Sentarum Lake Wildlife

Sentarum Lake Wildlife is one of the wetlands of Indonesia, located in West Kalimantan. As we already know wetlands are extremely beneficial to humans and other living things, especially those living nearby. So, in the long history of human beings have learned how to use wetland resources for various purposes. The Dayak and Malay fishermen for centuries have been taking fish from lakes and other forest products from freshwater swamp forest in various ways, such as fishing, hunting, and taken harvest of forest products.

Until a few decades ago, the utilization does not cause serious impacts on natural habitats, but development and population pressures have an impact on wildlife lake Sentarum.

To protect the interests of wildlife conservation Sentarum lake, then in 1982 the Indonesian government established a wildlife reserve area. Even in 1994 has been determined to become Indonesia's second Ramsar site, this means that Sentarum Lake Wildlife become International interests. 

Sentarum Lake Wildlife Location

Sentarum Lake Wildlife located in the valley of the Kapuas River, about 700 km from estuary leading South China sea and surrounded by low mountains which covers an area of ​​80,000 hectares. The most appropriate location which is located in the western part of Kapuas Hulu with 3/4 wide seasonal lake. Sentarum lake wildlife at a height of 30-35 m above sea level, with annual rainfall ranging from 3.000 up to 3.500 mm. Around 35 thousand hectares of lakes, the rest of freshwater wetland forests with tree height of 20-25 meters, and peatlands around the forest. Lake Sentarum wildlife forest is a tropical rain forest and much denser than ordinary jungle, and cause annual floods. The presence of peat soils in the vicinity causing a severe shortage of minerals and waters of the lake became black.

When the rainy season arrives, the Kapuas river water level will rise and cause flooding submerged basin, forming a lake with depths reaching 7-8 feet in December to March. When dry season comes, the water level decreases the Kapuas river, swamp forest and the lake becomes dry, but water levels in the Kapuas river will remain the same. The lake is often dry season in July and August.

Sentarum Lake Wildlife Biodiversity

Viewed from the standpoint of conservation, wildlife lake Sentarum have high interest rates. Because the uniqueness ability of various types of trees to make adjustments from annual floods that reached a height of 2-5 meters. Many specimens are only located on the Lake Sentarum wildlife.

The use of natural resources, particularly Flora such as roundwood (Fragrea fragrans), cavi (Shorea Balangeran), construction wood, fruits, vegetables, rattan, medicines, dyes, ropes, etc. From 207 tree species recorded, only 3% are used for firewood.

The wealth of fauna found in the lake Sentarum wildlife reserve, there are 200 types of fish including: Arowana (Scleropages formosus), Belida (Chitala Lopis), toman (Channa micropeltes), Betutuk (Oxyeleotris marmorata), Jelawat (Leptobarbus hoevenii) and Ulanguli (Botia macranthus). Fishing is very productive in the Kapuas basin,  predicted 2/3 freshwater fish entering  West Kalimantan Province came from Sentarum Lake Wildlife.

The life of an endangered fauna, including the proboscis (Nasalis larvatus), orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Crocodile Sinyulong (Tomistoma schlegelii), estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) and swamp forests stork (Ciconia stormi).

Forest and its contents provide benefits to society as a whole, then efforts to maintain the forest and its contents are the responsibility and obligation of government and society. Wildlife is a nature reserve areas are characterized by diversity and uniqueness of the species to survive and must be developed to their habitat. Everyone is prohibited from conducting activities that could lead to changes in the integrity of the wildlife area, unless the development activities for the benefit of wildlife habitat in a wildlife reserve. The use of natural resources in the region Lake Sentarum wildlife, are intended only for local residents who use the traditional way on an ongoing basis.