Black Leaf Monkey ( Monyet Hitam )

The Celebes Crested Macaque (Macaca nigra), also known as the Crested Black Macaque, Sulawesi Crested Macaque, or the Black "Ape", is an Old World monkey that lives in the northeast of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (Celebes) as well as on smaller neighboring islands.

Its skin and hairless face is, with the exception of some white hair in the shoulder range, entirely jet black. The long muzzle with high cheeks and the long hair tuft, or crest, at the top side of the head are remarkable. The tail is only approximately 2 cm of stub. With a total body length of 45 to 60 cm and a weight of 7 to 10 kg, it is one of the smaller macaque species.
he Celebes Crested Macaque is a diurnal rain forest dweller. This macaque is primarily terrestrial, spending more than 60% of its day on the ground foraging for food and socializing, while sleeping and searching for food in the trees.

It lives in groups of 5 to 25 animals. Smaller groups have only a single male, while larger groups have up to four males. The females, however, always outnumber the males by about 4:1. Since young males must leave their birth group upon maturity, they sometimes form bachelor groups before they look for a connection to an existing mixed group. Communication consists of various sounds and gestures; such as the presentation of the long eyeteeth while grimacing a clear threatening gesture.

The Celebes Crested Macaque is frugivorous, with 70% of its diet consisting of fruits. It also consumes leaves, buds, seeds, fungus, birds and bird eggs, insects (such as caterpillars), and the occasional small lizard or frog.

The Celebes Crested Macaque is promiscuous, with both males and females mating multiple times with multiple partners. The receptivity of the females is clearly indicated by a tumescence (swelling) and redness which, in contrast to the black skin color, is particularly remarkable. The gestation time is 174 days, and the birth of the usually single offspring happens in the spring when food is more plentiful. Young animals are nursed approximately one year and become fully mature in 3 to 4 years, females somewhat sooner than males. Its life expectancy is estimated at approximately 20 years.

Because it devastates crops and fields, the Celebes Crested Macaque is hunted as a pest. It is also hunted to provide bushmeat. Clearing the rain forests further threatens its survival. Its situation on the small neighbouring islands of Sulawesi (such as Bacan) is somewhat better, since these have a low human population. The total population of the macaque on Sulawesi is estimated at 4,000-6,000, while a booming population of up to 100,000 monkeys is found on Bacan.

Tarsiers (Kukang Mini)

The tarsier is an extraordinary animal. Relative to weight, the tarsier has the largest eyes of all the mammals.

Fossil relatives of the tarsier have been found in Europe, North America and Africa. Now, they live only on some of the islands of Southeast Asia - the south of the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra and some of the other Indonesian islands. They have not survived well in captivity or as pets.

The tarsiers, unlike any other primates, completely refuse to eat any plant matter whatsoever. They eat mostly insects but sometimes enjoy birds, crabs, snakes, bats, etc, as long as it is something they can grab and eat its little head, crickets and grasshoppers for example. They may be eaten themselves by snakes, lizards, owls, and other birds of prey. Being nocturnal helps them avoid some predators in the dark night. If a tarsier is attacked by a predator, all of the tarsiers nearby may swarm and attack the predator

Tarsiers do like to sing with a high-pitch voice and in some species the males and females perform duets together. Different species of tarsier have different songs and singing styles and that is one way scientists can differentiate between the species.

The tarsier's flexible neck allows its head to swivel around 180 degrees to help it scan for prey or predator.
See those legs? The tarsier is an amazing jumper able to jump more than 40 times it's own body length. The hind legs can be twice the head and body length. They like to jump and cling to trees.

The tarsier has such large eyes because it is a nocturnal hunter and the large eyes help maximize the available light.

The tarsier's fur is grey, gold, ochre, sand-colored or a mix of these colors and very soft.

Tarsiers are prosimian primates of the genus Tarsius, a monotypic genus in the family Tarsiidae, which is itself the lone extant family within the infraorder Tarsiiformes. Although the group was once more widespread, all the species living today are found in the islands of Southeast Asia.
Fossils of tarsiers and tarsiiform primates are found in Asia, Europe, and North America, and there are disputed fossils from Africa, but extant tarsiers are restricted to several Southeast Asian islands including the Philippines, Sulawesi, Borneo, and Sumatra. They also have the longest continuous fossil record of any primate genus,[citation needed] and the fossil record indicates that their dentition has not changed much, except in size, in the past 45 million years.

