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| | | [navigasi.net] Flora&Fauna - Taman Nasional Meru Betiri | | | | | The closest and relatively friendly way to “Meru
Betiri” National Park, from Jember to south, direction to
Bandealit apparently closed due to the collapsing of the only
bridge. I decided to take longer and more difficult way: Jember
to the east, direction to Genteng and then down south direction
to Jajag, Pasanggrahan and Saropan, crossing the two Rubber
Plantations “Sungai Lembu” and “Sukamade
Baru”.
There are only two words to describe the road to “Meru
Betiri”: beyond comprehension. However, while we were
struggling with the very bad condition of the road, we were
entertained by the beauty of the surroundings: impenetrable
jungle on one side and a crystal clear sea some two hundred
meters down below on the other sides. I have the choice to make:
by crossing several shallow rivers taking around 10 kilometers,
through a bumpy road or by crossing one bigger river with water
level around 60 cm (in dry season) for only 3 kilometers. I
decided to put all my luck on the later.
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| | | [navigasi.net] Flora&Fauna - Taman Nasional Meru Betiri | | | | |
Actually, the best ways to see “Meru Betiri” is by
crossing the jungle by walking/tracking for around 3 days and
spend the first night in the Meru gulf, the second night in the
Bandealit gulf. However, the only requirement to do it is that
one has to have a prime stamina, something which is too luxury
for me, therefore I have to bow to my limitations and be wise
The legend of supposedly extinct “Jawa Tiger”
(Harimau Jawa) apparently is still in dispute. While majority
international Nature Scientists believed that Jawa Tiger was
already extinct since 1920, however some young Indonesian
naturalists argued that they have evidence to prove that
“Jawa Tiger” is not yet a legend. Besides they
discovered foot print, a bunch of hairs believed belonging to
supposedly extinct Jawa Tiger was sent to USA for DNA analysis
and lets us all hope that Jawa Tiger are still roaming freely in
the impenetrable jungle of “Meru Betiri”.
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| | | [navigasi.net] Flora&Fauna - Taman Nasional Meru Betiri | | | | |
World Wildlife Foundation has “Saving Green
Turtle” project by establishing green turtle nursery in
Sukamade. I met with Wayan, a charming Balinese guy, WWF field
supervisor and Miss Asti, a Marine Biologist student from
Diponegoro University, a volunteer worker assigned to the
project. I decided to stay overnight in the Park’s guest
house in Sukamade (S8.558667 - E113.886850) to see mother green
turtles laying eggs at dawn.
The guest house has very basic facilities of one room with two
single beds equipped with toilet (without flush) and only one 25
watt lamp and no electrical outlet whatsoever. The electricity
starts at 6 PM and end at around 4 AM. We had dinner together
with all the Jagawana (Park Rangers) and WWF staffs, with menu
prepared by one of the Ranger’s wife: Fried Chicken,
sambal, freswhly cooked garden vegetables and rice. After each
mouthful, I have to flush it down with warm tea without sugar ...
healthy. | | | | | | |
| | | [navigasi.net] Flora&Fauna - Taman Nasional Meru Betiri | | | | |
Apart from spooky tales about the Ranger’s experience in
the jungle, I have a great fun with them. At 2 PM we went to the
beach to see the turtle’s motherhood, to ensure the
survival of the next generation. The process of laying eggs,
takes 3 hours, from arriving in the beach, finding the right
location, digging, laying eggs, covering with sand and stamping
the sand. It is pretty common for the mother turtle, before
leaving the beach, digging another hole nearby her nest, just to
confuse the egg predators ... God’s heaven is full with
mothers not fathers ... ?
I have the privileged to release the newly hatching little
turtels into the sea, hoping that they managed to survive in the
dangerous life in the deep and come back in 15 years time to
continue the cycles of life ...
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