BUTON UTARA WILLIFE RESERVE

North Buton Wildlife Reserve was established in 1979 by the Decree of Minister of Forestry No. 782/Kpts-II/Um/12/1979 dated 17 December 1979 following the Recommendation of Governor of south East Sulawesi No: Pta. 4/1/11 dated 16 January 1973. The underlying consideration of establishment of this reserve is potency of flora and fauna contained therein which has to be preserved in the interest of science, education and culture. Since then, management and control of the area has been taken over by the Department of forestry.

North Buton Wildlife Reserve  lies in the north of the island Buton and covers 82,000 ha. It is the largest tropical forest amongst conservation areas in South East Sulawesi of Indonesia.

North Buton Wildlife Reserve is situated at 0 - 600 m above sea level with plain, sloping and rolling topography. The reserve consists of lowland forests partly on alluvial and partly on ultra basic rocks. There is also area of mangrove forest particularly on the eastern part of the reserve. With climate type C, dry season in July - December and rainy season is usually in January - June with annual rainfall 2,286 mm (average rainy day is 106 days per annum). The hottest weather is 34ºC, coolest weather is 22 ºC with dampness rate of 80%.

It would, therefore, not be too much if symbolizing this area as house of tropical flora and fauna. 40 indigenous sacred sites so-called "Sangia" are inside the area.

This area has a richness of vegetation like leguminosae - Papilionoideae (Pericopsis sp.), dolipo (Terminalia copelandii), soni (Dillepia megalantha), gito-gito (Diospyros pilosenthera), cendrana (Pterocarpus indicus) kenari (Canarium vulgaris), bintagur (Dillenia serrata), dao (Dracontomelon dao), and several kinds of anggrek (Acanthepipium sp, Bulbophyllum sp, and Eria floribunda).

Some endemic fauna founded in the area of North Buton Wildlife Reserve are: Booted macaque (Macaca ochreata), Lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), deer (Cervus timorensis), etc.

There are also many species of bird found in the reserve e.g. Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo), Indonesian Teal (Anas gibberifrons), Barred Rail (Gallirallus torquatus), Buff-banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis), White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus), Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia), Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola), Common Sandpiper (Tringa hypoleucos), Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva), Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultia), Oriental Plover (Charadrius veredus), Australian Pratincole (Stiltia Isabella), Pacific Reef-Egret (Egretta sacra), Great-billed Heron (Ardea sumatrana), Striated Heron (Butorides striatus), Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus).

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