Lorentz National Park (Taman Nasional Lorentz) is one of Indonesia’s national parks globally recognized and has received several recognitions.
Find the unique facts about the Papua tourist attractions through the article below!
About Lorentz National Park
This Papua Indonesia attraction is a popular national park in the world, established in 1997. This national park has received several world recognitions.
First, this park was designated by UNESCO as the largest national park in Southeast Asia. Then in 1999, the UN (United Nations) designated it a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Its designation as the largest national park in the world is determined by its area, which is around 2,505,600 ha. This area is based on the appointment letter of the Minister of Forestry and Plantations Number 154/Kpts-II/1997.
Not only determined by the UN, WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), an international non-governmental organization, also participated. WWF defines this park as the largest and most comprehensive area in Asia Pacific.
The name comes from the name of the explorer who made his expedition in this National Park in 1909, namely Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz.
This park area has all types of Papua’s main ecosystems. Some are coastal, marine, coastal forests, freshwater swamp forests, low mountains, lowland forests, high mountain forests, mountains of eternal snow, sub-alpine (tree line), and alpine ecosystems.
Many species occupy the Papua National Park and are contributors to Papua’s biodiversity, namely:
- 123 species of mammals
- 1200 flowering plants
- 150 species of amphibians and reptiles
- 411 bird species
Apart from these four species, this area is also designated as an Endemic Bird Area (EBA), with 19 endemic bird species and 45 limited-range bird species.
Lorentz National Park Unique Facts
Some unique facts from this National Park include:
1. Located between Two Continental Plates
This park is located between two intersecting continental plates, the Pacific and the Australian Plate.
Because of this position, the National Park area has always experienced the process of forming mountains and large sculptures due to glaciation and an increase in lowland areas due to an increased coastline.
2. Pass through 10 Districts of Papua
This National Park passes ten districts. Starting from Mimika, Intan Jaya, Paniai, Puncak Jaya, Puncak, Jaya Wijaya, Lanny Jaya, Yahukimo, Asmat, and Ndua Regencies.
3. The Only Tropical Glacier in Indonesia
Only three areas in the world have tropical glaciers, and Lorentz Park is one of them. This tropical glacier is also the only one in Indonesia.
The location of this tropical glacier is in the Cartensz Pyramid or Puncak Jaya, with a height of around 4,884 masl. Puncak Jaya is part of the Barisan Sudirman Jayawijaya Mountains, the highest peak in Indonesia.
Due to global warming, the glacier continues to experience thinning every year, so it needs special attention.
4. Home for Many Papuan Tribes
Not only is the diversity of nature incredible, but Lorentz Park is also one of the symbols of indigenous Papuan culture.
The culture around this area is around 30,000 years old. Some tribes that make it their home are the Dani, Nduga, Asmat, Amungme, and Sempan tribes.
Extraordinary things await you if you come to this place during the festival months. Not only can you enjoy the park’s natural area, but you can also see many cultural attractions here.
If you come in August, then you have the opportunity to witness the Baliem Valley Festival.
With its abundant natural and cultural wealth, it is only natural that Lorentz National Park gets many titles worldwide. If you visit Papua, make sure to put this National Park on your list.
