Wetlands in Mamberamo-Foja Proposed National Park
Location:
1°27'S, 137°50'E to 3°45'S, 140°15'E; along the Mamberamo and Idenburg Rivers in northeastern Irian Jaya.
Area:
Over 728,000 ha of wetlands in an area of 1,442,500 ha.
Altitude:
Sea level to 2,193m.
Biogeographical Province:
5.1.13.
Wetland type:
02, 05, 06, 07, 08, 11, 12, 13, 14 & 21.
Description of site:
The site incorporates an excellent spectrum of habitats from mangrove forests and peat swamps on the north coast up to the montane forests of the Foja Mountains and down again through lowland forest to the swampy plain of the Idenburg River. The area is virtually pristine and contains a great wealth of wildlife. It includes one of the largest lakes in Irian Jaya, Danau Rombebai, a permanent freshwater lake of about 14,000 ha in the Mamberamo Delta. The site also includes the largest river in Irian Jaya, with its hundreds of oxbow lakes, and vast areas of peat swamp and freshwater swamp. Estimates of the total area of each major habitat are as follows: mangrove forest 36,062 ha; freshwater lakes 14,425 ha; peat swamp 432,750 ha; freshwater swamp on non-alluvial soils 216,375 ha; freshwater swamp on alluvial soils 28,850 ha; wet lowland forest on alluvium 43,375 ha wet lowland forest on rocks 504,875 ha; wet lowland forest on ultra-basic rocks 43,475 ha.
Climatic conditions:
Humid tropical climate.
Principal vegetation:
Mangrove forest, freshwater swamp forest and peat swamp forest; no detailed information is available
Land tenure:
State owned.
Conservation measures taken:
None.
Conservation measures proposed:
The entire area has been proposed as a National Park and World Heritage Site.
Land use:
Exploration for petroleum. There are only a few small settlements in the area of the proposed national park.
Disturbances and threats:
Exploration for petroleum has been going on in the northern Mamberamo area for several years, and proposals have been made to carry out exploratory drilling.
Economic and social values:
No information.
Fauna:
At least 28 species of freshwater fishes have been recorded. Six of these are known only from the Mamberambo River~ Hemipimelodus bernhardi, Netuma microstoma, Zenarchopterus alleni, Melanotaenia praecox, Melon otaenia vanheurni and Parambassis oiilpinnis. A further eighteen species are endemic to New Guinea: Anus sp, Neosilurus equinus, N. idenburgi, Anguilla interioris, Zenarchopterus kampeni, Chilatherina crassispinosa, C. lorentzi, Glossolepis multisquamatus, Parambassis confinis, Hephaestus obtusifrons, Glossamia beaul orti, G. gjellerupi, G. heurni, Ctenogobius tigrellus, Mogurnda sp, Odonteleotris nesolepis, Oxyeleotris fimbriata and 0. novaeguineae. The other four species, Neosilurus ater, Mogurnda mogurnda, Oxyeleotnis herwerdeni and 0. lineolatus, are of more widespread occurrence.
Some 330 species of birds, including many waterbirds, and 100 species of mammals have been recorded. The area supports the largest known populations of the Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus and New Guinea Crocodile C. novaeguineae in the world.
Special floral values:
No information.
Research and facilities:
Basic faunal and floral surveys have been carried out in the area.
References:
Allen & Boeseman (1982); Karpowicz (1985); MacKinnon & Artha (1981b); Petocz (1984); Whitaker et al. (1985).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 2a, 2b, 2d, 3b.
Source:
Marcel J. Silvius.