Way Kambas
Location:
4°37'-5°06'S, 105°40'-105°52'E; 80 km northeast of Telukbetung, Kabupaten Lampung Tengah, Lampung Province, Sumatra.
Area:
123,500 ha.
Altitude:
0-50m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.21.12.
Wetland type:
06, 07, 11, 18 & 21.
Description of site:
A large reserve on the east coast of Lampung Province, representing one of the most extensive reserves in Indonesia and containing one of the largest non-peat freshwater swamp forests in Sumatra. Natural boundaries exist on all sides except along the south for about 30 km. In the past, logging activities have disturbed much of the habitat. Most of the dipterocarp forest within the reserve disappeared between 1968 and 1974. The area is, however, still of considerable conservation interest because of its great richness of wildlife including many endangered species and over 270 species of birds. Over 70% of the reserve has been selectively logged. In some areas, this has created grasslands which are burned annually. There are several settlements in the coastal areas, with a total of about ten thousand inhabitants. The eastern boundary of the reserve is a 65 km stretch of coast along the Java Sea, with 1,000 ha of coastal forest vegetation, mangrove and dry beach forest. There are several major water courses in the reserve. The heavy siltload of these rivers has formed extensive intertidal mudflats used by waterbirds. The swamps are flooded in the wet season from November to March. The tidal amplitude along the coast is about 2.0-2.5m.
Climatic conditions:
Humid tropical climate with an average annual rainfall of 2,000 mm; there is a distinct dry season from May to October.
Principal vegetation:
The wetland vegetation includes freshwater swamp forest, mangrove forest with Nypa palms, and Nibung swamps with Pandanus formations.
Land tenure:
The wetland is owned by PHPA; surrounding areas are owned by local farmers and fishermen.
Conservation measures taken:
Established as a Game Reserve by a Government Decree in 1937.
Conservation measures proposed:
There is a proposal to upgrade the reserve to a National Park. It has also been proposed that the reserve be divided into three management zones: (a) Sanctuary, (b) Wilderness Zone, and (c) Intensive Use Zone. There are plans to create facilities for tourism and recreation in the proposed intensive use and wilderness zones.
Land use:
Game reserve; some areas in the coastal zone have been reclaimed for ariculture and housing.
Possible Changes in Land use:
No information.
Disturbances and threats:
Logging; already 75% of the forest has been selectively logged. Also poaching, fires and agricultural encroachment.
Economic and social values:
The reserve has a high potential for the development of wildlife tourism.
Fauna:
The mangrove forests provide breeding and nursery grounds for marine fish and shellfish, many of which are important in the local fishing industry.
Of the 270 species of birds occurring in the reserve, more than 20% are waterbirds, including many migratory species and several rare or endangered species such as Malayan Night-Heron, Milky Stork, Storm's Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Black-headed Ibis, White-winged Wood-Duck and Asian Dowitcher (Gorsachius melanolophus, Mycteria cinerea, Ciconia (episcopus) stormi, Leptoptilos javanicus, Threskiornis melanocephalus, Cairina scutulata and Limnodromus semipalmalus) (almost 500 recorded in 1985). Way Kambas is possibly one of the best areas for C. scutulata in Sumatra, with an estimated population of five pairs. Other waterfowl known from the reserve include Anhinga melanogaster, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus, l. flavicollis, Nyclicorax nycticorax, Ardeola speciosa, Bubulcus ibis, Butorides striatus. Egretta sacra. E. garzetta, E. intermedia, E. alba, Ardea purpurea, A. cinerea, A. sumatrana, Dendrocygna javanica, Anas gibberifrons, Amaurornis phoenicurus, Gallicrex cinerea and Heliopais personata. The intertidal mudfiats are important for a variety of migratory shorebirds during the migration seasons and northern winter; species recorded include Glareola maldivarum, Pluvialis squatarola, P. doniinica, Charadrius dubius C. mongolus, Limosa limosa, Numenius phaeopus, N. arquata, Tringa totanus, T. glareola, Xenus cinereus. Actitis hypoleucos and Calidris ferruginea. Migratory terns include Chlidonias hybrida, C. leucoptera, Sterna hirundo and S. albifrons.
Other birds associated with the wetlands include birds of prey such as Pandion haliaetus, Haliastur indus. Haliaeetus leucogaster, Ichthyophaga nana and I. ichthyaetus. The area is particularly rich in kingfishers, with no less than ten species: Alcedo atthis, A. meninting, Ceyx erithacus, C. rufidorsus, Pelargopsis capensis, Halcyon coromanda, H. smyrnensis, H. pileata, H. chioris and H. concreta. The reserve is very rich in mammals, including rare or vulnerable species such as Sumatran Rhinoceros, Asian Elephant, Tiger, Tapir and Asian Wild Dog (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, Elephas maximus, Pant hera tigris, Tapirus indicus and Cuon alpinus). Other species include Lutra luira, Helarctos malayanus, Felis temminckii, F. bengalensis, Paguma larvata, Viverricula indica, Macaca fascicularis, M. nemestrina, Presbytis cristata, Hylobates agilis, Syniphalangus syndactylus, Sus scrofa, Cervus unicolor, Tragulus javanicus, T. napu and Muntiacus muntjak. The Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus and False Ghanal Tomistoma schlegelii also occur in the reserve.
Special floral values:
The reserve is of special interest as it contains one of the few areas of lowland dipterocarp forest in Sumatra under protection. It also contains one of the largest areas of freshwater swamp forest within a reserve.
Research and facilities:
The reserve has received a relatively large amount of attention from researchers and conservationists, partly because it is considered to be one of the few areas with a potential for transmigration of part of the Javanese Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) population from Ujung Kulon.
References:
FAO (1979e); Holmes (1977); IUCN (in prep); Karpowicz (1985); MacKinnon & Artha (1982a); Nash & Nash (l985a); Saim & Halim (1984); Wind (1979).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 2a, 2b, 3a.
Source:
Marcel J. Silvius.