya and Sri Paku Alam VIII in Yogya declared their sultanates to be part of the Republic of Indonesia. In return for this unfailing support, a law was passed in 1950, in which Yogyakarta was granted the status of province Daerah Istimewa (Special Region Province), with special status that recognizes the power of the Sultan in his own region's domestic affairs. Hence Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was appointed as the governor for life.

During the Indonesian National Revolution against the Dutch after World War II (1945-1950), the capital of the newly-declared Indonesian republic was temporarily moved to Yogyakarta when the Dutch reoccupied Jakarta from January 1946 until August 1950.The current ruler of Yogyakarta is his son, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who holds a law degree from Universitas Gadjah Mada. Upon the elder sultan's death, the position of governor, according to the agreement with Indonesia, was to pass to his heir. However, the central government at that time insisted on an election. In 1998, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X was elected as governor by the provincial house of representatives (DPRD) of Yogyakarta, defying the will of the central government. He remains the only governor in Java without a military background: "I may be a sultan," he has been quoted in Asia Week as saying, "but is it not possible for me to also be a democrat?".

Pesut (Freshwater Dolpin)

2008-02-07T19:06:00.001-08:00

River dolphins and porpoises are among the world’s most threatened mammal species. The habitat of these animals has been highly modified and degraded by human activities, often resulting in dramatic declines in their abundance and range. In Indonesiaone representative freshwater dolphin population is known to inhabit the Mahakam River andassociated lakes system in East Kalimantan that is the facultative river dolphin species Orcaella brevirostris, commonly and locally referred to as Irrawaddy dolphin and Pesut,respectively.

The species is found in shallow, coastal waters of the tropical and subtropicalIndo-Pacific and in the following major river systems: Mahakam, Ayeyarwady, Mekong,where alarming declines in their numbers and ranges and ongoing and pervasive threatsoccurred. The species is protected in Indonesia and adopted as symbol ofEast Kalimantan and has been classified as “Critically Endangered” in 2000 based on theresults of the ongoing research program (Pesut Mahakam Conservation Program).

Data were collected during a two-months preliminary study in 1997 and during 3.5 years intensive research from early 1999 until mid 2002 in order to fill in the total absence ofknowledge on the freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin population status in the Mahakam River and of coastal Irrawaddy dolphins in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The research focused inparticular on their abundance, population dynamics, threats, and a comparison was made between coastal and freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins regarding their social structures, acoustic behaviours and their degree of separation.

Main findings with regards to conservation of thePesut Mahakam Abundance & Threat Monitoring Survey 2005 Conservation Foundation for Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia 2 freshwater population involve the supposed separation from the coastal population since atleast the last glacial maximum, mean minimum annual birth and mortality rates of 11% and 9%, respectively of a total best estimated population of N = 55 (Petersen’s mark-recaptureanalysis) and a main distribution in a section of ca. 180 km and ca. 375 km from the mouth including lakes and tributaries with a preference for confluence areas.

Monas Jakarta

2008-02-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

The Monumen Nasional (or Tugu Monas, the National Monument tower) is a 450 ft (137 m) tall tower in Central Jakarta, symbolizing the fight for Indonesia's Independence. Its construction began in 1961 under Sukarno and was not finished until 1975 under Suharto. It is topped by a 14.5 tonnes flame-shaped bronze plated in 35 kg (1,125 troy ounces) of gold.

Visitors can take a lift up to a platform with a good view of Medan Merdeka Park, Istiqlal Mosque and the city, if it is not too foggy. Inside the base of the monument is an exhibition on the country's Declaration of Independence and several dioramas showing the history of Indonesia.

The design of the monument is meant to combine elements of masculine and feminine. The design based on Lingga-Yoni, the symbol of fertility in ancient Hindu-Javanese belief. The phallic shaft comes toward the ground and is engulfed by square base meant to symbolize fertility. The monument body was made of steel and concrete covered with italian white marble. On the top of the tower there's a square terrace that can be reach by visitor with elevator. From here visitor can see aerial view of Jakarta. The monument is crowned by gold-coated flame, right on the top of the peak terrace. This golden flame symbolize the spirit of freedom and the struggle for independence of Indonesian people.

Picture sources : Ciko blog

Merapi Mount

2008-01-18T01:03:00.000-08:00

Merapi is the youngest in a group of volcanoes in southern Java.It is situated at a subduction zone, where the Indo-Australian Plate is sliding beneath the Eurasian Plate. It is one of at least 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire - a section of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and South East Asia.[1] Stratigraphic analysis reveals that eruptions in the Merapi area began about 400,000 years ago,, and from then until about 10,000 years ago, eruptions were typically effusive, and the outflowing lava emitted was basaltic. Since then, eruptions have become more explosive, with viscous andesitic lavas often generating lava domes. Dome collapse has often generated pyroclastic flows, and larger explosions, which have resulted in eruption columns, have also generated pyroclastic flows through column collapse.

Typically, small eruptions occur every two to three years, and larger ones every 10-15 years or so. Notable eruptions, often causing many deaths, have occurred in 1006, 1786, 1822, 1872 (the most violent eruption in recent history), and 1930—when thirteen villages were destroyed and 1400 people killed by pyroclastic flows.

A very large eruption in 1006 is claimed to have covered all of central Java with ash. The volcanic devastation is claimed to have led to the collapse of the Hindu Kingdom of Mataram, however there is insufficient evidence from that era for this to be substantiated. Merapi continues hold particular significance for the Javanese: it is one of four places where officials from the royal palaces of Yogyakarta and Solo make annual offerings to placate the ancient Javanese spirits.

photo : indonesiasoul, javajive

Badui

2008-01-18T00:45:00.000-08:00

The Badui (they call themself as Kanekes) are the descendants of the Pajajaran princes. Their population of between 5,000 and 8,000 is centered in the Kendeng mountains at an elevation of 300-500 meters above sea level. Their homeland in West Java is contained in just 50 km² of hilly forest area 120 km from Jakarta, Indonesia's megalopolis of high-rises and fast cars. The Baduis are divided into two sub-groups; the Badui Dalam (Inner Badui), and the Badui Luar (Outer Badui). No foreigners were allowed to meet the Inner Badui, though the Outer Badui do foster some limited contacts with the outside world.

The religion of the Baduis is known as Sunda Wiwitan, and this suggests that their religion is supposed to be Hinduism. However, due to lack of interaction with the outside world, their religion is more related to Kejawen Animism, though they still retain many elements of their original Hindu-Buddhist religion, like the terms they use to define things and objects, and the rituals in their religious activities. A certain amount of Islamic influence has also penetrated into the religion of a few of the Badui Luar in recent years, with some original ideas thrown in for good measure. The ultimate authority is vested in Gusti Nu Maha Suci, who according to the Badui sent Adam into the world to lead the life of a Badui.

