Muara Angke animal reserve faces more threat<\/p>\n
Bambang Parlupi, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Muara Angke animal reserve is one of the few conservation
\nareas in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Dutch East Indies governor general nama, in his decree
\ndated June 17, 1939, declared the area, about 15.4 hectares (ha),
\na nature reserve. Later, the minister of forestry, in Decree No.
\n097\/Kpts-II\/1998, converted its status into that of an animal
\nreserve and expanded its area to 25.02 ha.<\/p>\n
Today, unfortunately, this conservation area is in an
\nincreasingly alarming state, although many people have tried to
\npreserve it. Rapid progress in the development of Jakarta has
\nexerted ever greater pressure on the ecosystem of this area.<\/p>\n
As the only mangrove stand left in Jakarta Bay, this animal
\nreserve is home to various species of wildlife, particularly
\nbirds. As many as 76 bird species have been identified in this
\nreserve and 17 are protected. Fifty species, meanwhile, are non-
\nmigrant birds while 10 are migrants.<\/p>\n
Birds generally found in Muara Angke are, among others,
\negrets, common moorhens, white-breasted waterhens, whistling
\nducks and Oriental daeters. The area is also home to the Sunda
\ncoucals, a bird endemic to Java, which is protected nationally
\nand internationally and is included in the category of vulnerable
\nbirds in the Red Data Book issued by the international institute
\nfor the conservation of nature (IUCN).<\/p>\n
Besides birds, Muara Angke is also home to scores of wild
\nlong-tailed monkeys, a variety of reptiles such as reticulated
\npythons, cobras, striped snakes and monitor lizards.<\/p>\n
In addition to animals, Muara Angke reserve is also rich in
\nvegetation. There are no fewer than 42 species of plants, of
\nwhich, 11 belong to the category of mangrove, such as pidada,
\nmangrove trees, nipa palm and api-api.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bayu Catur Nurcayha, a researcher from the
\nInstitute of Mangrove Research and Development (IMReD), the
\ngovernment, non-governmental organizations and environmentalists
\nhave tried many approaches to rehabilitate Muara Angke reserve.<\/p>\n
\"Today, mangroves have been planted in half of the designated
\n10-hectare area,\" he said, adding that the vegetation and
\nwildlife in the area had been regularly registered and that
\nefforts were being made to develop environmental education.
\nBesides, a seedling garden and an information center had also
\nbeen established.<\/p>\n
Bayu, who works in the rehabilitation division of IMReD, also
\nsaid that one of the hurdles preventing the growth of mangroves
\nand lowering the quality of the ecosystem of Muara Angke animal
\nreserve was considerable sedimentation from the Angke river that
\nflows alongside.<\/p>\n
\"River sedimentation leaves not only mud but also household
\nand industrial waste in the area, especially during the wet
\nseason when the water level is high and the strong currents of
\nthe river carry a lot of waste from downtown.\"<\/p>\n
Also preventing the growth of mangroves is the presence of
\nmany non-mangrove water plants such as weeds, water hyacinth or
\nunderbrush at many spots in this area. \"Abnormal sea tides have
\nled to an insufficient supply of saltwater to this area. That's
\nwhy water plants that would normally live in fresh water grow
\nhere,\" said Bayu.<\/p>\n
A research project conducted IMReD shows that weeds such as
\nwater hyacinth can be very prolific due to erotropication
\n(excessive fertility), a process brought about by the presence of
\nwaste from River Angke and obstructed circulation of salt water.<\/p>\n
Fertile growth of water hyacinth can be spotted in the body of
\nwater. Its presence prevents birds from freely finding their
\nfood. The underbrush, meanwhile, adversely affects the ecosystem
\nof mangrove trees, especially newly planted ones, reducing their
\nlife span by about 40 percent, Bayu added.<\/p>\n
A number of facilities in this location are also in poor
\nstate. The observation tower located beside the information
\ncenter building is already in an alarming state.<\/p>\n
It has not been used for several months because it has become
\nso dilapidated. The steps of the staircase are too rusty to use.
\nThe 17-meter high tower is very important for wildlife research
\nand observation and also for wildlife-related education.<\/p>\n
Likewise, the boarded path used when one does observation is
\nalso deteriorating. In some parts of the area, this one-meter-
\nwide path, which was constructed over muddy land, is already
\ndamaged.<\/p>\n
Many of the wooden planks have worn out and many holes are
\nfound along the path. Right behind the information center
\nbuilding you can find a path hundreds of meters long, but it is
\nso dangerous that visitors cannot safely use it.<\/p>\n
According to Irin, a contract employee assigned to take care
\nof the area, the damaged parts of the path have been repaired
\nmany times. \"The problem is that the supports are made of wood,\"
\nhe said. The management of this animal reserve has planned to
\nbuild an observation path that goes round the whole area.<\/p>\n
Irin, who has been frequently involved in mangrove
\nrehabilitation and planting programs, said that the reserve had
\nto be regularly taken care of. The problem is that there are now
\nonly two people to work on all 25 hectares of land.<\/p>\n
Their job has become more difficult because the weeds are
\ngrowing too rapidly. \"There are too few people to take care of
\nthe entire area,\" he said, adding that the management of this
\nreserve, the Jakarta provincial natural resources conservation
\nagency (BKSDA),had sent some of its people to lend a hand.<\/p>\n
Bayu stressed the importance of taking good care of the land
\nand the buildings in the Muara Angke animal reserve, but added
\nthat most important of all was the availability of funding to
\nensure that management of this animal reserve and coordination
\nbetween relevant agencies would be carried out smoothly.<\/p>\n
He noted, however, that the forestry ministry, the office of
\nthe state minister for environmental affairs, the regional
\nadministration, non-government organizations, universities and
\nthe private sector had indeed done their best to ensure the
\nsustainability of Muara Angke animal reserve.<\/p>\n
Photo captions<\/p>\n
1. Visitors come to Muara Angke animal reserve in Jakarta not
\nonly for research purposes but also for ecotourism.<\/p>\n
2. A path that goes through the area in a very poor condition. It
\nendangers visitors, yet is very important for those making a
\nflora and fauna observation.<\/p>\n
3. Nature conservation by a number of environmentalists from
\nWALHI. They planted pidada on Sunday Sept 10.<\/p>\n
4. A young researcher from the School of Biology of Jakarta State
\nUniversity is examining water samples from Muara Angke animal
\nreserve. They found that the water had been contaminated.<\/p>\n
5. Long-tailed monkeys (macaca fascularis) are found in a great
\nnumber around this area. These wild mammals make mangrove fruits,
\nseeds and leaves their main source of food.<\/p>",
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