Bogor peaks a popular site for birds, says expert

BOGOR (JP): The mountains of Salak, Pangrango and Halimun in this area are among the 27 most popular habitats for birds in West Java, according to an environmental expert.

Assistant project manager of Bird Life International Indonesia William M. Rombang said here on Thursday Indonesia is also home to many other bird sanctuaries, including 15 spots in East Java, eight in Central Java and three in Bali.

Rombang suggested that local people and the government authorities help preserve the locations.

He also proposed that the 40,000-hectare Mt. Salak could be made a sanctuary for the rare Javan hawk-eagles (Elang Jawa).

The Javan hawk-eagles need a large habitat to be able to breed, Rombang explained.

A November 1998 report on the eagles from Meru Betiri National Park in East Java stated that the population of Javan hawk-eagles in the world was estimated to be no more than 200.

The figure as widely thought to be shrinking as there were recently only 12 hawk-eagles found in the park. The endangered predators could be extinct in only a few years, the report said.

Efforts to save them, including through captive breeding programs, have largely failed because of the birds' demanding breeding habits. They nest only in trees 25 meters to 30 meters high and lay eggs once every two or three years.

Bird Life International spokesman Tomie Dono shared the concerns.

Dono spoke of the deteriorating condition of Halimun National Park, which also houses the Pongkor gold mine.

The exploration at the site has clearly disturbed the wildlife habitat, he said.

"If the birds are left to survive on their own in such areas, they will be extinct in the next 10 years."

The Pongkor gold mine has often appeared in the news over the last few years, but only when mining accidents add to the already hundreds of fatalities. The poorly equipped illegal miners risk their lives to scratch out gold from the hills, and blindly ruin the surrounding ecosystem.

In a bid to raise people's awareness of the imminent danger of bird species becoming extinct, the foundation will publish a book containing the important sites for birds and other details of bird species.

"This book hopefully will document the rare birds and raise people's awareness to save them," Rombang said. (21/edt)