Indonesia is blessed with an extraordinary wealth of fauna. There are many animal species spread across various regions of Indonesia, from the west to the east. This fauna diversity cannot be separated from the geographical conditions of our country, which is one of the largest archipelagic countries in the world.
In 1859, Alfred Russel Wallace – an English naturalist – divided Indonesia into 3 parts using an imaginary line. This division is made based on the characteristics of the flora and fauna found in the area. This imaginary line is what we know as the “Wallace line” and the “Weber line”.
With the Wallace and Weber line, the fauna in our country is divided into three types, namely Asiatic (oriental) fauna, transitional fauna, and also Australian fauna. Each lives in a different area. Asiatic fauna can be found in western Indonesia, transitional fauna in central Indonesia, while australis fauna in eastern Indonesia. So Mudalovers, do you know the characteristics and differences of the three types of fauna in our country?
If not, don’t worry, in this article we will discuss one of them, namely the Australis fauna, in full, starting from the definition, characteristics, distribution, to examples. Then, what about the other two? We will discuss the rest in a different article because if put together it could become one book. So, don’t forget to keep visiting the Mudabicara so you don’t miss any information, okay?
Fauna australis is
Fauna australis is a group of animals that are similar to animals in Australia but breed in tropical regions. In Indonesia, the australis fauna can be found in the Maluku Islands and the surrounding small islands, Papua, Halmahera Island and the Aru Islands.
Australia is home to more than 100,000 animal species, including 80% of mammals found nowhere else in the world.
The distribution areas of this type of fauna mostly have environmental conditions that are tropical, temperate, or similar to the environmental conditions found in Australia. Hundreds of millions of years ago, the region of Indonesia that we know today was part of two continents. The western part of Indonesia is included in the Asian continent, while the eastern part of Indonesia is included in the Australian continent. This is the reason why Indonesia has an extraordinary diversity of fauna, including the australis fauna.
Characteristics of the Australis Fauna
The characteristics of the fauna of australis are special characteristics seen in the types of animals in this region. Usually these characteristics adapt to environmental conditions. So the types, populations, and characteristics are quite similar to each other.
The characteristics of the Australis fauna include small mammals, having sacs on their bodies, birds having striking colors and motifs, some having horns, and a limited population of freshwater fish.
1. Small mammals
Most mammalian populations in the Australian region have small body sizes. These characteristics are different from mammals in the Asiatic region. Even so, the Australis fauna also has large mammals, but there are not too many of them.
Australia has many types of invertebrates, including insects, spiders and snails.
2. Some have sacs on their bodies
The next characteristic of animals in the Australis region is that they have sacs on their bodies. The function of this sac varies, depending on the behavior of the animal that has it.
For example, kangaroos have a pouch on the front. This pouch functions to store and care for newborn kangaroo cubs because they have weak bodies.
So after their child’s body is considered strong, the mother kangaroo will only take their child out of their pouch. This is different from other mammals whose young bodies are stronger so they can walk immediately within a few hours after birth.
Australia is home to marsupials, which are mammals that carry their young in pouches. Some of Australia’s most famous marsupials are the kangaroo, koala and wombat.
3. The colors and motifs of the birds are very striking
The Australis region is home to bird species that have striking colors and motifs. Apart from that, the voices of birds in this region are usually no more melodious than bird species in the Australis region. Even so, the singing ability of australis birds cannot be underestimated.
Australia is also home to many types of birds, including emus, cassowaries and birds of paradise.
4. Some animals have horns on their heads
There are quite a lot of australis animals that have horns on their heads. Usually these horns are a distinctive characteristic of several Australian animals. For example, a hog deer whose appearance is like a combination of a pig and a deer.
5. The population of freshwater fish is very limited
If you look at the environment, the scope of fresh water in the Australian region is actually quite extensive. However, in this area the freshwater fish population is very limited. That is why, in this region you may find it difficult to find freshwater fish compared to Asiatic regions.
Australia also has many types of fish, including sharks, dolphins and whales.
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Examples of Australis Fauna in Indonesia
1. Tree Kangaroo
Tree kangaroos are a type of Australian fauna that can be found in the forests of Papua. Until now it is known that there are five types of tree kangaroos living there, namely:
Tree kangaroos are very agile animals and can jump from tree to tree with ease.