Maleo Bird

The population of a central Sulawesi icon,the striking black –and white maleo bird ( Macrocephalon maleo) is on the verge of extinction due to poaching, environmental workers say.

The head of Lore Lindu National Park conservation office, Amir Hamzah, estimated that the curent population of the maleo, wich is part of the distinctive and rare Ordo megapodidae species, now numbered less than 1,000. ‘‘ Whereas, based on our estimated data, the population of the bird in 1998 was about 10,000 in one single habitat,” amir said.

Villagers often hunted the big-footed birds anf their eggs, which they could sell to rare animal collectors. The money was such that people were willing to wait for the birds to lay their eggs in sandy soil for hours on end, he said.

When the females returned to their nests in the evening residents dug 7 to 10 meters into the soil to take the birds single egg.

The maleo used ti nest throughout the huge Lore Lindu National Park and was often sighted near settlement near forests and coasts, Amir said.

As weel as being a national symbol of Cetral Sulawesi, the Maleo was also use for then – minister of research and technology B.J Habibie as the name for a car in the soeharto-era national car program.

But now, people seldom saw the maleo. Because of this, the park outority was conducting a breeding program to try to protect the birds from total extinction, Amir said. It had successfully bred more than 200 birds in captivity and had already released 10 back into nature this month.

“ The breeding sit is located in Saluki village. We released 10 birds …and there are more hatchings to come at the village.”

The park has involved local residents in the breeding plan who have been told of the dangers the maleo faces and are being paid to preserve the bird.

Amir said that the effortas had been quite fruitful.Now more aware of conservation strategies, the villagers would also act as a control on poachers in the area, he said.

Before the national park fice had got involved, a villager from Parigi Moutong, the late Daeng Pabbeta, was a pioneer of efforts to preserve the bird and reseived the Kalpataru environmental award from former president Soeharto.

Amir hoped there were still residents in or around the park who would act like Daeng to voluntarily protect the birds from dying out.

Central Sulawesi Governor Aminudin Ponulele recently emphasized that his administration would componsate anyone who made effor to keep the maleo from extinction.

“ The maleo has always been a symbol of our pride.If the speies goes, our pride will go with it. I will reward anyone who acts to protect the bird,” Aminudin said.

Often ground – dwelling the maleo requeres a humid climate anf sandy suroundings and their habitats ar usully near coatal areas thick with sand and undergrowth and protsted from the wave.




From Jakarta Post news paper ; Saturday May 28,2005

Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis comata)

The Grizzled Leaf Monkey (Presbytis comata) is currently listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is estimated that there are less than 1000 of these animals living in the wild, and, due to clearing of rainforests in Indonesia, only 4% of their natural habitat remains. It is estimated that the population of the Grizzled Leaf Monkey has decreased at least by 50% in the last 10 years.

Grizzled Leaf Monkeys are found only on the island of Java in Indonesia. Java is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity hotspot that contains some 82 threatened species and 13 critically endangered species. They have been seen all throughout the tropical rainforest, in both high and low areas. They are active during the day and live in the trees, rarely touching the ground. They seem to travel in groups of 3-12 monkeys each, averaging 6-7. Sometimes the groups are centered around a mated pair, but not always. There have been reports of all male groups as well. These groups tend to be very territorial, defending their areas against other groups, but there does appear to be pretty extensive overlapping edges between territories. The small areas that they occupy are relatively crowded, with sometimes up to 91 individuals per square mile or 35 per square kilometer.

The average weight for a Grizzled Leaf Monkey is 13-18 pounds (6-8 kg). They are small and slender with small faces, tails, and long fur that ranges in color from dark gray to white on the underbelly. The fur on the top of their heads is darker, verging on black, and it is a longer fringe of hair. They also have large, rounded stomachs.
The Grizzled Leaf Monkey has an interesting adaptation to deal with the food that it eats. Since leaves are usually not very nutritious and are actually often toxic, most animals that live in the jungles of Indonesia supplement their diets with fruits, flowers, and the more nutritious parts of plants. Leaf Monkeys, however, have large stomachs with several chambers. The first chamber contains specialized bacteria that counteract the toxins in the leaves and break down the leaves so that the monkeys can get nutrition from them. About 70% of their diet consists of leaves, 62% young leaves and 6% mature leaves. They will also eat fungi and tips of branches.

Did You Know? The Grizzled Leaf Monkey’s stomach is so large that the contents alone account for 25% of their total weight.

