Muara Angke animal reserve faces more threat

Muara Angke animal reserve faces more threat

Bambang Parlupi, Contributor, Jakarta

The Muara Angke animal reserve is one of the few conservation areas in Jakarta.

The Dutch East Indies governor general nama, in his decree dated June 17, 1939, declared the area, about 15.4 hectares (ha), a nature reserve. Later, the minister of forestry, in Decree No. 097/Kpts-II/1998, converted its status into that of an animal reserve and expanded its area to 25.02 ha.

Today, unfortunately, this conservation area is in an increasingly alarming state, although many people have tried to preserve it. Rapid progress in the development of Jakarta has exerted ever greater pressure on the ecosystem of this area.

As the only mangrove stand left in Jakarta Bay, this animal reserve is home to various species of wildlife, particularly birds. As many as 76 bird species have been identified in this reserve and 17 are protected. Fifty species, meanwhile, are non- migrant birds while 10 are migrants.

Birds generally found in Muara Angke are, among others, egrets, common moorhens, white-breasted waterhens, whistling ducks and Oriental daeters. The area is also home to the Sunda coucals, a bird endemic to Java, which is protected nationally and internationally and is included in the category of vulnerable birds in the Red Data Book issued by the international institute for the conservation of nature (IUCN).

Besides birds, Muara Angke is also home to scores of wild long-tailed monkeys, a variety of reptiles such as reticulated pythons, cobras, striped snakes and monitor lizards.

In addition to animals, Muara Angke reserve is also rich in vegetation. There are no fewer than 42 species of plants, of which, 11 belong to the category of mangrove, such as pidada, mangrove trees, nipa palm and api-api.

Meanwhile, Bayu Catur Nurcayha, a researcher from the Institute of Mangrove Research and Development (IMReD), the government, non-governmental organizations and environmentalists have tried many approaches to rehabilitate Muara Angke reserve.

"Today, mangroves have been planted in half of the designated 10-hectare area," he said, adding that the vegetation and wildlife in the area had been regularly registered and that efforts were being made to develop environmental education. Besides, a seedling garden and an information center had also been established.

Bayu, who works in the rehabilitation division of IMReD, also said that one of the hurdles preventing the growth of mangroves and lowering the quality of the ecosystem of Muara Angke animal reserve was considerable sedimentation from the Angke river that flows alongside.

"River sedimentation leaves not only mud but also household and industrial waste in the area, especially during the wet season when the water level is high and the strong currents of the river carry a lot of waste from downtown."

Also preventing the growth of mangroves is the presence of many non-mangrove water plants such as weeds, water hyacinth or underbrush at many spots in this area. "Abnormal sea tides have led to an insufficient supply of saltwater to this area. That's why water plants that would normally live in fresh water grow here," said Bayu.

A research project conducted IMReD shows that weeds such as water hyacinth can be very prolific due to erotropication (excessive fertility), a process brought about by the presence of waste from River Angke and obstructed circulation of salt water.

Fertile growth of water hyacinth can be spotted in the body of water. Its presence prevents birds from freely finding their food. The underbrush, meanwhile, adversely affects the ecosystem of mangrove trees, especially newly planted ones, reducing their life span by about 40 percent, Bayu added.

A number of facilities in this location are also in poor state. The observation tower located beside the information center building is already in an alarming state.

It has not been used for several months because it has become so dilapidated. The steps of the staircase are too rusty to use. The 17-meter high tower is very important for wildlife research and observation and also for wildlife-related education.

Likewise, the boarded path used when one does observation is also deteriorating. In some parts of the area, this one-meter- wide path, which was constructed over muddy land, is already damaged.

Many of the wooden planks have worn out and many holes are found along the path. Right behind the information center building you can find a path hundreds of meters long, but it is so dangerous that visitors cannot safely use it.

According to Irin, a contract employee assigned to take care of the area, the damaged parts of the path have been repaired many times. "The problem is that the supports are made of wood," he said. The management of this animal reserve has planned to build an observation path that goes round the whole area.

Irin, who has been frequently involved in mangrove rehabilitation and planting programs, said that the reserve had to be regularly taken care of. The problem is that there are now only two people to work on all 25 hectares of land.

Their job has become more difficult because the weeds are growing too rapidly. "There are too few people to take care of the entire area," he said, adding that the management of this reserve, the Jakarta provincial natural resources conservation agency (BKSDA),had sent some of its people to lend a hand.

Bayu stressed the importance of taking good care of the land and the buildings in the Muara Angke animal reserve, but added that most important of all was the availability of funding to ensure that management of this animal reserve and coordination between relevant agencies would be carried out smoothly.

He noted, however, that the forestry ministry, the office of the state minister for environmental affairs, the regional administration, non-government organizations, universities and the private sector had indeed done their best to ensure the sustainability of Muara Angke animal reserve.

Photo captions

1. Visitors come to Muara Angke animal reserve in Jakarta not only for research purposes but also for ecotourism.

2. A path that goes through the area in a very poor condition. It endangers visitors, yet is very important for those making a flora and fauna observation.

3. Nature conservation by a number of environmentalists from WALHI. They planted pidada on Sunday Sept 10.

4. A young researcher from the School of Biology of Jakarta State University is examining water samples from Muara Angke animal reserve. They found that the water had been contaminated.

5. Long-tailed monkeys (macaca fascularis) are found in a great number around this area. These wild mammals make mangrove fruits, seeds and leaves their main source of food.