Voices from International Students

Miracles in the Natural World

What is your favorite animal? Do you like the falcon, the fastest bird in the world? Or the gorgeous and majestic peacock? Maybe a clever and dreadful killer whale in the ocean? I love the Komodo dragon. It is the largest poisonous lizard in the world and has inherited a long history of evolution from ancient times.

In August 2023, I returned to my home country and took a trip to the Taman Safari Park in Bogor. The park is home to various animals from Indonesia and other countries, including the Komodo dragon, endangered Tarsiidae, dusky wallaby, and Dendrolagus. Seeing these animals made me realize just how diverse and rich Indonesia’s flora and fauna are.

An invisible border separates Selat Lombok, which is located between Bali and Lombok Island, and the Makassar Strait in the west of Sulawesi Island in Indonesia. On the west side of this border, you can find animals and plants that are typically found on the Asian continent, including tigers, elephants, and rhinoceros. Beyond the border, you can find parrots, marsupials, Komodo dragons, and other animals that originated in Australia. This border, formed by plate movement, is known as Wallace’s Line, which is an extremely unique area where completely different types of organisms cohabit. There are also several animals that are only found in Indonesia, such as the Sumatran Orangutan, Tarsiidae, and Bird of Paradise. This place is truly a “miracle in the natural world.”

However, the precious nature of my home country is on the verge of crisis due to global warming, deforestation, and overexploitation. The freshwater fish I used to see in my childhood are disappearing, and the ocean that used to be magnificent blue is now becoming a graveyard for coral. What can we do to protect nature? Saving water and electricity, reducing plastics, and using public transportation—I believe that a small change can make a big difference. We must continue trying to pass on beautiful ecosystems such as Wallace’s Line to future generations.

Mount Sumbing in the center of Java
(The photo was taken by Aldy’s father.)

Animals in Taman Safari Park
(From left) Komodo dragon, the Sumatran Orangutan, Arctictis binturong, and Dendrolagus