- Mbasio tree kangaroo (dendrologus mbasio)
- Wakera tree kangaroo (Dendrologus inustus)
- Ndomea tree kangaroo (Dendrologus dorianus)
- Nemena tree kangaroo (dendrologus ursinus)
- ornamental tree kangaroo (dendrologus goodfellowi)
Just like kangaroos in Australia, tree kangaroos are also marsupial mammals. The difference is, Australian kangaroos live on land while tree kangaroos live more in trees. Unfortunately, in their natural habitat the number of tree kangaroos is starting to decline because they are hunted by humans for their fur and also as a food source.
2. Couscous
The cuscus actually comes from the possum family, namely Australian marsupials. However, in ancient times, some of these animals “crossed” the Weber line so you can find them in Sulawesi and Papua. However, currently the cuscus population is very threatened because humans continue to hunt them in their natural habitat. Usually martens are hunted for their fur and also kept as pets.
Couscous can live up to 20 years.
There are several types of marten that are often hunted, namely the blue-eyed cuscus (Phalanger ornatus matabiru), the broodman (Pseudochirops cupreus), and also the bubutu mehmu cuscus (Ailurops ursinus).
3. Cenderawasih
Who has never heard the name of the bird of paradise? This bird is famous because its feathers are very striking and look beautiful. In Indonesia there are around 30 types of birds of paradise.
Male birds of paradise have more beautiful feathers than female birds of paradise.
28 of these types can be found in the forests of Papua, while the remaining two are in the Maluku Islands. Some well-known types of bird of paradise include:
- Blue bird of paradise (Paradisaea rodolphi)
- Red bird of paradise (paradisaea rubra)
- Raginana bird of paradise (paradisaea ragginana)
- Cendrawasih Magnificent
- King of paradise (cicinunurus regius
- Twelve-wire bird of paradise (seleucidis melanoleuca).
Because of the beauty of their feathers, the bird of paradise has become a hunting target in its natural habitat so that currently its sustainability is very threatened. Even though this bird is the mascot of Irian Jaya and its existence is strictly protected.
4. Cassowary
In the bird family, the cassowary is a type of giant bird. Its height can reach 100 to 180 centimeters with a maximum weight of 60 kilograms. Because of their giant bodies, cassowaries cannot fly like most birds. Even so, they have super strong legs whose kicks can shake a tree until the fruit falls. In addition, with their strong legs they can run fast.
Cassowaries are birds that cannot fly.
Cassowaries also use their legs to defend themselves from attacks by their opponents. Usually they will kick their opponents with strong legs and super sharp nails. Even one kick of his leg can make a person unconscious.
Even so, humans always have ways to hunt cassowaries in their natural habitat. This bird is widely hunted for its meat and its bones are turned into traditional weapons.
5. Papuan porcupine (Nokdiak Nata Fem)
Nokdiak Nata Fem or more familiarly known as Papuan porcupine is a type of porcupine whose body is spiny but shorter. Apart from that, Papuan porcupines are also unique animals because they belong to the mammal family but they reproduce by laying eggs.
The Papuan porcupine is an animal that is threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and hunting.
This animal lives in tall, mossy forests and consumes worms. Because of this, the Papuan porcupine is very difficult to see and also difficult to catch.
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6. Walabi
Wallabies are one of the Australian fauna whose existence is strictly protected. The reason is, several types of wallabies in Papua are already infested due to illegal hunting. Usually these animals are hunted to process their meat.
The scientific name of the wallaby is Macropus, which comes from Greek meaning “big foot”
Currently, the only remaining wallabies are stock wallabies (macropus agile) which live in open swamps in the Papua area. This animal, which looks similar to a kangaroo, is now protected in the protected area of Wasur National Park.
7. Komodo
Komodo is an animal that is believed to be the evolution of dragons and is hundreds of years old. This carnivorous animal is endemic to the Nusa Tenggara islands. This means that Komodo dragons will not be found outside this area.
Because it is an endemic animal, its existence is strictly protected and the area where it lives was made a national park with the name Komodo National Park in 1980. As a meat-eating animal, young Komodo dragons prey on many other animals for their main food. Young Komodo dragons aged 0 – 2 years, usually prey on lizards, insects or birds. They live in trees to avoid attacks from adult Komodo dragons and other predators.
Komodo is the largest lizard in the world.
Meanwhile, adult Komodo dragons usually prey on horses, wild boars, deer, water buffalo or dead animals. This carnivorous animal has a tongue that can smell up to 5 kilometers away.
