Muara Siberut
Location:
1°13'-1°38'S, 99°02'-99°15'E; on the east coast of Pulau Siberut, Kabupaten Padang Pariaman, Sumatra Barat Province, Sumatra.
Area:
7,500 ha of mangrove swamp, beach vegetation and coral gardens.
Altitude:
Sea level.
Biogeographical Province:
4.21.12.
Wetland type:
01, 02, 05 & 07.
Description of site:
An area of mangrove swamps, beach vegetation and 2,000 ha of shallow inshore waters with extensive coral reefs on the east coast of Siberut Island. The site includes the large estuarine system of the Sarabua River, with its bays, capes and small islands, some with and some without mangrove swamp, patches of coral reef and large tracts of submarine limestone terraces. There are few rivers in the area, the main one being Sungai Sarabua which flows into Teluk Sarabua. There is a high rate of erosion and accretion in the area.
Climatic conditions:
Rather wet tropical climate with no pronounced dry season. I ne annual rainfall exceeds 3,000 mm.
Principal vegetation:
Mangrove communities with Rhizophora mucronala, R. apiculata R. conjugata, Avicennia sp, Bruguiera sp, Sonneratia alba, Nypa fruticans and Callophyllum urophyllum. The dominant vegetation in adjacent areas includes Baringtonia asfatica, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Pandanus tectorius, Casuarina equisetifolia, Pemphis acidula, Vitex trifolia, Spirifex littoreus and Pometia pinnala.
Land tenure:
State owned (Local Government of Siberut).
Conservation measures taken:
None.
Conservation measures proposed:
The area has been proposed as a Nature Reserve (Cagar Alam). Specific sites within the Sarabua estuary (Teluk Sarabua) have been proposed as Marine Conservation Areas.
Land use:
Fisheries, especially traditional fisheries; agriculture and forestry in surrounding areas.
Disturbances and threats:
Cutting of mangroves, destruction of coral reefs, logging operations and hunting.
Economic and social values:
An important area for its fisheries and for tourism and other outdoor recreation. The site has considerable potential for conservation education and scientific research.
Fauna:
The inshore waters and coral reefs support a very rich fish fauna including parrot fish (Scaridae), wrass (Labridae), damsel fish (Paracentridae), butterfly angel fish (Chaetodontidae), snake eel (Ophichthyidae), shark (Carcharihinidae), Platax sp (Ephipidae), Acanthurus sp (Acanthuridae), Lut janus spilurus (Lutjanidae), Dasyatis sp (Dasyatidae), and Caranx sp (Carangidae).
Sea-birds and waterfowl include Phalacrororax sp, Sula sula. Fregata arid, Egrena sacra, -Ardea sumatrana, Ciconia episcopus, Plegadis falcinellus, Actitis hypoleucos and Sterna spp. The coastal waters are very heavily utlized by cetaceans. Other mammals include the Dugong Dugong dugon, Presbytis potenzianni, Macaca pagensis. Sus sp, Cervus sp and Muntiacus muntjak. Reptiles include the Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus, the sea-turtles Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriaceae, Maticora sp and Cerberus rhynchops. Invertebrates include Tridacna sp, Holothuria sp, Rynchia laevigata. Anihipates sp. Hipocampus sp and Nautilus sp.
Special floral values:
No information.
Research and facilities:
Some faunal and floral surveys have been carried out.
References:
Direktorat P.P.A. (undated); MacKinnon & Artha (l982a).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 2a, 2b, 3b.
Source:
Marcel J. Silvius and Agustinus W. Taufik.