Kupang Bay
Location:
10°04'S, 123°45'E; on the south shore of Timor, 20 km east of Kupang, West Timor Province, East Nusa Tenggara.
Area:
6,800 ha.
Altitude:
Sea level.
Biogeographical Province:
4.23.12.
Wetland type:
01, 04, 06, 07, 10 & 15.
Description of site:
A large west-facing bay, with coral reefs fringing the northern and southern shores west of 123°42'E. There are approximately 4,000 ha of intertidal mudflats at the head of the bay, at the northwest corner of Oesau Plain; this is the only large area of mudflats on the island of Timor. Some 1,400 ha of the mudflats lie seaward of the fringing mangroves; the mud is very soft, with mixed mud and rock along the northern edge, and sand flats and raised beaches along the southern edge near a raised coral headland. The remaining 2,600 ha of mudflats lie inland of the mangroves; they are devoid of vegetation and are inundated only on the higher spring tides. The area is crossed by five tidal creeks lined with mangroves and with extensive stands of mangroves at their mouths. Pulau Kera is a small sandy island in the mouth of the bay, with fringing coral reefs and sea-grass beds. During the wet season (November to March), freshwater pools form on the inland mudflats. At the height of the wet season, these pools cover about 260 ha, but most have dried out by the end of April The maximum tidal amplitude at Kupang is 2.2m.
Climatic conditions:
Tropical monsoonal climate, regulated by the ESE monsoon from May to October, and the WNW monsoon from November to April. Cyclones are rare, but there are periods of very heavy rainfall and prolonged droughts, particularly in the west.
Principal vegetation:
Mangrove forest dominated by species of Avicennia and Rhizophora. One species of Avicennia dominates at the edge of the coastal mudflats and along tidal creeks, Rhizophora stylosa occurs on scrub-covered embankments behind the Oebelo Flat and at Pasir Putih. R. apiculata occurs in monotypic stands at the mouths of the Beno, Nunkurus and Mulutupi creeks. There is some mixed tropical monsoon forest northeast of the head of the bay near Bipolo. Rice paddies extend to the edge of the mudflats in some areas; in drier or slightly higher areas, the vegetation adjacent to the inner flats is more typical of the plains and salt flats of the north coast.
Land tenure:
No information.
Conservation measures taken:
None.
Conservation measures proposed:
Sections of Kupang Bay should be declared nature reserves. Detailed proposals need to be developed.
Land use:
Commercial exploitation of the mangrove forest is limited to operations at Tainbak Oebelo (initiated in 1974) and at Tambak Merdeka (initiated in 1985). Ponds are used for aquaculture in the wet season (November to March) and salt production during the rest of the year. Fish traps are in operation at the mouths of the creeks, and shellfish and crabs are harvested on suitable tides. The adjacent Oesau Plain is largely under cultivation for rice from December to March. The southern shore of the bay is densely populated, particularly around the town of Kupang.
Possible Changes in Land use:
Various drainage and irrigation schemes are being impiemente6 on the Oesau Plain, with funding from Canadian aid.
Disturbances and threats:
The mangroves near three small fishing villages are heavily cut for poles for making fish traps. There is a little hunting of birds on the mudflats, but no large-scale trapping for food. The monsoon forest near Bipolo is severely threatened by local farmers who view the land as more productive under rice paddy.
Economic and social values:
The mangroves and mudflats support an important fishery (finfish, shellfish and crabs). The area is also important for salt production.
Fauna:
A very important staging area for migratory shorebirds, thirty-two species of which have been recorded. The most abundant are as follows: Stiltia isabella (flocks of 5,000-10,000 in autumn), Pluvialis squatarola, Charadrius ruficapillus (over 400 in March and September 1985), C. leschenaultii, C. veredus, Numenius phaeopus, N. madagascariensis (over 250 in March and October 1985), Calidris ruficollis, C. acuminata, C. ferruginea and Limicola falcinellus. Other species recorded in autumn 1985 included up to four Asian Dowitchers Limnodromus semipalmatus, the first record of this species in Wallacea. Up to 150 Australian Pelicans Pelecanus conspicillatus have been recorded.
Dugons Dugong dugon feed on sea-grass in the vicinity of Pulau Kera. The Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus still occurs regularly in Nunkurus Creek. Two individuals, two metres and five metres in length respectively, were observed there in 1985.
Special floral values:
None known.
Research and facilities:
P. Andrew carried out shorebird surveys in March 1985 and August-October 1985. The recently established Environmental Study Centre at Chendara University in Kupang, Timor Barat, is conducting some studies in the area.
References:
Andrew (in prep-a & in prep-b); Beudels (1981); Karpowicz (1985).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 2a, 2c, 3a.
Source:
Crawford Prentice.