There isn’t a lot of information available on mating and reproduction in the Grizzled Leaf Monkey. Other leaf monkeys, however, such as the Francois Monkey, have been studied in more detail, and the females reach sexual maturity at three to four years old and the males at four. They reach their full adult size at about six or seven. Usually only one baby is born at a time after a gestational period of about 200 days. Babies are usually nursed for about two years and don’t have any contact with their mothers after they are weaned.

Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus)

The Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is the smallest bear in the world, but it is also considered by many to be the fiercest. It is currently listed as endangered, mostly due to hunting. In many countries, bile from the gallbladders of Sun Bears is praised for its medicinal qualities, and their paws are used for soup. In some countries, Sun Bears are kept as pets.

Sun bears are only found in southeast Asia. They are extremely good climbers, often found in the treetops. Because of this, Sun Bears are known as “basindo nan tenggil” in Malay, which translates to “he who likes to sit high.” There is evidence to suggest that the bears spend a great deal of time in the treetops, even sleeping up high in the trees. They are nocturnal, resting and enjoying the sunlight during the day, and do not hibernate as other bears do and are active all year. As not much study has been done on these bears, no one is certain how many actually still exist in the wild.

The Sun Bear’s small size, with the males only growing to reach about 145 pounds (65 kg) and the females only reaching 60 pounds (30 kg), makes them very distinctive. They have dark brown to black fur, which is very thick, and their skin is actually loose, which allows them to turn and bite when attacked and held by a predator. The bear’s muzzle is very short and is lighter than the rest of the fur, sometimes ranging to a light orange color. Their most distinctive feature is the crescent-shaped patch of fur on the chest that ranges from white to golden yellow. They have very long claws, which help them to climb trees. At sometimes up to 6 inches (15 cm), these claws are also used to defend against the bear’s natural predators.


Did You Know: The Sun Bear is named for the patch of fur on their chests which was once thought to resemble a rising or setting sun?

Sun Bears are complete omnivores. They have very long tongues that allow them to get to hard to reach honey and insects. They have been known to eat termites, birds, small animals, honey, and fruit, and, as their habitats decline and food become scarce, it is not unusual for a wild Sun Bear to raid commercial crops, such as oil palms.

Due to their decreased numbers and lack of information, not much is known about their breeding and reproductive patterns, unfortunately. It seems that they reach full sexual maturity at about three years in the female and four years in the male. There are many differing reports as to the gestational period for the Sun Bear. Nothing is known about their reproductive habits in the wild, but, in captivity, most Sun Bears give birth after a length of only 95-96 days. There doesn’t appear to be a peak mating season, as these bears seem to give birth throughout the year. They usually bear litters of two or three cubs, and these cubs are nursed until about 18 months of age, but they tend to stick with their mothers until they are fully mature and ready to mate.

Bibliography:
Charles Joseph Jonkel. Sun Bear. Encarta Encyclopedia, © 2000.
Honolulu Zoo. Sun Bear. Accessed August 11, 2004 at http://www.honoluluzoo.org/sun_bear.htm.
Sun Bear. Accessed August 11, 2004 at http://www.bearbiology.com/sudesc.html.
Malayan Sun Bear. Accessed August 11, 2004 at http://www.bears.org/animals/sun/.
Animal Fact Sheets. Accessed August 11, 2004 at http://www.zoo.org/educate/fact_sheets/sun_bear/sbear.htm

Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis/Bubalus quarlesi)

Anoas are grazers, eating mostly grasses, saplings, ferns, and fallen fruit. They also appear to get additional minerals that they need by drinking sea water. Relatively passive and shy animals, Anoas will, however, attack violently if cornered or threatened, disemboweling their enemies with their sharp, pointed horns, and they seem to be especially violent towards humans.

The anoa reach sexual maturity at about two to three years of age and will mate and give birth once a year. There doesn’t appear to be an obvious breeding season. After a gestational period of about 275-315 days, the mother will give birth to one baby, and very seldom will birth two. The young anoas are weaned after six to nine months, and they are reported to live approximately 15-20 years in the wild.

Since so much is unknown about the anoa, experts are still unsure whether the males are territorial or not. Males have been seen marking trees with their horns and scratching the soil after they urinate. No one is sure if they are marking their territories or just showing aggression.

