Meru Betiri National Park - Indonesia

General

The Meru Betiri National Park lies at the south coast of east Java and is 50,000 ha. It was named after the highest mountain in the area: the Gunung Betiri (1,223 m).

The park consists of one of the last extensive areas of lowland rainforest on Java, as well as mangrove, lowland swamp forest and beach formations. Rumour says that here the last Javan Tigers have their domicile. Other endemics in the park are the plants Rafflesia zollingeriana and Balanphora fungosa. On the southern beaches, near Sukamade, five species of sea turtle lay their eggs.

Access

Meru Betiri National Park can be reached from Banyuwangi. Take a bus to Pesanggaran and from there continue with a minibus to Sarongan or a truck to Sukamade. From Sukamade trucks ride to Rajagwesi. Permits and guides are available at the PHPA office in Sarongan.

Accomodation

Rajagwesi PHPA Guesthouse Sukamade Wisma Sukamade

Trekking

The PHPA office organizes walks through the park.

Sarongan - Bandealit 3 days Sukamade - Turtle Bay 1 hour

Fauna

Rhizophora spp., Avicennia spp., Bruguiera spp., Sonneratia spp.. Endemic species: Rafflesia zollingeriana, Balanphora fungosa.

Fauna

Animals

Javan Tiger?? (Panthera tigris sondaicus), Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Banteng, Leopard, Sambar Deer (Cervus unicolor), Javan Leaf Monkey, Long-tailed Macaque, Pangolin, Silvered Leaf Monkey, Black Giant Squirrel, Reticulated Python, Water Monitor, Green Turtle, Leatherback Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Large Flying Fox.

Birds

Green Peafowl, Black-banded Barbet, Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus), Asian Pied Hornbill, Rhinoceros Hornbill, Javan Coucal, Spotted Kestrel (Falco moluccensis), Rufous-bellied Eagle (Hieraaetus kienerii), Black Eagle, Collared Scops-Owl (Otus lempiji), Javan Owlet (Glaucidium castanopterum), Osprey, Banded Pitta, Red-breasted Parakeet, Crested Serpent-eagle, Blyth's Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus alboniger), Changeable Hawk-Eagle, White-bellied Sea-Eagle.

from : http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/4466/meru1.htm