Tangkoko Forest, Vulnerable Area for Rare Animals

A raja udang (A. atthis), or common kingfisher, emits its distinctive call on Mar. 1 in the Tangkoko Nature Reserve near Bitung city, North Sulawesi. Tangkoko’s natural forests are an important habitat for several endemic Sulawesi animals, such as yaki (Celebes crested macaque; Macaca nigra), tarsier and cuscus. Hunting and forest conversion into agricultural land are endangering the existence of these endemic animals.

Heavy rain and muddy roads cannot deter us from exploring the Tangkoko forest, one of the nature reserves in Sulawesi. Unfortunately, until the sun set, none of the yaki could be found.