The population of about 400 Badui Dalam consists of 40 families Kajeroanl who live in the three villages of Cibeo, Cikaratawarna, and Cikeusik in Tanah Larangan (forbidden territory) where no stranger is permitted to spend the night. They are probably the purest Badui stock. The Dalam follow the rigid buyut taboo system very strictly,( see Religion and Beliefs for more information about their taboos ) and thus they have made very few contacts with the outside world as they are considered as "People of the sacred inner circle". The Dalam are the only one of these two major clans that have the Pu'un, the spiritual priest of the Baduis. The Pu'un are the only people that visit the most hallowed and sacred ground of the Baduis which lies on Gunung Kendeng, in a place called Arca Domas. Unlike the Luar, the Dalams are hardly influenced by Islam.

Toraja

2008-01-18T00:13:00.000-08:00

The Toraja are an ethnic group indigenous to a mountainous region of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their population is approximately 650,000, of which 450,000 still live in the regency of Tana Toraja ("Land of Toraja").[1] Most of the population is Christian, and others are Muslim or have local animist beliefs known as aluk ("the way"). The Indonesian government has recognized this animist belief as Aluk To Dolo ("Way of the Ancestors").

The word toraja comes from the Bugis language's to riaja, meaning "people of the uplands". The Dutch colonial government named the people Toraja in 1909.[3] Torajans are renowned for their elaborate funeral rites, burial sites carved into rocky cliffs, massive peaked-roof traditional houses known as tongkonan, and colorful wood carvings. Toraja funeral rites are important social events, usually attended by hundreds of people and lasting for several days.

Tana Toraja (Toraja Land), which lies in the north of the province is known for its unique culture and ancient traditions. The center of tourism is Rantepao, 328 km from Ujung Pandang by road. There are several small bungalow hotels at Rantepao, and Makale, the district capital. The entry to Tana Toraja is marked by a gate built in traditional boat-shaped architecture. The road passes through the mountains of Kandora and Gandang on which, according to Toraja mythology, the first ancestors of celestial beings descended from heaven. The majority of the people still follows an ancestral cult called "Aluk Todolo" which governs all traditional ceremonies.

From Rantepao, side trips can be made to Kete, a traditional village where there are handicraft and unique shops. Behind the village there is a grave site on a hillside. Life-size statues guard over old coffins. As roads are not always paved, it is necessary to use a jeep or walk if the weather is good.

Photo : kirchersociety, acrossindonesia

Lambusango Forest

2008-01-15T04:06:00.000-08:00

Lambusango lies at the heart of BUTON islands. Bau-bau is the capital of Buton, and main gate to the archipelago. Baubau is a beautiful small town which built around a port. Since Hindu’s kingdom to Islam kingdom period until today, the port remains busy. Formerly Buton was a Hindu Kingdom (16th century), which later conversed into Islamic Sultanate Buton island was located within the busy sea routes which connected the spice islands in the east and traders from west during the flourishing spice trade in the 16th century.

Lambusango is a treasure-trove of tropical limestone forest ecosystem located at the heart of Wallacea Bioregion, and a sanctuary for a great variety of wildlife which cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.
Lambusango forests are situated on karstic coral limestone of quaternary age with significant amounts of magnesium limestone present, and it is one of Nature’s most spectacular achievements and the emerald of Sulawesi bioregion. Consist of total 63,960 hectare of remain healthy uninhabited evergreen forest, a very unique tropical forest ecosystem. Botanically, the forests support a rich variety of flora with many endemic species, and it is likely that the forests on Buton will also reflect these differences from other rainforests on non-limestone geologies. 63 species collected from a sample area of only 300m2 which is only one third of the normal sampling size of 1 hectare used for assessing tropical forest diversity.

Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga), Buton Macaque (Macaca ochreata brunnescens), Bear Cuscus (Ailurops ursinus), and Spectral Tarsier (Tarsius Spectrum) are key mammal species can be found in the forest, including 8 species of rodent, 4 species of shrew and 15 species of Sulawesi endemic bats which include rare species of Sulawesi Naked Bat (Cheiromeles parvideus). There are recorded of 126 of birds species with 42 are Sulawesi endemic and 12 are Indonesia endemic. 175 species of butterfly which 30 of them are endemic, include 37 species of herpetofauna with 11 species are new to science have also been described from the Lambusango and Kakenauwe forests.

Photo : Opwal, whozoo, biologie.uni-ulm.de, ibis.nott.ac.uk.

Ujung Kulon National Park

2008-01-15T03:23:00.000-08:00

Ujung Kulon National Park (Taman Nasional Ujung Kulon) is an ideal type of tropical rain forest and ideal habitat for Rhinoceros sondaicus, Bos javanicus, Hylobates oloch, Coun alpinus, Panthera tigris and Presbity aygula. This National Park is located in Banten Province (previously West Java) with 1,206km2 large (including Panaitan Island, Peucang Island and Honje Mountain, 443 km2 of the area is the sea).

This national Park is the first National Park that Indonesian Goverment have and also protected by the UNESCO as on of the World Heritages since 1991.

There are about 700 floras (57 rare types: Intsia bijuga, Dipterocarpus haseltii, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Pterospermum diversifolium, Engelhardia serrata etc.), 35 mamals, 5 primatas, 59 reptils, 22 amphibias, 240 aves, 72 insects, 142 fisces and 33 reefs.

This National Park also offering the unique and beauty of the landscape and the view: rivers, water fall, white sand beach (Bajo Beach), hotspot (Cibaliuk), historical statues (Ganesha & Syiwa in Raksa Mountain, Panaitan Island).

Jimbaran Bali

2008-01-15T03:11:00.000-08:00

Jimbaran located south of Ngurai Rai Airport, just about 5-10 minutes driving via Bypass Ngurai Rai. On the map it is located between Kuta and Nusa Dua, on the western side of south Bali. This place is more quite compare to Kuta, therefore if shopping is your main priority, Jimbaran is not a good answer. Jimbaran is for seafood and sunset.

Sunset in Jimbaran is fabulous. It is a combination between a sunset, a calm beach, romantic restaurant (which is located along a stretch of the beach) with torches after dark and great seafood. Sometime there are some local musicians performing and singing for you, you can also request a song or two. Note that sometime you can also find a villager's boat crossing the horizon, perfect spot for those of you who love photography.

Wayang Golek

2008-01-15T02:52:00.000-08:00

Wayang Golek is one of the puppet shows in Indonesia, it is a traditional show from Sundanese Land. Yes it's one of the special culture from West Java. This puppet is a little bit different compare to others, specially if you compare it with Wayang Kulit or Wayang Orang from the rest of Java and Bali. Wayang Golek puppets are made from wood, three dimensional puppets and it's not use any screen to be showed.

They just use a banana palm to make the Wayang Golek stand helped by the puppeteer (dalang). Behind the puppeteer is a gamelan orchestra who will always give a music and sing along the show (Sundanese music and song), guided by the puppeteer. The stories generally based on the Ramayana and Mahabarata stories using Sundanese language. At the time people try to spread the Islamic religion, they use Ramayana and Maharata subjects simply because those two strories are the famous stories from Hindu's religion (the previous known religion in the area). Therefore they try to influence the people with Islam using those stories.

Kerinci National Park

2008-01-15T02:32:00.000-08:00

Kerinci Seblat National Park located in four provinces of Sumatra: West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu and South Sumatra Provinces. Most of the area is the Bukit Barisan Mountain Ridge (part of Alpide Belt).

