Pulau Satonda
Location:
8°06'S, 117°45'E; off the north coast of Sumbawa Island, Dompu District, Sumbawa, Nusa Tenggara.
Area:
985 ha.
Altitude:
Sea level to 335m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.23.12.
Wetland type:
05, 08 & 10.
Description of site:
Satonda Island is a small circular island some two km in diameter, about two km off the north-central coast of Sumbawa. The entire island consists of the top of an emerging volcano. About half of the island is occupied by a large salt water lake in the crater of the old volcano. The island has steep slopes, emerging abruptly from the sea and falling steeply again into the lake.
Climatic conditions:
Tropical monsoonal climate with the annual rainfall varying frog 500 mm to 2,000 mm. The seasonal rainfall pattern is determined by the northwest monsoon.
Principal vegetation:
No information is available on the aquatic vegetation. The terrestrial vegetation includes Duabanga molluccana, Ziziphus mauritania, Murrimia sp, Daeryodes costala and Casuarina sp. The south shore of the lake is covered with alang-alang; the slopes of the volcano are mostly covered with dry monsoon forest.
Land tenure:
State owned (Sumbawa Local Government).
Conservation measures taken:
None.
Conservation measures proposed:
The island has been proposed as a Wildlife Reserve.
Land use:
Nature conservation; fishing in surrounding areas.
Disturbances and threats:
Hunting, accidental or intentional burning, ladang encroachment and cultivation.
Economic and social values:
The island has great scenic beauty, and is of considerabe geological interest. The surrounding waters support an important fishery.
Fauna:
The lake is reported to contain a considerable population of fishes, but no details are available.
The avifauna includes Anhinga melanogaster, Fregata minor, Egretta sacra, Ardea cinerec Ciconia episcopus, Haliastur indus, Haliaeetus leucogaster, Falco moluccensis, Megapodius reinwardt, Himantopus leucocephalus. Charadrius peronii, Numenius phaeopus, Actitis hypoleucos, Sterna albifrons, Caloenas nicobarica, Alcedo alt his, Pelargopsis caperuis and Halcyon chioris.
Mammals include Sus scrofa, Cervus timorensis, Macaca fascicularis, Pteropus vampyrus and various large and small cetaceans, Skulls of the Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus have been found as recently as 1973. Reptiles still present include Varanus sp and Natrix sp.
Special floral values:
None known.
References:
FAO (1981a).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1a.
Source:
Agustinus W. Taufik and Edi Djuharsa.