| |
Bali, is located in archipelago of great natural diversity. About
17 percent of the world's total bird species are living
within the island of Indonesia.
 Thirty seven percent of
the world's known fish are found here, that's 7000. Not
to mention butterflies : the Indonesian archipelago rank
first, for amphibian animals, it ranks fifth and seventh
for flowering plants. Bali is situated in the Asian zone
of Indonesia, characterized by big carnivore mammals, suchas Tiger or smaller ones suchas Black panther or the
Leopard. These latter two are still found in Bali,
although they are threatened with extinction. There are
also big herbivores suchas the deer and the wild buffalo.
Bali's cattle consist of the tamed wild-ox, the Banteng
(Bos Sondaicus), the wild version of which can still be
found in the National Park.
One species
of birds particularly endangered is the Bali Starling, of
which less than fifty surviving in their natural habitat.
But the island has already experienced several cases of
fauna extinction. The most famous one, perhaps, is that
the Bali Tiger (Panthera tigris balica), the most
dangerous carnivore that lived in paradise. The last one
was shot in 1937.
Some areas of
the island are still occupied by rain forest, although
much of the latter has disappeared in the last century.
Wild orchids, Ferns, moss and other plants requiring a
high humidity are found in the mountain areas of the
island. The tenperate weather of the mountain also give
chances to the pines.
Wood
plants like teakwood grow in gorges. Gorges, which are
very numerous in Bali owing to ash structure of the soil,
are favourite places for tropical trees such as Banyan
tree (ficus elastica), or Pule tree (alstonia
scholarish), two of the sacred trees of Bali. The latter
is used in particular for the making of the sacred mask.
Other trees, such as the Pangge Baya or the Ebony are
getting rare as they are the favored material for woodcarving.
Along the rivers also
grow bamboo, it's a multipurpose material : One makes
pipes, rope, baskets and even food from bamboo.
Riversides have also a rich bird life. One finds Kepodang
(Oriole), Kipasan (Fantail), Kutilang (Pynocnotus) ; some
are really good singers, ow and then joining the great
choir of crickets.
The shore of Bali
shores are abundant in animal and floral
species. The mangrove forest contain all sorts of big and
small crabs, shrimps and fishes. The coral reefs contain
colorful fish which were for long exported abroad. These
fish, as cral itself, are now disappearing, as has the
giant turtle, which used to come by the thousands onto
Balinese shores. It is now prohibited to sell and export
its shell. On both straits that flank the island, though,
there still remains many dolphins. Is it because Man
recognizes himself in this animal ? |
|