Long time ago, this park was the combination of Inderapura & Bukit Tapan Nature Reserve, Fauna Preservation of Rawasa Huku Lakitan-Bukit Kayu Embun & Gedang Seblat, and other forests surrounding it . Since October 4, 1982 at World National Park Congress, this area was announced as part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra.

Kerinci Seblat National Park has over than 1,000 floras, dominated by family Dipterocarpaceae, with rare and andemik flora Pinus merkusii strain Kerinci, Harpulia alborera, Rafflesia arnoldi and Amorphophallus titanium and Amorphophallus decussilvae.

Faunas that live in this kind of rain forest are Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, Elephas maximus sumatrensis, Neopholis nebulosa, Panthera tigris sumatrensis, Felis termminnckii, Tapirus indica, Capricornis sumatrensis; 10 kind of reptiles; 6 kind of amphibias (example: Mesophyrs nasuta), 6 kind of primates: Sympalagus syndactylus, Hylobates agilis, Hylobates lar, Presbytis melalobates, Macaca nemestrina and Macaca fascicularis.
Also 306 kind of birds (49 families) such as Cochoa becari, Arborophila rubirostris, Otus stresemanni and Laphora inornata.

Victoria Crown Pigeon

2008-01-12T23:15:00.000-08:00

The unique Southern Crowned Pigeon (Goura scheepmakeri) is the largest of three similar species which have spit up Irian Jaya into three mutually exclusive territories. The Western Crown Pigeon dominates from the Raja Ampat island off the western tip of Irian to Etna Bay on the south shore; and to the western limits of Cenderawasih Bay to the north.

The Victoria Crowned Pigeon rules the roost in the rest of the north, including Biak and Yapen islands and on into Papua. Our southern species holds the ground on the island's shoreline with the Arafura Sea, staring around Etna Bay in the west. This bird reaches 75 cm. and as its two cousins, comes topped off by a spectacular fan-crested crown, has a maroon breast and with blue-grey feathers covering the rest of the body.

The Kamoro name for this pigeon-of-choice, uu, is based on their onomatopea for the bird's call, rendered as hoo or hoon to western ears. Fruit is its staple in the undisturbed alluvial forest habitat. It has several fatal flaws which encourages hunting: the bird is rather tame and with a large, meaty body. Our pigeon also has a fatal attraction to leftovers after sago preparation, and this is well known to the Kamoro. Like shoots ducks in a gallery.
Two other family members, the Emerald Ground Dove (Chacophaps indica) and Stephen's Ground-Dove (C. stephani) as well as perhaps other species, are collectively called umako. The New Guinea Bronzewing (Henicophaps albifrons) rates a distinct name, tapariero.

Photo sources : Jonathanvangieson, wright-photo, ncbg

Hornbills Bird

2008-01-12T22:57:00.000-08:00

Hornbills are large, black or brown, and white, mainly arboreal birds, with long, heavy bills. Many species have large protuberant casques on top of the bill which may be gaudily coloured. Hornbills are found throughout Africa and tropical Asia, and throughout Indonesia to New Guinea. They eat fruit and insects and have harsh, penetrating calls.

The nesting habits of the family are interesting. The incubating females are usually sealed into tree hole nests with mud, leaving only a small aperture through which food can be passed by the male. When the young are hatched the female breaks out but reseals the nest entrance again until the young are ready to leave. Ten species of hornbill occur in Sumatra, eight in Borneo, but only three are found in Java.

Description: Large (100cm) white-tailed hornbill. Both sexes have black back, wings, and belly, but male has creamy head with reddish plume from the nape, and naked yellow gular pouch with a distinct black stripe. Female has black head and neck, and blue gular pouch.

Iris-red; bill-yellow with small corrugated casque; feet-black.

Range: E India, SW China, SE Asia, Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and Bali.

Distribution and status: In Borneo and Sumatra this is a fairly common bird of lowland and hill forest, up to 2000 m. In Java and Bali it is rather local.

Habits: Flies in pairs or small flocks over the forest with heavy wing-beats, seeking fruiting trees. Often mixes at feeding trees with other hornbills.

Photo source : birdtourasia, greenjugle

Proboscis Monkeys

2008-01-12T22:20:00.000-08:00

Endemic to Borneo, proboscis monkeys, known as the Dutch men of Borneo look like no other animal in the forest. They have unique noses (malesí pendulous nose overhangs their mouth whilst femalesí are turned upwards), swollen stomachs, long thick white tails and orange coats with what looks like gray trousers. If an area inhabited by proboscis monkeys, you are likely to hear them before you see them.

Even the smallest group can make a lot of noise, calling to one another, crashing from tree to tree and sometimes even diving into the water. Do not let their noise and fre-quent sightings in areas such as the Kinabatangan River mislead you. The proboscis monkeys are a threatened species. They are only found in Borneo and their diet restricts them to leaves, flowers and seeds of vege-tation only found in riverine, peat swamps mangrove forests of the coastal lowlands.

The primary threat to their survival is the destruction of their habitat. As land uses change upstream and along the tributaries of the main rivers where proboscis are found, the present ecology of the wetlands is threatened. The numbers recorded along the Kinabatangan region has been estimated to be around 900 individuals, which is far lower than studies carried out in the 60s.

Proboscis monkeys have flexible social structures, but they do gather in Harems or bands. One harem will have a dominant male, up to 9 females including their offspring. Bands on the other hand consist of non-breeding ìbachelor malesî, who have sometimes left their mothers as young as two years old. Neither harem nor band is territorial and often the feeding range of two groups or more will overlap. As long as habitats are not fragmented by human disturbance, breeding between groups will continue to strengthen the genetic diversity of proboscis monkey.

Photo by ; hormiga, nature, zingarofelice

Sumatran Elephants

2008-01-12T22:07:00.000-08:00

Sumatran Elephants: An Endangered Species (Elephas maximus sumatrensis)

The Sumatran elephant is the smallest of the Asian elephants. They can live to be 60-70 years old and up to 1.70-2.6 m. at the shoulder. They usually weigh between 6,615-11,020 pounds! Due to deforestation and destruction of habitat, the Sumatran elephants have become endangered. A female gives birth to an average of 7 calves in a lifetime and carries them inside her for 19-22 months.

Sumatran elephants are herbivores, meaning they only eat plants. They eat up to 200 kg. of food a day and their diet consists of bananas, ginger, bamboo and leaves. The elephant to the right is using his trunk to eat some leaves. Sumatran elephants are found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Borneo, Vietnam, China and Malyasia. They also live in many different types of biomes (a community of living organisms), such as the tropical savanna, tropical rainforest, tropical deciduous forest and the Himalayas Mountains. Sumatran elephants are very important to our eco-system and to the food chain. Deforestation is a huge problem affecting many species, not just these elephants. There are many organization that are set up to help the Sumatran elephants population increase and maintain their habitat.

Sources: www.panda.org. , outlandjava.com

Indonesian Tiger

2008-01-12T21:52:00.000-08:00

The Sumatran tiger, numbering fewer than 400 individuals in the wild, is found exclusively on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the last stronghold for tigers in Indonesia.

