TAMAN NASIONAL
SIBERUT
Geographical location : 98°36 - 99°03 E ; 1°05 -
1°45 S
Administrative Location : Provinsi Sumatera Barat (Kabupaten Kepulauan
Mentawai)
Area : 190,500 hectares
Temperature : 22° - 31° C
Rainfall : 2,900 - 3,700 mm/year
Altitude : 0 - 500 masl
Best time to visit : January - September
(Siberut National Park) is located in Pulau Siberut, an island
separated from Sumatera mainland by Mentawai Strait, at a distance of about 155
km from kota Padang. 60% of the forest area is covered by Dipterocarpaceae
primary forest, mixed primary forest, swamp forest, coastal forest and mangrove
forest which are still relatively natural, with abundant large trees with an
average height of 60 metres.
The Park has four primate species which are found nowhere else in the
world. They are the Mentawai gibbon (Hylobates klossii), Pagai pig-tailed
macaque (Macaca pagensis), Mentawai leaf monkey (Presbytis potenziani siberu),
and pig-tailed leaf monkey (Nasalis concolor siberu). In addition, there are
four endemic species of squirrel, 17 species of mammal and 130 species of bird,
four of them endemic.
Siberut island, including Siberut National Park, has been declared by
UNESCO to be a Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program as a
Biosphere Reserve.
Very few visitors walk through the inland parts of the Park, the main
attraction so far has been the culture of Mentawaian who live in and around the
Park. Mentawaian are among the many tribes in Indonesia who have preserved
their very traditional way of life. Most of the people still adhere to
animistic beliefs. Their social activities are centred around the Uma, a
communal longhouse which may be occupied by 30 to 80 people.
Visiting Siberut National Park can be an unforgettable adventure,
involving a combination of travelling along long rivers by boat, trekking along
muddy tracks, enjoying the beauty of the tropical forest with glimpses of rare
plants and animals, bathing in waterfalls, and meeting the indigenous people.
Interesting locations/attractions :
Madobak, Rokdok, Matotonan, Rorogot, Butui,
Teteburuk, Selaoinan and Mailepet. Exploring the forest, kayaking/canoeing,
enjoying thermal springs, waterfalls, marine tours, observing plants and
animals, and cultural visits (Uma and religious dances).
Good beaches at Sagulubek and Masilok. Surfing
and diving/snorkelling in the marine park or mangrove forest.
Cultural attractions outside the Park include the
Gandang Tasa Festival in May and Tabuik Festival in June each year, both held
in the city of Padang.