Endemic animal species
Indonesia is a remarkable reservoir of biodiversity, home to a multitude of fascinating endemic species that testify to its extraordinary ecological wealth. This island nation is home to some 730 species of mammals (14% of the world's total), 1,700 species of birds, 750 species of reptiles, 400 species of amphibians and 1,200 species of freshwater fish. Nevertheless, some of these species are currently facing major challenges. Their habitat is rapidly deteriorating, they are prey to illegal hunters, deforestation is reducing their living space, and pollution is putting them under constant pressure.
The giants of Komodo. With its thousands of islands, the country offers a variety of habitats, from dense tropical forests to vast coral reefs. Here, you'll find amazing creatures like the Komodo dragons(Varanus komodoensis), the only large prehistoric lizards still in existence and the largest lizards on Earth, famous for their imposing size, reaching up to 3 meters in length. These large reptiles have a special way of hunting: a single bite can be enough to capture animals as big as deer or wild boar. The secret? Their saliva contains a very special venom that lowers their prey's blood pressure and increases bleeding. This helps them capture their meal more easily. They can live up to 30 years, and as they are ectothermic, their energy depends on the heat of the day. Their reproduction can be fascinating: in the absence of a male, females can give birth thanks to parthenogenesis, an extraordinary process enabling reproduction without a male, thanks to a chromosomal peculiarity.
Orangutans, guardians of the forest. In the jungles of Sumatra and Borneo, you'll also meet orangutans, a species of large primate known for its intelligence and complex social interactions. Their name, meaning "people of the forest" in Malay, underlines their close relationship with humans, with whom they share around 97% of their DNA. These remarkable animals are masters of the arboreal lifestyle, spending almost 90% of their lives in the trees. They build nests to sleep in and feed mainly on fruit and leaves, supplementing their diet with bark, insects and occasionally meat. Their behavior is mostly solitary, with the exception of their mothers, who raise their young for six to seven years. Reproduction in these animals is a rare event, with a birth interval of eight years, the longest of any land mammal. In captivity, they can live for 50 to 60 years, while in the wild, their life expectancy varies from 30 to 40 years. Deforestation, mainly caused by oil palm plantations, represents a serious threat to their habitats, leading to an alarming decline in their population. It is estimated that their numbers have fallen by over 50% in the last 60 years, placing them in critical danger of extinction. International and local initiatives are underway to protect orangutans and their habitats, including the creation of nature reserves and the fight against illegal deforestation. Places to see them include Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo and Gunung Leuser and Bukit Lawang parks in Sumatra, where treks lasting from one to ten days are possible.
Other mythical animals of Indonesia. Indonesia is also home to the birds of paradise(Paradisaeidae), famous for their brilliantly colored nuptial dances, and the Java rhinoceros(Rhinoceros sondaicus), victims of intensive poaching and identifiable by their unique horn. Less well known, but just as dazzling, is the Java peacock(Pavo muticus) with its sparkling green plumage, while the Sumatran serow(Capricornis sumatraensis sumatraensis) and the Kalimantan proboscis monkey(Nasalis larvatus), one with its small, curved horns and the other with its long, funny nose, play a crucial role in seed dispersal, contributing to the balance of the forests. As for the babiroussa(Babyrousa babyrussa), a wild pig with spiral tusks, and the tamarau(Bubalus mindorensis), a dwarf buffalo with horizontal horns, they symbolize both the extraordinary adaptation of species to Indonesia's varied habitats and the precariousness of wildlife. Finally, you can observe wild elephants in Way Kambas National Park in Lampung, and for the lucky ones, big cats in their natural habitat in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java or Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra.
Seas rich in marine life. Indonesia is part of the Coral Triangle, the world's center of marine biodiversity, home to nearly 76% of the planet's coral species and a wealth of aquatic life. The Indonesian Flow, a major ocean current, facilitates one of the largest annual migrations of marine life, supporting an extraordinary diversity of ecosystems. More than 3,000 species of brightly-colored fish can be found here, from tiny clownfish(Amphiprion ocellaris) to majestic butterflyfish(Chaetodontidae) and the world's largest fish: the whale shark(Rhincodon typus). In addition to fish, Indonesian waters are also home to a variety of marine mammals, including species such as Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins(Tursiops aduncus) and dugongs(Dugong dugon), known locally as "ladies of the sea", which delight divers and snorkelers alike. Indonesia is also home to several species of sea turtle, including the green turtle(Chelonia mydas), hawksbill turtle(Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead turtle(Caretta caretta), leatherback turtle(Dermochelys coriacea) and olive ridley turtle(Lepidochelys olivacea), which come to its beaches for their nesting ritual. These sites, such as the beaches on the islands of Sipadan, Gili and Lombok, as well as Komodo National Park, are essential to their life cycle, as they lay and bury their eggs in the sand. After hatching, the young turtles undertake a perilous journey to the sea, beginning their aquatic existence.
Indonesian seabeds are also teeming with crustaceans and mollusks, contributing to the complexity of the underwater food chain. Creatures such as the sawfish(Pristidae), the manta ray(Mobula birostris) and the mysterious sunfish(Mola mola), the world's largest bony fish, can also be seen in these waters.
Renowned diving destinations such as Raja Ampat in the province of West Papua, Wakatobi National Park in southeast Sulawesi, and Sangalaki Island in the province of East Kalimantan, allow travelers to dive into the heart of these underwater splendors. The most impressive marine park is undoubtedly Bunaken, in Sulawesi. More than 2,500 species of fish, 70 different types of coral and 7 of the world's 8 giant seashells have been counted here.
A sanctuary of plant diversity
According to specialists, Indonesia boasts the second richest biodiversity in the world after Brazil: no fewer than 30,000 species, including 5,000 orchids and 6,000 different medicinal plants, 3,000 trees and 50 carnivorous plants! Indonesia's vegetation is similar to that of the Philippines, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. Sumatra, with 40% of Indonesia's total diversity, and Kalimantan, with 65%, are the two most spectacular islands in terms of flora. Tropical forests (around 50% of the archipelago's total surface area), monsoon forests, mangrove swamps (20% of the world's mangroves, making this the largest mangrove ecosystem in the world), savannahs and high altitudes with eternal snow (in New Guinea) make up an ever-changing landscape. The most common tree species are rosewood, camphor, chestnut, teak, banyan, frangipani, carob, tree fern, sandalwood, ebony and a wide variety of bamboos (around 122 species), rattans (350 species) and Dipterocarpus (around 400 species of this 40-50 m-high tree that produces drying oil). Enchanting flower species include jasmine, hydrangea, eucalyptus, hibiscus and bougainvillea, but the queen of all these plant species is undoubtedly the Rafflesia arnoldii (also known as corpse flower), the world's largest flower, at one metre in diameter, weighing up to 10 kg! It can be admired in Kalimantan and Sumatra, among other places. As forAmorphophallus titanum, it often reaches two meters in height, and like Rafflesia, gives off a strong smell of rotting meat.