Tigers were also once widespread on Bali and Java; however these two subspecies were exterminated in the 20th century. The last observation in Bali dates back to the late 1930s, and the Javan tiger was recorded for the last time during a survey in 1976. There have been no confirmed records since.

Accelerating deforestation and rampant poaching across the Sumatran tiger's range mean that unless authorities enforce the law, the Sumatran tiger will shortly follow the fate of its Javan and Balinese relatives.

This profile has been reviewed by Tshewang Wangchuk, Tiger Coordinator, WWF-International, and Trishna Gurung, Communications Officer, WWF Asian Rhinos and Elephant Action Strategy (AREAS) and Tiger Programmes, WWF International.
Source :WWF

BUTON ISLAND

2008-01-05T18:41:00.001-08:00

Buton (also Butung or Boeton), is an island in Indonesia just off the southeast peninsula of Sulawesi. Its major town is Bau-Bau. Major islands include Wowoni (North), Muna and Kabaena (West) and Siumpu (Southwest). The Tukangbesi Islands lie just to the east where Tukang Besi is spoken, and is separated by the Gulf of Kolowana Watabo (Teluk Kolowana Watabo). Batuata Island is to the south.

The island is largely covered by rainforest and is known for its wildlife. It is one of only two habitats of the anoa, a type of buffalo.
The island is a major producer of asphalt.

In the precolonial era, the island, then usually known as Butung, was within the sphere of influence of Ternate. Especially in the sixteenth century it served as an important secondary regional center within the Ternaten empire, controlling regional trade and collecting tribute to be sent to Ternate.

Sultan Murhum, the first Islamic monarch on the island, is remembered in the name of the island's major harbor, Murhum Harbor, in Baubau. (Source: Wikipedia)

The Buton castle once served as the center for the sprawling territory of the now defunct Sultanate of Buton that included its neighboring island as well as areas on the island of Sulawesi.

The strategic location of the sultanate within busy sea routes which connected to the spice islands in the east with the trading world of India and beyond during the flourishing spice trade in the 16th century. This prime location made other powers in the region looked at this sultanate with envy.

The construction of the castle was initiated in 1634 under the order of the sixth Sultan of Buton, La Buke. Its wall is 2740 meters and it surrounds a territory of 401.900 square meters. The wall is 1-2 meters thick and 2-8 meters high, and equipped with 16 bastion and 12 gates.
The castle and its thick wall was constructed to protect the families and members of the ruling sultans from possible attacks from the sea. Its location up on the hill behind the port of Bau Bau where the main town is now located allowed the sultanate to monitor the movements of ships across the straits. More than 300 households now still live within the castle.

The project of participatory community green-mapping for heritage conservation of and within Buton Castle was successfully implemented during December 1, 2004 to March 15, 2005. (Source : www.greenmap.org)

All photo by M'R.K

WAKATOBI INDONESIA

2008-01-05T18:17:00.000-08:00

Wakatobi Island is situated in the eastern end of the Indonesian Archipelago off Sulawesi and is now part of the Tukang Besi National Marine Park. Just 6° south of the Equator this area benefits from the great diversity of the Banda Sea where over 3,000 species of fish have to date been classified. The island is exceptionally remote and still only a few of the inhabitants have today's convenience of electricity, this really is a tropical paradise of lush rainforest, swaying palm trees and golden sands far from the reality of civilization.

In being a National Marine Park Wakatobi benefits from having only one dive resort, Wakatobi Dive Resort. The owner Lorenz Mader with his wife and Wakatobi team have worked exceptionally hard alongside both the government and local people to preserve the area, this has retained the pristine coral reefs and diverse marine life making it one of the worlds most spectacular diving destinations.

From the shore of the resort divers can explore the famous House Reef lying just 20m from your bungalow, just a few fin strokes from the waters edge. The thriving seagrass bed is interspersed with colourful soft corals, eels, and the occasional flounder can be seen skimming the beds. This shallow reef stretches a distance of 50m from the shoreline and has an abundant array of life, Blue-spotted Rays, Bigeye Jacks, Fangblennies and the rare Halameda Ghost Fish can all be seen on the swim to the drop off at 50m. Within the gully that leads to the drop off you can search for the as yet un-named species of Pygmy Seahorse often found on the spectacular seafans. When looking into the deeper water from this gully you can often sea both turtles and Eagle-rays gliding by and feeding from this nutrient-rich part of the sea.

From marvelling at the diversity of the House Reef it is hard to believe that there can be much improvement around these waters, however there is and the divemasters of Wakatobi Dive Resort will be keen to show them to you. One of the most loved sites is The Blade, this comprises of a chain of 6 pinnacles that rise from great depths to within 6m of the surface. These incredible towers are adorned with brightly coloured hard and soft corals, gorgonians and sea fans, and are continually circled by numerous fish making it an exciting dive site with much ongoing activity.

Other sites of exceptional interest include Roma, again a chain though this time of undulating mounds where Clownfish can be seen playing in the soft corals and the bommies teem with macro life. This photographers paradise offers, corals in all imaginable colours, sea fans and anemones, and the resident fish will play up to the camera. At Inca's Palette the multiple overhangs that plummet to great depths are home to Leather Coral and huge tube sponges. To truly benefit the diversity of corals along these reefs a drift dive should be experienced where you can let the current guide you whilst you take in the open corals.
Source : http://www.diving-world.com/indonesia-wakatobi.html

SELAYAR ISLAND

2008-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

Selayar, a secluded island, far away from mass tourism, lies in the Celebes Sea to the south of the Indonesian Island Sulawesi. Myths have been kept alive on this small island which once lay on the Chinese trade route.

The west side of the island is mainly inhabited by fishermen, who live in small villages that continue to follow their traditions largely unaffected by western influences. Besides traditional fishing, the growing of vanilla and tangerines generate the main sources of income on the island.

Selayar is a fascinating destination owing to its unique landscape, unusual rock formations - full of caves and waterfalls - and its beautiful unspoilt beaches. The almost uninhabited east side of the island, where our resort is situated, is still covered with original rain forest. It is possible to find numerous species of birds, small reptiles, marsupials, varans and even wildboars. Furthermore, when one is lucky, the world’s smallest monkey, the tarsius, that is in danger of extinction, can be seen in his habitat.

SPERMONDE ISLAND

2008-01-05T17:12:00.000-08:00

Makassar is an excellent base for trips to the group of small islands and atolls that make up the Spermonde Archipelago (click here for chart). A part of the islands are densely populated, but some are still uninhabited. In this area you will find many great places for snorkelling and diving with a huge variety of colourful fish and beautiful coral reefs. Some of these are easily accessible from the shore (such as Samalona) and others can only be reached by boat (such as Lanyukang Atoll). The east monsoon season (May - September) is the best period for visiting the Spermonde Archipelago. This is also the best time to make trips by sailing boat in the area. Many of the islands close to Makassar show interesting village life and some historical sites can be found on the island of Kodengareng Lompo.

