Indonesia is a country of immense biological diversity. It has enormous natural wealth --- seas, coastal areas and forests. This beautiful archipelago of islands is home to more than 500 animal species, more than any other country in the world, and al
most the same number of reptile species.
About 17 per cent of the world's total bird species and an astonishing 37 per cent of the world's known fish are found here. Indonesia ranks first in the world in species richness for swallowtail butterflies, fifth for amphibians and seventh for flowering
plants. Several species are endemic.
The beauty of Indonesia can be seen in its incredible variety of habitats and ecosystems. These range from the ice fields of the Lorentz range in Irian Jaya, to the coral atolls of the Flores Sea and the dense rainforests of Kalimantan and Sumatra.
The region's natural abundance has drawn people since prehistoric times. Indeed, the remains of Java Man, the most ancient inhabitant, dates back more than one million years. Successive waves of settlers since then have helped form modern Indonesia's exci
ting mosaic of ethnic diversity.
Although Indonesians' ancestors were able to live in harmony with nature, respecting the majesty of its wildlife, this tradition has not held true to the present day. The result is that Indonesia now has the dubious distinction of having the greatest numb
er of endangered species in the world.
The Javan Tiger (Panthera tigris sondaicus) is already believed to have become extinct. And although the government has tried to create a viable network of national parks and nature reserves within which fragile ecosystems and threatened species can be pr
otected, environmental and species degradation continues at distressing rates.
It is because of the tremendous pressure placed on Indonesia's natural environment by the imperatives of economic growth and population increase that the country has become a priority area for conservation work.
The WWF Indonesia Programme, established in 1962, is an important link in the global conservation network. Its primary mission has three components: to increase the protection of Indonesia's immense biodiversity - especially through the creation and effec
tive management of the Indonesian protected areas system; to promote the sustainable utilization of Indonesia's living natural resources; and significantly contribute to the creation of a 'culture of conservation' in Indonesia. Since its inception, it ha
s expanded its conservation efforts with the aim of reversing the damage already done to the planet and preserving what still remains.
The Programme currently implements projects throughout the archipelago, spanning Indonesia's seven biogeographical regions. It is involved in projects on 20 field locations and in a broad array of national initiatives. It also prepared the Indonesian Nati
onal Biodiversity Action Plan in 1991 on behalf of the government, and in late 1995 signed a 'Letter of Intent to Cooperate' with the Indonesian Ministry of Environment in assessing full Indonesian compliance to the provisions of the Global Biodiversity C
onvention, to which Indonesia is a signatory.