Banyuwangi, IO – Observing the behavior of various protected wildlife in the morning is a fun activity. Moreover, in Indonesia there are many national parks that are rich in biodiversity, one of which is Baluran National Park.
From downtown Banyuwangi, Independent Observer last Sunday (23/4), traversed a distance of 53 kilometers, about one hour by motorbike. Along the Java north coast (Pantura) route, my journey brought me to the Bali Strait. However, when passing through the Baluran National Park area, the view of the sea changes to a row of acacia trees.
Entering Wonorejo Village, Banyuputih District, at Banyuwangi-Situbondo highway kilometer 35, you can see the gate of Baluran National Park. After buying an entrance ticket for Rp20,000, the journey continued towards Padang Sabana Bekol.
Trekking through the dry forest with paved road, my trip to the savannah is about 21 minutes covering a distance of 12 kilometers. Vehicle speed limited to 20 kilometers per hour. Along the way, I saw a lot of monkeys foraging, and occasionally white starlings perched on tree branches.
Entering the savanna area, I was captivated by the vast and beautiful expanse of green grass. The view is even more majestic with the backdrop of Mount Baluran which rises 1,247 above sea level. In the expanse of the savanna, you can see a herd of long-tailed monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), deer (Cervus timorensis), wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) to banteng (Bos javanicus).
One of the staff on the tour revealed that there were 26 types of animals living in this 25 thousand hectare area, including butterflies. However, they may scatter at a number of sites, taking shelter under a tree, looking for food or moving to another place because they are shy or scared of human.
As I continued along the savanna towards Bama Beach, I saw two peacocks in the tall grass. The further I went the quieter the atmosphere around me. I was startled by the sight of peacocks flying in the sky across the shady trees.
Enjoying wild animals in their natural habitat is a more rewarding and humane experience than seeing them in a zoo. Thanks to places like Baluran, where humans are guests, I am constantly reminded of the importance of maintaining ecological balance. (Aini Tartinia)