Lorentz National Park

Lorentz National Park 

Lorentz National Park is representative of the complete ecosystem for biodiversity in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. This area is also one of the three regions of the world that have glaciers in the tropics. It stretches from snow-capped mountain peaks (5,030 m dpl), to stretch out to the coastal waters with mangrove forests and borders the Arafura Sea waters. In this stretch, there is a spectrum of ecological stunning alpine vegetation of the region, sub-alpine, montane, sub-montane, lowland, and wetlands.

In addition to having a very high biodiversity, there are also some specific and unique presence in the Puncak Jaya glaciers and rivers that disappeared several kilometers into the ground in the Valley Balliem.A total of 34 vegetation types including swamp forest, river, sago forest, peat forests, coral sand beaches, rainforest land flat / slope, rain forest on the hill, Heath forests, mountain forests, grasslands, and lichens.

Plant species in this park include palm (Nypa fruticans), mangroves (Rhizophora apiculata), Pandanus julianettii, Colocasia esculenta, Avicennia marina, Podocarpus pilgeri, and Nauclea coadunata.The types of animals that have been identified in the Lorentz National Park as many as 630 species of birds (± 70% of the bird in Papua) and 123 species of mammals. Bird species characteristic of this national park there are two types of cassowary, four megapodes, 31 species of doves / pigeons, 30 types of parrots, 13 species of birds of shrimp, 29 species of birds honey, and 20 endemic species such as long-tailed bird of paradise (Paradigalla caruneulata) and quail snow (Anurophasis monorthonyx).Animals such as mammals recorded long snout pig spines (Zaglossus bruijnii), pig snout short spines (Tachyglossus aculeatus), 4 types of possum, wallaby, bobcat, and tree kangaroos.Lorentz National Park designated as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO and Natural Heritage of ASEAN by the ASEAN countries.

This national park has a high biodiversity and cultural diversity supported awesome. It is estimated that culture 30,000 years old and is the residence of tribal Nduga, Western Dani, Amungme, Sempan and Asmat. Chances are there are more people living in the remote wilderness that has not entered into a relationship with modern humans.Asmat sculpture famous sculpture skills. According to belief, the tribe is identical to the forest or the trees. The trunk symbolizes the human body, its branches as arms, and the fruit as a human head. The tree is considered as the lives of their ancestors. Asmat community system that respects the tree, it applies also to the rivers, mountains and others.Lorentz designated as a national park in 1997, so the facility / facilities for the convenience of visitors is still very limited, and not all objects and natural tourist attraction in this park have been identified and developed.Season to visit: August s / d in December each year. 

How to reach:From the town of Timika to the northern part of the region using the aviation pioneers and to the south by ship through the Port of Sawa Erma, followed by the path to several locations.

more info:
1.  http://www.dephut.go.id
2. http://www.heritagetraveller.com