RI islands world's richest reefs

RI islands world's richest reefs

JAKARTA: Some of the world's most experienced tropical marine scientists have confirmed that the Indonesian islands of Raja Ampat, West of Sorong, Papua, contain the coral reefs with the richest biodiversity in the world.

The conclusion was made recently after the scientists completed a three-week expedition, led by the Nature Conservancy, to the Raja Ampat islands.

The scientists found 465 coral species, with at least 20 species defying identification and under further study.

With the finding, the total corals from the Raja Ampat islands reached 505 species, 64 percent of all known coral species in the world.

At least 828 fish species were also recorded, raising the total for Raja Ampat to 1,065 species, among the highest diversity in the world.

"The waters around Raja Ampat are teeming with a diversity of fish and corals surpassing any place else on earth," Steve McCormick, president of Nature Conservancy said in a statement.

"... this survey is clear proof that there is still a chance to conserve significant and high quality island and reef ecosystems in Indonesia," Conservancy's Indonesia country director Ian Dutton said. --JP