Samalona is inhabited by a few families and its oval shaped area is about 300 x 600 meters, so it takes only a short stroll to see its complete coastline. Beautiful coral reefs are easily accessible from the shore of Samalona. The reef on the northern side of the island is the best for snorkelling. There are rooms available to rent on the island. Sometimes you even can rent a whole house. Simple meals like "nasi goreng" are available but unfortunately some people tend to overcharge, so ask the price first. A couple of places sell coffee (local), soft drinks and beer. Usually drinks are not served cooled.
Kapuposang is a beautiful green island of about 2 km length covered with casuarina trees and coconut palms. This island is located at the edge of the Spermonde shelf, pointing toward the deep sea.

It contains some small villages. The people of Kapuposang make their living through fishing and harvesting coconuts. At the north-west point of Kapuposang is a tall lighthouse. At the south-east point of the island is a resort for divers located. For both divers and non-divers this place offers an excellent opportunity for spending some relaxed days in a quiet natural setting.

BOROBUDUR

2008-01-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

Borobudur temple is the one of the best preserved ancient monument in Indonesia that are most frequently visited by over a million domestic as well as foreign visitors. It also had been acclaimed by the world as a cultural heritage main kind. The architectural style has no equal through out the world. The inspired structure representing the micro cosmos, which have very often given rise to question e.g. when, in what way, during how long time and by whom the sanctuary had been built.

The right answers up to now has remained a mistery since no written documents had been found so far. Based on brief inscription at the Borobudur's base floor that covered by soil, most scholars estimate that Borobudur was built around 800 AD when the Central java was under the reign of Samaratungga, king of Syailendra Dynasty who adhered to Mahayana Buddhism. It has been estimated that the construction of Borobudur took between 30 to 60 years to complate, based on the assumption that most of labourers were also farmers who had to stop work regularly to tend their farms.

There is evidance that the temple was originally coated in white plaster and painted. It must have been an awsome sight to see a majestic, colorful temple rising above the greenery! Borobudur has full of philosophical ornaments in which it is completly symbolizing the unity in diversity of path that can be followed to reach the ultimate aim of life. The reliefs engraved on the wall of the temple tell about the beatiful learning of life. However, during the 10 th and 11 th centuries there was transfer of power from central java to the east, Borobudur Temple became completly neglected and given over to decay because of that unfortunate political situation. The sanctuary was exposed to volcanic eruption and other ravages nature.

Source Text : www.borobudurcorner.com

Source Pic : gegedeversailles, wee

DIVE IN WAKATOBI

2008-01-05T07:03:00.000-08:00

A Unique Destination: Wakatobi Dive Resort is situated at the epicenter of marine biodiversity. When you arrive, you'll find an intimate, tranquil, relaxing and remote resort with all the modern comforts and none of the modern stress. Their resort has easy access to superb diving on miles and miles of pristine reefs, including unlimited shore diving on the "world's best house reef", just 20m/60ft off their white sand beach. Add it all up and you've got the perfect dive vacation!Located in the Banda Sea southeast of Sulawesi, these islands are 6 degrees south of the equator and 1020 km (640 miles) northeast of Bali. Keep your camera ready - you'll be flying over the majestic Rinjani volcano on Lombok, and across the bejeweled seas of the Wakatobi Islands. While you may have very strict baggage limitations on your international flights to Bali, there are no luggage or weight restrictions on their private air service.

The Resort: Wakatobi offers four levels of bungalow-style accommodation: garden, beach, premium, cliff villa. Each is comfortable, spacious and well-appointed, featuring ensuite bathrooms and air conditioning (and the option of being cooled by ocean breezes).The maximum capacity of the resort is 48 guests. Wakatobi has a 3 to 1 staff to diver ratio. At Wakatobi you will enjoy a level of service unheard of anywhere else in the diving world. Enough staff to cater for your every whim or desire.The resort is powered by their own generators. Electricity is 220V/50Hz. They have an ample supply of adapters and power converters.Plenty of fresh drinkable water is supplied by their large capacity reverse osmosis water purification system.

Air temperature is usually around 30° C (86° F) during the day (sometimes warmer, sometimes cooler) and pleasantly cooler in the evening. Year around, the air temperature ranges 24-33° C (75-91° F), water temperature is 26-28° C (79-82° F).Due to the ocean breezes and lack of standing water, you don't have to worry about bugs or mosquitoes.Staying Connected: While you may be far from home, you can always feel connected to the outside world at Wakatobi. Guest rooms are equipped with LAN ports, the resort's main areas have WiFi coverage, and their business center provides satellite telephones, fax and PC's with multi-standard memory card readers, CD burners and Internet connection.

Cuisine: Wakatobi's team of top Balinese chefs prepares delicious meals with generous portions, complimented by fresh fruits and vegetables flown in from Bali and overseas. Typical fare includes loads of day-fresh tuna sashimi, excellent soups, barbecued fish, fresh fruits, steaks and oriental specialties. Be sure to save room for one of the decadent desserts made fresh every day by their pastry chef.Meals are generally served buffet or family-style in the Longhouse dining area. They'll also host a beach barbeque or two during your stay. Almost any special dietary need can be met if you let them know in advance. In the lounge, they supply complimentary instant coffee, tea and cookies around the clock.What to Wear: Dress is very casual. While the days are warm and sunny, the nights can sometimes be cool and breezy. They recommend packing a sweatshirt or windbreaker. The resort is near the equator so be sure to pack a hat, sunglasses, and sun block.

Photo and video: The resort's photo and video center features a complete digital image editing studio along with E6 processing. Clean fresh water is available on boats and at the resort for cameras. The dive support staff will look after your camera and video equipment as if it were their first born.Sustainable Diving: From day one, Wakatobi Dive Resort lived the belief that protecting the reefs was going to be an integral part of running a sustainable dive operation. They felt so strongly about this, they started the Wakatobi Collaborative Reef Conservation Program, a privately-funded reef conservation, education, and community improvement program. This unique program is designed to align the interests of the locals and the diving community through a series of mutual agreements and investments. As part of the program, local fishing communities obtain a fair share of the income generated by dive tourism in exchange for adopting more sustainable practices - such as leaving large stretches of reef completely untouched. The surrounding villages also receive financial incentives to improve their infrastructure. Other contributions go towards education and strengthening local support for protecting the precious marine life in the Wakatobi region.

Currently, the cooperative conservation program protects over 22 miles of coral reefs in the Wakatobi region. In addition, Wakatobi's community programs bring electricity to the 700-person village on the island, encourage environmentally-conscious waste management, and sponsor reef patrols, schools, sporting events, and public moorings to reduce anchor damage.Wakatobi Dive Resort has spent years developing, improving and refining these conservation agreements. Their efforts have been based on a commitment to understand the local needs and to treat the local communities as fully consenting peers, so there's no need to preach or apply pressure. In turn, the local communities have become defenders of these precious underwater properties, a valued resource for them.

