Wasur Park imperiled by development onslaught

Wasur Park imperiled by development onslaught

By Ais Latuputty

MERAUKE, Irian Jaya (Antara): The inexorable march of
development is eating away at pristine Wasur National Park, home
to Southeast Asia's largest wetland area.

Its 413,000 hectares in Irian Jaya were formerly closed to all
development.

That has changed. The head of the World Wide Fund office in
Merauke, Sulfira Warta, says he fears ecological damage from the
construction of the trans-Irian road and the Tomer-Tomerau road
extension leading to the park.

"Developmental activities are now going on in greater
intensity in the area of the national park...threatening 300
species of endemic birds and 32 species of waterfowl with
extinction," he said.

He also worries about pollution, illegal felling and hunting
of rare animals.

Researchers have also found to their dismay that grasslands in
the national park area are shrinking, causing kangaroos and deer
to move to other locations in search of food.

Uncontrolled illegal felling in the national park area has
caused water levels to drop drastically in Rawa Biru Lake -- its
name translates as "blue swamp" and it is a major scenic
attraction.

More importantly, it is a source of livelihood for local
people and clean water for Merauke residents.

"It is really saddening that various bird species such as
pelicans, doves and wild ducks, once living freely in the
national park and with sizable populations, are now threatened
with extinction," a WWF researcher said.

In the 1980s, these birds had teeming populations, but very
few remain today. With the sustainability of their habitat
threatened, many have migrated to Tando natural reserve in Papua
New Guinea, which is close to Wasur National Park.

The late British researcher Ian Craven once said Merauke
district had the most complete flora and fauna area in Irian
Jaya. Its Kumbe natural reserve and Bian Lake wildlife park, he
said, were the most beautiful in the world.

Bian Lake, measuring 90,875 hectares, is a habitat for
freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus Novaeguineae), some 250 bird
species and several types of mammals.

Researches confirm that indigenous tribes -- the Kanuns,
Yeis, Maroris and Marinds -- continue to earn their living around
Wasur by fishing and hunting deer and kangaroo.

They are not the problem -- irresponsible poaching and illegal
logging by others are disrupting the ecosystem.

This dire situation has prompted the WWF to appeal to the
local administration to tighten controls over the national park
area, and ensure that sustainability of the animals and the
plants in the park is maintained.

Pride of place in the park is Rawa Biru Lake, which has for
years attracted adventurers and scientists interested in its rich
variety of fish.

But it may be a case of going, going, gone unless there is
intervention. The lake has shrunk to only 6 km x 0.05 km, from
its original scope of 20 km x 2 km, due to contamination and the
increase in water plants on its surface.

Despite the dilemmas facing administrators, Wasur National
Park and its Rawa Biru Lake are still a draw for foreign
tourists, just one reason why environmentalists say every effort
should be made to protect its ecosystem.