Danau Tempe and Danau Buaya
Location:
4°06'S, 119°58'E; 35 km ESE of Parepare, Kabupaten Wajo, Sjnkang Region, South Sulawesi.
Area:
9,445 ha
Altitude:
c.50m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.24.12.
Wetland type:
14.
Description of site:
Two shallow, permanent, freshwater lakes in the same lacustrine system as Danau Sidenreng (site 95). Danau Tempe (6,000 ha) is much the larger of the two, and is an outstanding example of a shallow eutrophic lake ecosystem. There are several villages around the lake, and almost all of the surrounding forest has been cleared, except for the swampy forest between Tempe and Sidenreng. Both Tempe and Buaya are shallow (maximum depth about Sm) and support abundant floating vegetation.
Climatic conditions:
Humid tropical climate with an average annual rainfall of 1,355 mm and high relative humidity.
Principal vegetation:
The aquatic vegetation includes Ceratophyllum demersum, Pistia stratiotes, lpomoea aquatica, Polygonum sp, Cyperus platystylis and Echinochloa crusgelii.
Land tenure:
No information.
Conservation measures taken:
None.
Conservation measures proposed:
Danau Tempe has been proposed as a Wildlife Reserve (Suaka Margasatwa).
Land use:
Fishing; agriculture and human settlements in surrounding areas.
Disturbances and threats:
Forest clearance, agricultural encroachment, over-fishing and illegal hunting.
Economic and social values:
The lakes support a locally important fishery, and may have some potential for tourism.
Fauna:
The lakes support a wide variety of fishes including two species known only from Danau Tempe and the nearby Danau Sidenreng (site 95): Oryzias celebensis (Adrianichthyidae) and T. ladigesi (Atherinidae). Other fishes include Cyprinus carpio, Puntius javanicus, Anabas testudineus, Helastoma temmincki, Trichogaster pectoralis, Clarias batrachus, Chana hirata, Anguilla sp and Therapon microcanthus.
Danau Tempe has a greater diversity of waterbirds than any other lake in Sulawesi. A survey in April 1986 recorded large numbers of Ixobrychus flavicollis, Ardeola speciosa and Ardea purpurea, along with: 35 Nycticorax caledonicus 50 Egretta garzetta, 170 Plegadis falcinellus 315 Dendrocygna arcuata, 40 Anas gibberifrons 10 A. superciliosa, 50 Chlidonias leucoptera.
Other species present included Tachybaptus ruficollis, Phalacrocorax melanoleucos, Anhinga melanogaster, Ixobrychus sinensis, I. eurhythmus, I. cinnamomeus, Nycticorax nycticorax, Bubulcus ibis, Egretta alba, Ciconia episcopus, Amaurornis phoenicurus, Gallmula chioropus, G. tenebrosa, Porphyrio porphyrio, Irediparra gallinacea, Tringa glareola, Actitis hypoleucos, Calidris subminuta and Chlidonias hybrida.
Mammals include Macaca maura, Paradoxus sp and Sus sp; reptiles include Hydrosaurus amboinensis, Crocodylus sp and Mabouya multifasciata.
Special floral values:
No information.
Research and facilities:
Interwader carried out waterbird surveys at both lakes in April 1986 (Uttley, 1986).
References:
Direktorat P.P.A. (19801); MacKinnon & Artha (l982d); Uttley (1986).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 2a, 2b, 2d, 3b.
Source:
Marcel J. Silvius and Agustinus W. Taufik.