Indonesia- Sulawesi-Tangkoko Reserve

Sulawesi has been recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. Sulawesi has species of both Asian and Australasian origin, it is the only place on the planet where both marsupials and old world monkeys are found.

Over the past few decades, Indonesia has undergone massive amounts of deforestation, including the destruction of immense areas of primary rain forest. According to some estimates, the rate of forest loss in Indonesia has surpassed that of the Brazilian Amazon.  The burning of tropical rainforest and peatland is done in the dry season (happening now),  and the fires are mostly intentional set to clear the land.  There is no environmental or government agency that cares enough to regulate or stop the annual burning.  We were fortunate to get to visit one of the forest reserves and see some unique and endangered (imperiled) wildlife.  Get ready for some cuteness!  

The spectral tarsier is one of  the worlds smallest primates and is endemic to Sulawesi. The tarsier is a prosimian (pre-monkey); 25 million years before monkeys evolved.

The bear cuscus is an arboreal marsupial 

 bear cuscus 

 bear cuscus 

 bear cuscus 

Red Knobbed Hornbill- feeding his partner and fledging

Tarsiers are incredibly tiny, typically weighing between only 3.5 and 4.5nounce (102 and 130 grams)!

It's eyes do not move, they swivel their head 180 degrees.  A Tarsiers eye is bigger than its brain.

 It is nocturnal, and uses its large eyes to forage for insect and small vertebrates.

Our friends SV Field Trip

Nothing is more enjoyable than a walk in the woods at Dusk

Crested Black Macaque- endangered

Soo Tired

Video of Red Knobbed Hornbill (male) regurgitating food to his fledgling in the tree nest; Bear Cuscus and Spectral Tarsius.  If you received the blog via email open this link to watch video: https://alohanoelle.blogspot.com/2019/09/indonesia-sulawesi-tangkoko-reserve.html