6 Endemic Wildlife Animals You Can Meet in Indonesia

TheIndonesia.id - Besides the beautiful landscape, Indonesia is a paradise for animal lovers. Wherefore, the sprawling archipelago is home to innumerable wildlife. Citing the Ministry of Tourism data, below are six wildlife animals to meet in Indonesia and the best places to see them.

1. Komodo Dragon

It is inevitable that Indonesia is widely known for its dinosaur-like reptile, Komodo. The prehistoric creature can grow up to 3 meters in length and over 150 Kg in weight. 

You can only see this giant lizard in the Komodo National Park of East Nusa Tenggara Island. Many foreigners who travel to Indonesia make a stop on this island to see this astonishing creature. 

The island also shows you the fantastic stretch of land that covers 219,322 hectares of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The starkly rugged hillsides of dry savanna, thick vegetation, and pristine beaches provide the best home for these remarkable animals. 

2. Orangutan

Orangutan or brown primate is another reason for tourists visiting Indonesia. The highly intelligent mammals are protected in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan. Borneo and Sumatra island are the only place on earth where you will be able to see orangutans in the wild.

With long-strong arms, they climb from one tree to another to find lychees, mangosteens, and figs to eat. 

3. Sumatran and Javan Rhinoceros

Other animals you can find in the Indonesian Rainforest are Sumatra and Javan Rhinoceros. With their two horns and armor-plating-like skin, Sumatran rhinos are different from any other type of rhino on earth as they are the smallest of their own and the only Asian rhino with two horns.

Living only in Way Kambas National Park, there are only around 80 animals left. Its habitat of the savannah is perfect in Way Kambas National Park, with an astounding 1,300 kilometers of total exploration. 

The Javan Rhinoceros, known by the locals as Badak Jawa or Badak Sunda, is protected in their natural habitat in Ujung Kulon National Park, Banten. There are only 68 Javan Rhinos left, which made them classified in the brink of extinction. 

 4. Borneo Elephants

Borneo Elephant is particularly different from other elephants in the world. They have a small faces with huge size of ears. Their tail is so long that it sometimes touches the ground.

There are 1500 Borneo elephants living in the wild nowadays. You can find them in Nunukan Forest, Central Kalimantan. The species is endangered because of the loss of habitat.

5. Cendrawasih, The Bird of Paradise 

The majestic colorful birds can be found in the easternmost island of Indonesia, Papua. Cendrawasih is an endemic species that belongs to the family Paradisaeidae, or birds-of-paradise.

Cendrawasih has ornate and attractive feathers with long tails that hang delicately from its body. The bird is one of many species that the Indonesian Government protects.

You can find the bird of paradise in Taman Nasional Teluk Cenderawasih, West Papua. With an estimated 1,453,500 hectares of total area, it provides a rich habitat for numerous other creatures.

6. Sumatran Tiger

Initially, Sumatran tigers lived in the wildlife of Sumatra. Unfortunately, this iconic cats population is rapidly declining, with only a few hundred living in Indonesia.

Sumatran tigers are different from their relatives by their darker fur color with stronger contrast of orange to reddish-brown and black stripes. They are also known for being the smallest tiger but no less ferocious.

Out of the estimated 400 total Sumatran Tigers living in the wild, 150 animal species are found in Kerinci Seblat National Park, West Sumatra.