Batang Gadis National Park

Batang Gadis National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Sorikmarapi vulcano, the highest point in the national park.
Batang Gadis NP Location in Sumatra
Location	North Sumatra Province, Indonesia
Nearest city	Panyabungan
Coordinates	0°59′N 99°23′E / 0.983°N 99.383°ECoordinates: 0°59′N 99°23′E / 0.983°N 99.383°E
Area	1,080 km²
Established	2004
Governing body	Ministry of Forestry

Batang Gadis is a national park covering 1,080 km² in North Sumatra province, Indonesia extending between 300 and 2,145 metres altitude. It is named after the Batang Gadis river that flows thorough the park.^[1] Signs of the endangered Sumatran tiger and the threatened Asian golden cat, leopard cat and clouded leopard were seen in the park. The protection of Batang Gadis as a national park is part of a plan to create the Northern Sumatra biodiversity conservation corridor, which would be connected, via a series of protected areas and forests, to Gunung Leuser National Park in the north of the island.^[2]

Flora and fauna

There are 47 species of mammals, 247 of birds, 240 of vascular plants and 1,500 of microorganisms in the park. The fauna that can be found are Sumatran tiger, Malayan tapir, Malayan porcupine, Asian golden cat, leopard cat, Indian muntjac, Naemorhedus sumatrae, Java mouse-deer, binturong, sun bear, Sambar deer, Ichtyopis glutinosa, long-nosed horned frog, etc. There were 13 endemic species of bird recorded in the park, including Salvadori's pheasant and Schneider's pitta. By sampling of 200 meter square area, researchers found 242 vascular plants or about 1 percent of all flora in Indonesia.^[3]

In 2008 the population of Sumatran tigers has been estimated to be between ca.30 to 100.^[4] In 2013 their number has been estimated to be between 23-76, or 20% of the total population.^[5]

Conservation and threats

Parts of the forest within the national park have been protected by the Dutch colonial government in 1921. The proposal for a national park has been submitted by the local government in 2003.^[1] Batang Gadis National Park has been declared in 2004.^[2]

The wildlife in the park is threatened by poaching, and encroachment by an Australian gold mining company that holds a 200,000-hectare concession that overlaps with the national park.^[5]

References

1. Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia: "Taman Nasional Batang Gadis" Archived November 26, 2013, at the Wayback Machine., retrieved 6 December 2013
2. Indonesia Declares Batang Gadis National Park, 20 May 2004
3. "TN Batang Gadis Benteng Terakhir bagi Flora dan Fauna Langka". April 28, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-04-29.
4. Hariyo T. Wibisono et al: "Assessing the Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae population in Batang Gadis National Park, a new protected area in Indonesia", in Oryx, vol.43, issue 4, October 2009, pp 634-638
5. Vidal, John: "Industry, fires and poachers shrink Sumatran tigers' last stronghold", in The Guardian, 26 May 2013