You, the diver, can join with Wakatobi with a good conscience, knowing that your visit is helping to preserve these incredible reefs not only for today, but for generations to come.Diving Program: Wakatobi's underwater environment is an extraordinary and diverse seascape of vibrant tropical coral reefs, a rich sea-grass habitat, dramatic slopes and walls, lush sea mounts, caverns and pristine reef tops. It is an excellent opportunity for drift diving, critter encounters and fascinating reef exploration. The resort's unique marine conservation and community integration programs ensure that these underwater surroundings remain exclusive and unspoiled.The dive center is located only a few steps from the water. Their diving program includes· An early morning beach dive before breakfast· A two-tank boat dive trip before lunch· Afternoon taxi boat dives on the world's best house reef (or a third boat dive)· Night beach dives before and after dinner· An evening boat night dive may be scheduled when conditions allowBeach dives and taxi boat dives on their 8 km / 5 mile house reef feature multiple dive sites and are accompanied by guides upon availability. Boat dives are always escorted by guides. Dive buddies are required on all dives unless cleared with the resort manager.If you have the energy, you can easily make 5 to 7 dives a day. Most guests relax a little and make 3 to 4 dives a day.The resort recommends that all their guests bring their own dive equipment so they are completely familiar and comfortable with its operation. The basic diving equipment recommended is· a regulator· depth and pressure gauge· watch or dive computer· buoyancy compensation device· mask· booties· fins· snorkel· dive lightHowever, they do have dive equipment available for rental.The resort recommends you bring a 5 mm (1/4") full-body wetsuit but some guests are comfortable in only 3mm (3/16") shorties.

Seasons: Climate and diving conditions are consistently very pleasant throughout the long season (March to December). Peak visibility is in April to June and September to November. July and August have higher reef activity as more plankton is in the water (and potentially more big stuff). June and July feature a little more wind, making for nice sea breezes. Visibility ranges from 15m - 80m (45 -240 feet). January and February are wet monsoon months and the resort is closed. All weather is approximate and subject to the whims of Mother Nature.Surface Intervals: Onemobaa Island, on which Wakatobi Dive Resort is located, is roughly 8 square kilometers (3 square miles). The island trails allow for nice walks (or jogs / runs). Behind the resort, one can find shallow sink holes that can be explored with snorkeling equipment and a dive light. We also offer ping-pong, volleyball and badminton.They also have more leisurely pursuits such as board games, a selection of movies and a fairly extensive reading library. A television set with DVD and VHS players is located in the Longhouse lounge area, along with a CD / cassette stereo system. Of course, the resort's beach offers world-class snorkeling or just a relaxing view.Wakatobi's Boutique: A selection of resort wear (including a stylish range of Wakatobi signature clothing item), sundries, and local crafts are available in the resort boutique. They accept US Dollars, Rupiah (local currency), Euro and Visa or MasterCardSafety and Medical: Wakatobi is situated in a remote location in a stable environment with a very friendly and peaceful population. Nevertheless, the resort features on-site security, and a wide range alert network. The resort observes the highest standards for your safety above and below the water. Since the inception of Wakatobi Dive Resort over 10 years ago, they have not had any safety issues.

They have a good stock of medical gear and medication (with pretty much everything from band-aids to defibrillators). Should that not be enough, there is a small hospital on the neighboring island sufficiently equipped for basic treatments.In case of a serious medical incident, the resort will fly you to a treatment center in Denpasar or Singapore. This premium service is included free of charge as part of your Wakatobi resort package.Insurance: Every effort is made to ensure you are kept safe and carefree during your holiday. However, they do recommend you purchase trip cancellation/interruption insurance in the event of unexpected changes in your travel plans or if your baggage is misplaced along the way.In case of a serious medical incident, the resort has established procedures and protocols with International SOS, the world's leading provider of international medical assistance and evacuation. http://www.internationalsos.comThe resort strongly recommends you purchase supplemental dive insurance, offered by many firms such as Divers Alert Network (DAN), PADI, and Dive Assure. These companies offer specific dive-related policies that often include travel, gear, and dive accident/ evacuation coverage all in one comprehensive policy.

Documentation: Your passport will need to be valid for at least 6 months after your entry into Indonesia with at least one totally empty page for the visa. Check with your airline or travel agent for Visa requirements. Remember to bring your dive certification card.Cultural: Always keep in mind that you are a guest in another country. Customs, dress, mannerisms will likely be very different from your home country. Please be respectful and courteous. As part of the Wakatobi experience, you will have a chance to visit a local village. If you are so inclined, your gifts of school supplies (paper, pencils, erasers, notebooks, maps, crayons, etc...) would be welcome.Waste management: As a general rule, the resort tries to minimize plastics on the island as waste disposal is troublesome in such a remote location. They suggest you bring rechargeable batteries as they cannot dispose or recycle ordinary batteries. Otherwise, be prepared to take the spent ones home with you.Basic Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia): One of the main uniting forces in Indonesia is its common language. Despite having millions of people who live on many thousands of islands, each with its own local language or dialect, Indonesians are able to communicate effectively using the national language, Bahasa Indonesia. As a traveler, if you are able to speak a few words of Indonesian, it will certainly endear you to the local people you meet.
Source:http://www.aquaticdreams.com/wakatobi.htm

TAKABONERATE

2008-01-04T17:46:00.000-08:00

Takabonerate (Telaga Bone Rate) lies southwest of Selayar island and is the third largest coral atoll in the world (the largest is Kwajalein in the Marshall islands and the second largest Suvadiva in the Maldives). Spread over 2,220 square kilometer (21 small islands) in the Flores Sea, there are coral reef and seagrass ecosystems. The atoll offers some very good wall diving. Visibility is normally around 30 meter. The atoll rises sharply from the side of a submerged ridge 2,000 meter below the surface. It is said to have been a huge volcano, that has since subsided, leaving a wide ring of coral. The area is an Indonesian National Marine Park and as such there should be no fishing. I researched in the internet and found a lot of game fishing pages about Takabonaerate. There seem to be a lot of fish such as the wahoo, barracuda, giant trevally, marlin, sailfish, yellowfins, dogtooth tuna and mackerels. There are some nesting areas for sea turtles on the islands.

However recently I heard from some dutch divers, that did a liveaboard trip from Cape Bira to west Selayar and Takabonerate, that a lot of the reefs were destroyed from dynamite fishing. They reported only small fishes and a lot of broken corals. " Regretfully we must say after a survey of a week, that over 90% of all the reefs we dived at were completely destroyed. There were barely large or small fishes, sometimes only some anthias, anemonefishes and fusiliers. Hard and soft corals were few in species and numbers. Most of the reefs looked like a large area covered with cat litter!"

DIVE IN BUNAKEN

2008-01-04T16:54:00.000-08:00

Bunaken is part of the Bunaken National Marine Park, which has some of the highest levels of marine biodiversity in the world. Scuba diving attracts many visitors to the island. Bunaken is located at the north of the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It belongs administratively to the municipality of Manado.

The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 890.65 km², 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.

The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27 to 29 °C) Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

Biologists believe that the abundance of hard corals is crucial in maintaining the high levels of diversity in the park. Hard corals are the architects of the reefs, without them, numerous marine organisms would be homeless and hungry. Many species of fish are closely associated with particular types of corals (folious, branching, massives, etc.) for shelter and egg-laying. Others, like the enormous Bumphead Parrotfish, Balbometopon muricatum, are "coralivores" and depend on hard corals for their sustenance. Bony mouth parts fused into an impressive "beak" allow these gregarious fish to crunch corals like roasted peanuts.

