Malili Lake System
Location:
2°25'-2°56'S, 121°13'-l2l°4l'E; in the hills east of Malili, Central Sulawesi, north of the border with South Sulawesi.
Area:
Danau Towuti c.59,000 ha; Danau Matano c.16,500 ha; other lakes c.2,500 ha.
Altitude:
710-760m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.24.12.
Wetland type:
14.
Description of site:
Four permanent, freshwater lakes: Towuti, Matano, Mahalona and Wawontoa, remarkable for their high number of endemic fish species. Danau Towuti (59,000 ha), the largest lake in Sulawesi, is surrounded by forested hills. There are extensive nickel mines and hydro-electric power installations on the southern shore of Danau Matano.
Climatic conditions:
Humid tropical climate.
Principal vegetation:
No information.
Land tenure:
Danau Towuti is state owned (PHPA); no information is available for the other lakes.
Conservation measures taken:
A Recreation Park (Taman Wisata) has been established on the shore of Danau Towuti. The park includes 6,000 ha of lowland forest on ultra-basic rock.
Land use:
Fishing at all four lakes; mining and generation of electricity at Danau Matano. There are several small villages around Danau Towuti.
Disturbances and threats:
The human population is expanding rapidly in the area. Nickel mines cause a considerable amount of pollution in Danau Matano, and there is some disturbance from the hydro-electric power station. Many exotic fish species have been introduced in the lakes, and these introductions continue (four new species in recent years). The main threats to the endemic fishes are pollution of the lakes with organic effluents from the rapidly expanding human population, and the introduction of exotic fish species. There are plans to carry out logging in the forests around Danau Towuti.
Economic and social values:
The lakes are set in an area of great scenic beauty, and have considerable potential for outdoor recreation and tourism.
Fauna:
The lakes are remarkable for their high number of endemic fish species. No less than sixteen species are known only from these lakes, and ten of these are confined to a single lake. Danau Towuti has the largest number of endemics (ten), followed by Matano (six), Mahalona (five) and Wawontoa (four). Introduced species include Cyprinus carpio, Channa striata and Trichogaster tricopterus.
Special floral values:
No information.
References:
Direktorat P.P.A. (1977b); MacKinnon & Artha (1982d); Whitten et al. (1987).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 2b, 2d.
Source:
Marcel J. Silvius and Eva T. Berczy.