Giant Whale Shark and Flora Fauna in Cenderawasih Bay National Park
Cendrawasih Bay National Park is Indonesia’s largest marine national park, located in Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua. This park consists of beaches, tropical forests, mangrove forests, coral reefs, and marine waters.
This 14,535 m2 park is also inhabited by several indigenous tribes with a total population of about 14 thousand people. It was designed in 1993 and inaugurated in 2002. Its beauty is no less than Raja Ampat, so many tourists are fascinated by it.
The Enchantment of Cendrawasih Bay National Park
The tourists who visit Cendrawasih Bay National Park (TNTC) will find a lot of beauty in it. In addition to the beauty of the scenery, we can also find exciting flora and fauna in it. Here, tourists can also do various activities.
- Marine Fauna
As an aquatic national park, the portion of deep-sea waters in TNTC is, of course, giant, which is almost 90%. Marine animals in these waters are also very diverse.
One of the most unique is the West Papua whale shark papua, locally called “Gurano Bintang”. Gurano Bintang name itself is given by the local language in Cenderawasih Bay, meaning Whale Shark. The animal has a gray body with white spots. The maximum size of this fish ranges from 18 to 20 m.
The West Papua whale shark has a flat head with a mouth width of 1.4 m. The weight of this fish itself can reach 20 tons. Despite its large size, the West Papua Whale Shark is harmless.
Gurano Bintang can be seen in Cenderawasih Bay all year round. Tourists who visit in the morning or evening have an excellent opportunity to see this fantastic animal.
Besides whale sharks, tourists can also see dolphins. Those who dive into these waters can also see various types of fish, such as parrotfish, clownfish, angelfish, and butterflyfish, which live around coral reefs.
- Flora in the Mangrove Forest in Cendrawasih Bay National Park
The mangrove forest ecosystem in this national park has various types of flora. One of them is nipah. These plants are still included in the palm family, so they are not affected by tides.
In addition to nipah palm, other vegetation includes mangroves, nyiri, perepat, soga, sagoo palm, and putut. This ecosystem has an essential role in preserving various marine biota because it is a place for marine life to live and is suitable for spawning.
- Other Flora and Fauna
In addition to the flora and fauna above, there are many more animals and plants in this park. They grow in tropical forests and coastal areas. Some of the most interesting ones are the chef’s cockatoo, the Southern crowned pigeon bird, and the Black headed musk bird with their beautiful feathers.
- Activities to Do in Cendrawasih Bay National Park
In Cendrawasih Bay National Park, tourists can do various activities. Some of them are diving, snorkeling, exploring the beauty of mangrove beaches, and observing fauna.
Cendrawasih Bay National Park is one of the tourist attractions that must be visited when vacationing in West Papua. This park has a very high diversity of flora and fauna. In addition, the fauna also looks unique, exciting and definitely unforgettable.