Source : wikipedia.

Most photo by Siladen Resort

DIVE TO IRIAN

2008-01-04T03:46:00.000-08:00

The Raja Ampat in Irian Jaya is not one of the most visited diving areas in the world which is strange since almost everyone who knows anything about the area agrees that there can surely be nowhere better on earth. Boasting the highest marine diversity on the planet, beautiful topside scenery and awesome underwater topography diving Raja Ampat is as close as you can get to underwater heaven.

To stand on the bow of your liveaboard boat as it cuts through the clear water towards verdant islands inhabited by people whose lives are so different to your own really creates that frontier feeling. When your small dive group stops at a site where there are no other divers you will feel like a pioneer slipping into waters that you feel you are the first to dive. Amazing quantities of fish as well as beautiful topography and critters in their millions, your memories of Irian Jaya will stay with you forever.

Photo : www.kararu.com

TOBA IN INDONESIA

2008-01-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

The Toba eruption (the Toba event) occurred at what is now Lake Toba about 67,500 to 75,500 years ago. It had an estimated Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8 (described as "mega-colossal"), making it possibly the largest explosive volcanic eruption within the last twenty-five million years. Bill Rose and Craig Chesner of Michigan Technological University deduced that the total amount of erupted material was about 2800 cubic km (670 cubic miles) — around 2,000 km³ of ignimbrite that flowed over the ground and around 800 km³ that fell as ash, with the wind blowing most of it to the west. By contrast, the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens ejected around 1.2 cubic km of material, whilst the largest volcanic eruption in historic times, at Mount Tambora in 1815, emitted the equivalent of around 100 cubic kilometres of dense rock and created the "Year Without a Summer" as far away as North America.

The Toba eruption was the latest of a series of at least three caldera-forming eruptions which have occurred at the volcano. Earlier calderas were formed around 700,000 and 840,000 years ago.
To give an idea of its magnitude, consider that although the eruption took place in Indonesia, it deposited an ash layer approximately 15 cm (6 in) thick over the entire Indian subcontinent; at one site in central India, the Toba ash layer today is up to 6 m (20 feet) thick[3] and parts of Malaysia were covered with 9 m of ashfall.[4] In addition it has been calculated that 1010 metric tons of sulphuric acid was ejected into the atmosphere by the event, causing acid rain fallout.

Though the year can never be precisely determined, the season can: only the summer monsoon could have deposited Toba ashfall in the South China Sea, implying that the eruption took place sometime during the northern summer.[6] The eruption lasted perhaps two weeks, but the ensuing "volcanic winter" resulted in a decrease in average global temperatures by 3 to 3.5 degrees Celsius for several years. Greenland ice cores record a pulse of starkly reduced levels of organic carbon sequestration. Very few plants or animals in southeast Asia would have survived, and it is possible that the eruption caused a planet-wide die-off. There is some evidence, based on mitochondrial DNA, that the human race may have passed through a genetic bottleneck within this timeframe, reducing genetic diversity below what would be expected from the age of the species. According to the Toba catastrophe theory proposed by Stanley H. Ambrose of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1998, human populations may have been reduced to only a few tens of thousands of individuals by the Toba eruption.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Toba

BIODIVERSITY OF IRIAN

2008-01-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

A vital tropical rainforest with the tallest tropical trees and vast biodiversity, Papua's known forest fauna includes marsupials (including possums, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, cuscuses), other mammals (including the endangered Long-beaked Echidna), many bird species (including birds of paradise, cassowaries, parrots, cockatoos), the world's longest lizards (Papua monitor) and the world's largest butterflies.

The island has an estimated 16,000 species of plant, 124 genera of which are endemic.
The extensive waterways and wetlands of Papua are also home to salt and freshwater crocodile, tree monitors, flying foxes, osprey, bats and other animals; while the equatorial glacier fields remain largely unexplored.

In February 2006, a team of scientists exploring the Foja Mountains, Sarmi, discovered numerous new species of birds, butterflies, amphibians, and plants, including a species of rhododendron which may have the largest bloom of the genus.

Ecological threats include logging-induced deforestation, forest conversion for plantation agriculture (especially oil palm), smallholder agricultural conversion, the introduction and potential spread of non-native alien species such as the Crab-eating Macaque which preys on and competes with indigenous species, the illegal species trade, and water pollution from oil and mining operations.

Papua's ancient rain forests have recently come under an even greater threat of deforestation after the Chinese government has placed an order of 1 billion US dollar or 800,000 cubic meters of the threatened merbau (intsia spp) rainforest timbers, to be used in constructions for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Picture By Mangi Wau

PAPUA

2008-01-03T06:27:00.000-08:00

Papua is the largest province of Indonesia, comprising a majority part of the western half of the island of New Guinea and nearby islands (see also Western New Guinea). The province originally covered the entire western half of New Guinea, but in 2003, the western portion of the province, on the Bird's Head Peninsula, was declared by the Indonesian Government as a separate province named West Irian Jaya. The legality of this separation has been disputed as it appears to conflict with the conditions of the Special Autonomy status awarded to Papua in the year 2000. The status of West Irian Jaya province is not yet resolved as of early 2006.
Papua is the official Indonesian and internationally recognised name for the province. During the colonial era the region was known as Dutch New Guinea or Netherlands New Guinea. The province was known as West Irian or Irian Barat from 1969 to 1973, and then renamed Irian Jaya (roughly translated, "Glorious Irian") by Suharto. This was the official name until Papua was adopted in 2002. Today, natives of this province prefer to call themselves Papuans rather than Irianese. This may be due to etymology (variously identified as a real etymology or a folk etymology) of the name Irian which stems from the acronym Ikut Republik Indonesia, Anti Nederland (join/follow the Republic of Indonesia, rejecting The Netherlands).

The name West Papua is used among Papuan separatists and usually refers to the whole of the Indonesian portion of New Guinea. Interestingly enough, the other Indonesian province that shares New Guinea, West Irian Jaya, is renaming itself to "West Papua".

A central east-west mountain range dominates the geography of New Guinea, over 1600 km in total length. The western section is around 600 km long and 100 km across. The province contains the highest mountains between the Himalayas and the Andes, rising up to 4884 m high, and ensuring a steady supply of rain from the tropical atmosphere. The tree line is around 4000 m elevation and the tallest peaks contain permanent equatorial glaciers, increasingly melting due to a changing climate. Various other smaller mountain ranges occur both north and west of the central ranges. Except in high elevations, most areas possess a warm humid climate throughout the year, with some seasonal variation associated with the northeast monsoon season.

The third major habitat feature are the vast southern and northern lowlands. Stretching for hundreds of kilometers, these include lowland rainforests, extensive wetlands, savanna grasslands, and some of the largest expanses of mangrove forest in the world. The southern lowlands are the site of Lorentz National Park, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Mamberamo river, sometimes referred to as the "Amazon of Papua" is the province's largest river which winds through the northern part of the province. The result is a large area of lakes and rivers known as the Lakes Plains region. The famous Baliem Valley, home of the Dani people is a tableland 1600 m above sea level in the midst of the central mountain range; Puncak Jaya, sometimes known by its former Dutch name Carstensz Pyramid, is a mist covered limestone mountain peak 4884 m above sea level.