Anoa come in two types, the lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), and the mountain anoa (Bubalus quarlesi). The anoa is a species of pigmy buffalo, and they are the smallest of the wild cattle. Both species are currently listed as endangered, being threatened by clearing of the forests where they live and being hunted for their meat, horns, and hides.

Interesting Fact: Little is known about the habits of the anoa as they are one of the least-studied of all endangered species.

Anoa are only found on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. The lowland anoa is found in swampy forests, and the mountain anoa is found in higher-altitude forests. Unlike most cattle, anoas don’t live in herds but, rather, live solitary or in pairs and only will meet in groups when a female anoa is about to give birth. They are active most often in the morning and evening when it is still relatively cool, and they rest in the shade when the temperature rises in the afternoon. They will also bathe in mud or water to keep cool.

The lowland anoa most closely resembles a tiny water buffalo. They usually don’t grow more than 30 inches (76 cm) at the shoulder and can weigh up to 660 pounds (300 kg). When they are young, they are covered with thick, light brown wooly hair, which thins as they grow older and becomes much darker. They have dark brown to black skin that can be easily seen through their hair. There are white marks on their heads and legs, and there is often a crescent-shaped area of white on the throat area. They also have horns, both males and females, that grow out of their foreheads and point straight back, growing to reach lengths of 15 inches (38 cm). Mountain anoas have essentially the same appearance, but they keep their wooly coats through adulthood, and their horns are somewhat smaller. They also are a more solid color without the throat and leg markings that the lowland anoas have.

Anoas are grazers, eating mostly grasses, saplings, ferns, and fallen fruit. They also appear to get additional minerals that they need by drinking sea water. Relatively passive and shy animals, Anoas will, however, attack violently if cornered or threatened, disemboweling their enemies with their sharp, pointed horns, and they seem to be especially violent towards humans.

The anoa reach sexual maturity at about two to three years of age and will mate and give birth once a year. There doesn’t appear to be an obvious breeding season. After a gestational period of about 275-315 days, the mother will give birth to one baby, and very seldom will birth two. The young anoas are weaned after six to nine months, and they are reported to live approximately 15-20 years in the wild.

Since so much is unknown about the anoa, experts are still unsure whether the males are territorial or not. Males have been seen marking trees with their horns and scratching the soil after they urinate. No one is sure if they are marking their territories or just showing aggression.

Bibliography:

Anoa. Encarta Encyclopedia, © 2000.
Lowland anoa. Accessed on August 15, 2004 at http://www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Bubalus_depressicornis.html.
Animal Fact Sheets. Accessed on August 15, 2004 at http://www.zoo.org/educate/fact_sheets/anoa/anoa.htm.
Animal Info - Anoa. Accessed on August 15, 2004 at http://www.animalinfo.org/species/artiperi/anoadepr.htm.

Komodo Dragon

Varanidae: Varanus Komodoensis

The Komodo Dragon lizard, discovered by the West in 1910, is the world's largest lizard and can grow up to three metres (almost ten feet) in length. Average lifespan is around twenty years. They live on a small number of Indonesian islands, including the eponymous Komodo Island itself. Their preferred habitat is dry, hot places such as open grassland. They are currently classified as a vulnerable species however they could become endangered.
A komodo dragon
Komodos are part of the awesome monitor lizard family. They can see up to 300 metres and their eyes are better adapted to seeing movement than stationary objects. Komodo dragons were initially thought to be completely deaf, however more recent research has shown that they can hear, albeit in a restricted frequency range.

The Komodo's main hunting sense is that of smell. The lizard samples the air with its tongue then returns the two tongue tips to the mouth where the air is "analysed". A Komodo dragon can sense the smell of carrion up to four kilometres (two and a half miles) away.

Given their size, Komodo dragons are not built for a long chase - however they can sprint at up to 20 kilometres per hour (12 miles per hour) for short periods of time. Their preferred hunting strategy to get food is thus to sit quietly in one spot waiting for something big and tasty to come near.

In fact if the Komodo lizard's prey escapes after it is bitten then it could still become dragon food; the Komodo's bite is toxic to other creatures.

Big komodo dragons are quite capable of killing and eating a human being and there are many accounts of this occuring.

Note: The Komodo Dragon is sometimes referred to as the Komoto or even Comodo Dragon

Banteng - Bos Javanicus

Classification

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae
Subfamily : Bovinae
Genus : Bos

Taxonomy

Bos javanicus [d'Alton, 1823].
Citation: Die Skelete der Wiederkauer, abgebildt und verglichen, p. 7.
Type locality: Indonesia, Java.

