Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
---|---|
Location | Sumatra, Indonesia |
Includes | |
Reference | 1167 |
Inscription | 2004 (28th Session) |
Endangered | 2011–... |
Area | 2,595,124 ha (6,412,690 acres) |
Coordinates | 02°30′S 101°30′E / 2.500°S 101.500°E |
The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. It comprises three Indonesian national parks on the island of Sumatra: Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The site is listed under Criteria vii - outstanding scenic beauty; ix- an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes; and x- contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation.[1] The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra has been placed on the Danger List since 2011 to help overcome threats posed by poaching, illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and plans to build roads through the site.[2]
Location and size
The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra consists of three national parks: Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) (8629.75 km2), Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) (13,753.5 km2) and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP) (3568 km2). The total area of the rainforest is 25,000 km2. The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra was chosen because, first, it represents significant area of forests on the island of Sumatra, because of the biodiversity, of lowland and mountain forest. This once vast island of tropical rainforest has been condensed to secluded areas, in the space of 50 years.
Second, the national parks that make up the heritage are all located on the well-known key spine of the
Lastly, all three national parks have a very varied habitat and have outstanding
Geography and climate
Gunung Leuser National Park in the north of the island is 150 km long, over 100 km wide and is mostly mountainous. 40% of the park is steep, and over 1,500 m. 12% of the park only, in the lower southern half, is below 600 meters but for 25 km runs down the coast. Eleven peaks are over 2,700 m and the highest point is
Kerinci Seblat National Park in the centre extends 350 km down the back of the Bukit Barisan, averaging 45 km width and 2000 m above sea level. The northern half has a lower eastern mountain range, between 800–1500 m. Three quarters of the park is steep. The highest point, and highest volcano in Indonesia, is the Mount Kerinci, standing at 3,805 m.
Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is also 350 km long but only 45 km wide on average. The northern two-thirds are rocky, averaging 1,500 m with the highest point, Mount Pulung standing at 1,964 m. The southern half is lower; 90 km of it is a cape and the park borders the sea for half its length. Many of rivers derive in the parks and there are several lakes and hot springs.
The mountains have year-round little changing high temperatures, high humidity and high rainfall for 9 months in wetter areas, 7 months in drier areas. This climate has encouraged the high speciation (formation of new species) and variety of species. Gunung Leuser, receives 3000 mm of
Flora and fauna
GLNP is a part of the 18 Indonesian regions classified by the
In KSNP, 85 mammal species are recorded, 5 endemic and 23 listed threatened 370 species of birds are listed, 13 being endemic and 58 threatened. Some important mammal species:
BBSNP, has 98 mammals are recorded, with 1 endemic and 25 threatened 379 species of birds are listed, 7 being endemic and 58. 59 reptile and amphibian species are recorded. BBSNP has the same bird species as KSNP. Some important mammal species: Sumatran elephant.
References
- ^ UNESCO: Description, retrieved 02-12-2009
- ^ Danger listing for Indonesia’s Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, retrieved 22-06-2011
- PMID 22087218.