The main weapon is very deadly saliva. In their saliva, there are more than 60 types of bacteria and one of them can cause blood poisoning. Animals that are bitten by Komodo dragons generally die within a day to several weeks due to blood poisoning.
8. Pig Deer
As previously mentioned, hog deer are animals whose appearance is similar to a combination of a pig and a deer. At first glance, this animal is very similar to a pig.
Pig deer are very shy animals and are easily startled.
However, its body is slimmer and its legs are longer than pigs in general. Pig deer are often found in tropical forests in eastern Indonesia.
9. Parrot
Parrots are birds that have quite large bodies with a foot structure consisting of two pairs of toes. Some of these toes face forward and others face backward so parrots are very adept at climbing trees.
Parrots have striking and brilliant feather colors. Generally, female parrots have red feathers, while males have green feathers. This bird is very popular with bird hobbyists because of its beautiful feathers and is also said to be easy to adapt to life in captivity.
Parrots can also be trained to do various tricks, such as dancing, playing music, and following commands.
This bird is often found in forests and plantations in Papua and Central Maluku. In their natural habitat, parrots consume a variety of fruits, nuts, vegetables and seeds. Apart from that, they like to nest in tree holes.
10. Black cockatoo
The black cockatoo is a species of bird that is often found in primary forests or plantations located at an altitude of 1,300 meters above sea level in the Papua region. This bird is synonymous with its large size and jet black feathers all over its body. Not only that, the black cockatoo also has a crest on its head that can be erected.
The world’s population of black cockatoos is estimated to only be around 10,000 individuals.
Black cockatoos have large, strong beaks for splitting coconut seeds and several types of seeds which are their main food. In their natural habitat, black cockatoos live in small groups or in pairs.
When flying, the black cockatoo looks very striking with its strong wing beats and quite loud screams. When perched on a tree, this bird will raise its crest and shout “krek-krek”.
11. Black-headed parrot
The black-headed parrot is a bird that belongs to the parrot group. Among all the types of birds in this group, the black-headed parrot is the bird whose feather color is considered the most brilliant. How come? The red, blue, yellow and green streaks on its feathers look very striking. Especially when compared to the yellow eyes and brownish yellow beak.
Black-headed parrots are monogamous, and they mate once in their lifetime.
Black-headed parrots are often found in the Maluku and Papua regions. Where they live, they eat fruit, flowers, seeds, insects, larvae, flowers, pollen, and also honey water.
12. Irian freshwater crocodile
The Irian freshwater crocodile is one of Australia’s unique fauna. The reason is, even though their main living place is in fresh water, they can also live in brackish and salt water. Apart from that, this animal also has a kind of bony protrusion on its snout which is its own characteristic. The scales on the nape of his neck and the bones on his back grew very well.
The Papuan freshwater crocodile is the largest crocodile in Indonesia, with a body length of up to 7 meters and a weight of up to 1 ton.
These animals spend more time in water than on land and they usually come out to look for prey at night. The main food of this animal consists of insects, mollusks, frogs and also kustaceans. Irian freshwater crocodiles are often found in the Papua region which borders Papua New Guinea. There are also those who live in mountainous areas in the Philippines.
13. Soa-Soa
Soa-soa is a reptile that at first glance looks similar to iguanas and Komodo dragons, which is why this animal is also called an ancient reptile. If you look in more detail, the soa-soa has a long snout with a small head. Apart from that, its body is dense and has longitudinal ridges on the head that are connected to its dorsal ridges. Then there are also tail ridges at the front, while the tip of the tail is not serrated.
Soa-soa are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater for up to 30 minutes.
The body length of the soa-soa can reach 345 mm with a tail that is twice the length of its body, which is around 750 mm. One of the unique things about this animal is that males have two penises (hemipenes), but during mating season they only use one penis.
Soa-soa is also an accomplished climber because of its long and sturdy toes. They are often found in forests in Ambon, Ternate, Halmahera, Papua, the Togean Islands, and Sulawesi (Pampama, Makassar, Manado, Poso, Tempe, and Latimojong).
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Closing
Mudalovers, we have finished discussing the australis fauna that lives in Eastern Indonesia. From the explanation above, now you know that there are many species that fall into the Australis fauna type.
Some of these animals are threatened with extinction due to human activities. So from now on, we must work together to protect the existence of Indonesian fauna by not doing or behaving that could threaten their safety.