The taxonomic record (above) is taken from Wilson and Reeder (1993). The banteng has been placed the subgenus Bibos, although recent evidence suggests a closer affinity to domestic cattle in the subgenus Bos [Linneaus, 1758] (Nowak, 1991). Invalid synonyms for B. javanicus include banteng, birmanicus, butleri, discolor, domesticus, leucoprymnus, longicornis, lowi, porteri, and sondaicus (Wilson and Reeder, 1993).

General Characteristics

Body Length: 190-225 cm / 6.3-7.5 ft.
Shoulder Height: 160 cm / 5.3 ft.
Tail Length: 65-70 cm / 2.1-2.3 ft.
Weight: 600-800 kg / 1320-1760 lb.

The banteng exhibits sexual dimorphism, allowing the sexes to be readily distinguished by appearances. Both males and females have white 'stockings' on their lower legs, a white rump, a white muzzle, and white spots above the eyes. The short-haired, rufous-chestnut coat in females and young is smooth, with a dark dorsal stripe. The build is trim and distinctly cattle-like. The horns of females are short and tightly curved, pointing inward at the tips. In mature males, the coat is blue-black or dark chestnut in colour. The horns are long, growing 60-75 cm / 2-2.5 feet long, and arc upwards, connected by a horn-like bald patch on the forehead. There is a hump on the back above the shoulders.

Ontogeny and Reproduction

Gestation Period : 285 days.
Young per Birth : 1
Weaning : At 6-9 months.
Sexual Maturity : At 2-3 years.
Life span : About 20 years.

While in captivity breeding has occurred throughout the year, wild banteng in Thailand mate during May and June.

Ecology and Behavior

While the banteng may be active during the night or day, in areas with heavy human encroachment the herds have become nocturnal. Herds have been recorded feeding throughout the night, pausing to rest and ruminate at intervals. These wild cattle are very shy and retiring, and due to their wariness they are hard to approach. Feeding in open clearings, banteng depend on dense thickets in which to retire for shelter and safety. During the wet seasons, banteng may leave the valleys to forage, heading for forests at higher elevations. As the dry season takes hold, they return to the opener lowlands.

Family group : Herds of 2-40 animals with a single mature male. Other males are live alone or in bachelor groups.
Diet : Grasses, leaves, and shoots.
Main Predators : Dhole.

Distribution

Dense forest and bamboo jungles in Indochina, Borneo, Java, and the Malay Peninsula.

Countries: Bangladesh [RE], Brunei Darussalam [RE], Cambodia, India [RE], Indonesia (Bali; Jawa; Kalimantan), Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia [RE]; Sabah; Sarawak?), Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam (IUCN, 2002).

Range Map (Redrawn from Corbet and Hill, 1992)

Conservation Status

The banteng is listed as endangered (A1cd+2cd, C1+2a) by the IUCN (2002), and is not listed by CITES.

Remarks

These wild cattle have been domesticated in numerous locations, most notably on the island of Bali, where they are known, appropriately, as Bali cattle. Over 1.5 million domestic banteng are thought to exist. Mating between banteng and domestic cattle occurs freely, and the resulting offspring are usually fertile.

Banteng is a Malayan name. Bos (Latin) an ox. -icus (Latin) a suffix meaning belonging to: the banteng inhabits Java, among other islands in Malaya.

French
Banteng (Buchholtz, 1990)

German
Banteng (Buchholtz, 1990)

Literature Cited

Buchholtz, C. 1990. Cattle. In Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals. Edited by S. P. Parker. New York: McGraw-Hill. Volume 5, pp. 360-417.

Corbet, G. B., and J. E. Hill. 1992. the Mammals of the Indomalayan Region: A systematic review. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Nowak, R. M. [editor]. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World (Fifth Edition). Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder [editors]. 1993. Mammal Species of the World (Second Edition). Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Additional Resources

Alikodra, H. 1987. The ecology of banteng (Bos javanicus) in the National Park of Ujung Kulon. Biotrop Special Publications 30: 161-167.

Ashby, K.R. and Santiapillai, C. 1986. An assessment of the status of the banteng (Bos javanicus) with particular reference to its interaction with the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Tigerpaper 13(4): 10-20.

Ashby, K.R. and Santiapillai, C. 1987. The life expectancy of banteng (Bos javanicus) and buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Baluran National Park, East Java, Indonesia. Biotrop Special Publications 30: 151-160.

