Wetlands in Bali Barat National Park
Location:
8°05'-8°15'S, 114°26'-114°35'E; at the extreme western tip of the island of Bali,
Kabupaten Bulaleng, Bali.
Area:
Area of wetlands unknown; Bali Barat National Park 19,600 ha.
Altitude:
Sea level to 200m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.22.12.
Wetland type:
01, 05 & 07.
Description of site:
A rather dry area at the western tip of the island of Bali. The main wetland habitat consists of about 35 km of beach, 300 ha of mangrove forest and scrub, and 40 ha of sea-grass beds. Most of the beaches are sandy. The mangrove has been extensively cut over and is in a rather degraded state. This exploitation still continues in the Cilimanuk area.-2.5m.
Climatic conditions:
Tropical climate with an average annual rainfall of about 1,671 mm. Average temperatures range from 22-24°C.
Principal vegetation:
Mangrove communities with Rhizophora slylosa, R. apicultlata, Sonneratia alba, Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Ceriops tagal, Aegiceras corniculatum, Excoecaria agallocha, Lumnitzera sp and Nypa fruticans. Dry beach vegetation in adjacent areas.
Land tenure:
State owned (PHPA).
Conservation measures taken:
The area was first protected as a Wildlife Reserve in 1947. In 1978, four islands totalling 175 ha and three islets totalling 18 ha were added to the Reserve. In 1980, the Reserve was given the status of National Park.
Land use:
Nature conservation; fishing and brackish water aquaculture in adjacent areas..
Disturbances and threats:
Illegal construction of roads within the Park, cutting of mangroves, mining of coral reefs, occasional hunting of sea-turtles, illegal fishing with dynamite and poisons, poaching and illegal settlement. Poaching for the Indonesian domestic pet market is the key factor in the decline of the endemic Bali Starling Leucopsar rothschildi.
Economic and social values:
The mangroves support a locally important fishery. The National Park has great scenic values and considerable potential for tourism and scientific research..
Fauna:
The coral reefs support a very diverse fish fauna. The National Park supports the largest surviving population of the endemic Bali Starling Leucopsar rothschildi. The total population of this highly endangered species was estimated at 104 individuals in August 1984 and only 48 individuals in August 1987. Nest-boxes introduced in 1984 and 1986 have so far proved unattractive to the birds, and it is now thought that the population in the wild is no longer viable. Waterbirds include sea-birds such as Fregata minor, Sterna dougallii, S. sumairana, S. bergif and S. hirundo, and a variety of migratory shorebirds such as Charadrius dubius, Limosa limosa, Numenius phaeopus, N. arquala, Tringa totanus, T. nebularja, Actitis hypoleucos and Calidris alba.
The National Park supports a variety of mammals including Sus vittatus, Fells bengalensis, Paradoxurus hermaphroditus, Macaca fascicularis. Cervus sp, Muntiacus muntjak, Manis javanica, Hystrix brachyura, Ratufa bicolor, Pteropus edulis and Bos javanicus (wild herds of 30-40 individuals). Reptiles include the sea-turtle Eretmochelys imbricata, monitor lizard Varanus salvator, Python sp and Mabouya sp.
Special floral values:
There is a small stand of the uncommon Manilkara kauri, much valued for wood-carving.
Research and facilities:
A considerable amount of research has been carried out on the Bali Starling.
References:
Direktorat P.P.A. (1980i & 1982c); IUCN (in prep); Kvalvagnaes et al. (1984).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1a, 2b, 3b.
Source:
Agustinus W. Taufik and Marcel J. Silvius.