Source: wikipedia

Picture source : http://www.janeresture.com/irian_jaya

PADANG

2008-01-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

Padang (means field) is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at 0°57′0″S, 100°21′11″E. It has an area of 694.96 square kilometres (268.3 sq mi) and a population of over 750,000 people.

Since the 16th century Padang has been a trade centre. During the 16th and 17th centuries pepper was cultivated and traded with India, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In 1663 the city came under the authority of the Dutch. The Dutch built a trading post here in 1680. The city came under British authority twice, the first time from 1781 to 1784 during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, and again from 1795 to 1819 during the Napoleonic Wars. Afterwards the city was transferred back to the Netherlands. Up to approximately 1780 the most important trade product was gold, originating from the gold mines in the region. When the mines where exhausted, the emphasis turned to other products such as coffee, salts and textiles.

In 1797 Padang was inundated by a tsunami with an estimated flow depth of 5–10 meters, following an earthquake, estimated to be 8.5–8.7 Mw, which occurred off the coast. The shaking caused considerable damage and the deaths of two people, while the tsunami resulted in several houses being washed away and several deaths at the village of Air Manis. The boats moored in the Arau river ended up on dry land, including a 200 ton sailing ship which was deposited about 1 kilometer upstream. In 1833 another tsunami inundated Padang with an estimated flow depth of 3–4 meters as a result of an earthquake, estimated to be 8.6–8.9 Mw, which occurred off Bengkulu. The shaking caused considerable damage in Padang, and due to the tsunami the boats moored in the Arau river broke their anchors and were scattered.

At the time of independence the city had 50,000 or so inhabitants. Coffee was still important, but copra was also a major item produced by farmers in its hinterland. The population growth since then has been partly a result of growth in the area of the city, but largely is a result of the migration to major cities seen in so many developing nations. In 1950 there had also been a development of the Ombilin coal field with Padang as its outlet. This is an indication of the colonization of Indonesia having been economic as well as political.

The cuisine of the Minangkabau people is commonly called Padang cuisine, due to it being the capital and largest city of the region. Padang restaurants are common throughout the country and are famous for their spicy food and their unique way of serving it. Padang food is served in small portions of various dishes, in a way similar to tapas or mezedes, but constituting, with rice, a complete meal. In a Padang-style restaurant, the table will quickly be set with dozens of small dishes filled with highly-flavored foods such as curried fish, fried tempeh, stewed greens, chili eggplant, curried beef liver, fried chicken, and of course, sambals, the spicy sauces ubiquitous at Indonesian tables. Customers take - and pay for - only what they want from this array of dishes. The best known Padang dish is rendang, a spicy meat stew. Soto Padang (crispy beef in spicy soup) is local residents' breakfast favorite, meanwhile Sate (beef satay in curry sauce served with ketupat) is a treat in the evening.

BALI

2008-01-03T05:36:00.000-08:00

Bali is an Indonesian island located at 8°25′23″S, 115°14′55″ECoordinates: 8°25′23″S, 115°14′55″E, the western most of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island. The island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.
Bali has been inhabited since early prehistoric times firstly by descendants of a prehistoric race who migrated through mainland Asia to the Indonesian archipelago, thought to have first settled in Bali around 3000 BC.[citation needed] Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.
Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian, and particularly Sanskrit, culture, in a process beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Balidwipa has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong charter issued by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 913 AD and mentioning Walidwipa. It was during this time that the complex irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back to this period. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals, artists, priests and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.

The First European contact with Bali is thought to have been when Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman arrived in 1597, though a Portuguese ship had foundered off the Bukit Peninsula as early as 1585.[citation needed] Dutch rule over Bali came later, was more aggressively fought for, and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku.
In the 1840s, a presence in Bali was established, first in the island's north, by playing various distrustful Balinese realms against each other. The Dutch mounted large naval and ground assaults first against the Sanur region and then Denpasar. The Balinese were hopelessly overwhelmed in number and armament, but rather than face the humiliation of surrender, they mounted a final defensive but suicidal assault, or puputan. Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 4,000 Balinese marched to their death against the invaders. Afterwards the Dutch governors were able to exercise little influence over the island, and local control over religion and culture generally remained intact.
Japan occupied Bali during World War II during which time a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese 'freedom army'. Following Japan's Pacific surrender in August 1945, the Dutch promptly returned to Indonesia, including Bali, immediately to reinstate their pre-war colonial administration. This was resisted by the Balinese rebels now using Japanese weapons.

On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, 29 years old, finally rallied his forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance. In 1946 the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly-proclaimed Republic of East Indonesia, a rival state to the Republic of Indonesia which was proclaimed and headed by Sukarno and Hatta. Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia" when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on Dec. 29, 1949. In 1950 Bali officially renounced the Dutch union and legally became a province within the Republic of Indonesia.
The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic havoc and forced many displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of Indonesia.
In 1965, after a failed coup d'etat in Jakarta against the national government of Indonesia, Bali, along with other regions of Indonesia most notably Java, was the scene of widespread killings of (often falsely-accused) members and sympathizers of the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) by right-wing General Suharto-sponsored militias. Possibly more than 100,000 Balinese were killed although the exact numbers are unknown to date and the events remain legally undisclosed.[2] Many unmarked but well known mass graves of victims are located around the island[citation needed].

In the south the land descends to form an alluvial plain, watered by shallow rivers, drier in the dry season and overflowing during periods of heavy rain.
The principal cities are the northern port of Singaraja, the former colonial capital of Bali, and the present provincial capital and largest city, Denpasar, near the southern coast. The town of Ubud (north of Denpasar), with its art market, museums and galleries, is arguably the cultural center of Bali.
There are major coastal roads and roads that cross the island mainly north-south. Due to the mountainous terrain in the island's center, the roads tend to follow the crests of the ridges across the mountains. There are no railway lines.

The island is surrounded by coral reefs. Beaches in the south tend to have white sand while those in the north and west black sand. The beach town of Padangbai in the south east has both: the main beach and the secret beach have white sand and the south beach and the blue lagoon have much darker sand. Pasut Beach, near Ho River and Pura Segara, is a quiet beach 14 km southwest of Tabanan. The Ho River is navigable by small sampan. Black sand beaches between Pasut and Klatingdukuh are being developed for tourism, but apart from the seaside temple of Tanah Lot, this is not yet a tourist area.
To the east, the Lombok Strait that separates Bali from Lombok marks the biogeographical division between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia that is known as the Wallace Line, for Alfred Russel Wallace, who first remarked upon the distinction between these two major biomes. When sea levels dropped during the Pleistocene ice age, Bali was connected to Java and Sumatra and to the mainland of Asia and shared the Asian fauna, but the deep water of the Lombok Strait continued to keep Lombok and the Lesser Sunda archipelago isolated.