Ashby, K.R. and Santiapillai, C. 1988. The status of the banteng (Bos javanicus) in Java and Bali. Tigerpaper 15(4): 16-25.

Bowman, D. 1992. Banteng. Australian Natural History 24(3): 16.

Davis, S., and B. Read. 1985. The status of North American captive herds of the banteng (Bovis javanicus). Zoo Biology 4(3): 269-279.

Duckworth, J. W., and S. Hedges. 1998. A Review of the Status of Tiger, Asian Elephant, Gaur, and Banteng in Viet Nam, Lao, Cambodia, and Yunnan (China), with Recommendations for Future Conservation Action. WWF Indochina Programme, Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Halder, U. 1976. Okologie und Verhalten des Banteng (Bos javanicus) in Java. Eine Feldstudie. Mammalia depicta 10, Verlag Paul Parey, Hamburg and Berlin, Germany.

Hedges, S. 1996. Proposal for inclusion of Banteng (Bos javanicus) in CITES Appendix I. Proposal prepared for the IUCN/SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group, the IUCN/SSC Wildlife Trade Programme, and the Thai Government.

Heng Kimchhay, Ouk Kimsan, Kry Masphal, Sin Polin, Uch Seiha, and H. Weiler. 1998. The Distribution of Tiger, Leopard, Elephant and Wild Cattle (Gaur, Banteng, Buffalo, Khting Vor and Kouprey) in Cambodia. Interm Report: July 1998. Wildlife Protection Office, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Payne, J., and C. M. Francis. 1985. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo. Sabah, Malaysia: Sabah Society with World Wildlife Fund Malaysia.

Srikosamatara, S., and V. Suteethorn. 1995. Populations of gaur and banteng and their management in Thailand. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society 43(1): 55-83.

Cendrawasih Bird of Paradise

Cendrawasih is the Indonesian word for the bird of paradise. The Raggiana bird of paradise (Paradisaea raggiana) is the national bird of New Guinea, and its figure graces everything from money to stamps to taxi cabs. Because they have such rare and beautiful plumage, birds of paradise have been hunted for centuries, and their feathers have been used for decoration and their supposed mystical properties. They are currently listed as endangered and trapping and export are illegal, but all species of the bird of paradise are still being traded illegally on the black market.

Interesting Fact: After trading plumes of birds of paradise with early European explorers, local tribes told them that the birds were the birds of the gods and never touched earth, feeding only on dew. This story accentuated the value of the birds for over 100 years, and the feathers were in such high demand that it almost killed off the species.

The cendrawasih is only found on the island of New Guinea. There are at least 37 other species of the bird of paradise that also make their homes on this island. The males are known to gather in a specific tree together in the morning and will engage in mutual display, where they fluff out their extensive colorful feathers to try and attract a female. They live in the tops of trees and in the underbrush, making nests in tree branches and holes.

Cendrawasih, or Birds of Paradise, are considered by many to be the most beautiful birds on the planet. The females are a relatively drab, dull brown, which helps them take cover when they are nesting and raising the young. They average about 13 inches in length (33 cm), about the size and build of a crow. The males are covered with different sizes and shapes of feathers in every conceivable color, and they often have patches of skin without feathers that are wild, shocking colors as well. The Raggiana has very long, orange, trailing tail feathers. His head and the nape of his neck are yellow, and he has a green chin.

Cendrawasih are primarily fruit eaters, but they will also eat berries, leaves, and small animals, such as lizards and frogs. Their flight is slow and ponderous, contrary to their graceful appearance, and they stay in the same area all year, not following any sort of migratory pattern.

Courtship is the main purpose of the cendrawasih’s gaudy appearance. The females outnumber the males, so the males must compete with each other to win favor of a female when she is ready to mate. The Raggiana especially is known for his overly energetic courtship dance. There are, however, some bird of paradise species that mate for life, and the males have drab brown feathers like the females and will help raise the young and tend the nest. Of the species that are polygamous, however, the female takes care of all nesting and raising duties, usually laying two eggs at a time.

Trivia

* The Red Bird of Paradise or Cendrawasih Merah is depicted on the front side of 1992 edition of Indonesia 20000 Rupiah banknote.

regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Paradisaeidae
genus = "Paradisaea"
species = "P. rubra"
binomial = "Paradisaea rubra"