Kelimutu National Park is located on the island of Flores, Indonesia, its covers an area of 5.356,50 hectares at the geographical location 121o44' - 121o51' East and 8o43' - 8o48 South. Rainfall 1.615 - 3.363 mm/annual, temperature 25o - 31o C. It consists of a region with hills and mountain with Mount Kelibara (1.731 m above sea level) as its highest peak. Mount Kelimutu, which has the three coloured lake, is also located in this national park. This natural attraction is a destination for tourist.
The topography of Kelimutu National Park varies from gently rolling hills to more mountainous relief.
Some of the plants that grow in the park area are Kayu Mata (Albizia montana), Kebu (Homalanthus giganteus), Tokotaka (Putranjiva roxburghii), Uwi Rora (Ardisia humilis), Longgo Baja (Drypetes subcubica), Toko Keo (Cyrtandra sp.), Kayu Deo (Trema cannabina), Kayu Bu (Casuarina equisetifolia), Kelo (Ficus villosa), and Ampupu (Eucalyptus urophylla).
The park provides habitat for at least 19 restricted-range bird species including the near threatened Flores-green Pigeon (Treron floris), Wallace's Scop Owl (Otus silvicola), Chestnut-backed Jungle Flycatcher (Rhinomyias oscillans), Bare-throated Whistler (Pachycephala nudigula), Little Minivet (Pericrocotus lansbergei), Russet-capped Tesia (Tesia everetti), Thick-billed White-eye (Heleia crassirostris), Crested White-eye (Lophozosterops dohertyi), Golden-rumped Flowerpecker (Dicaeum annae), Flores Monarch (Monarcha sacerdotum), Flame-breasted Sunbird (Nectarinia solaris), and Flores Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus floris).
The national park also records other species that are easily spotted such as Perkici Rainbow (Trichoglossus haematodus weben), Lodo (Ducula rosaceae), Rufous-chested Flycatcher (Ficedula Dumetoria), Ordinary Glasses (Zosterop palpebrosa unica), and many other blending into the harmony of birds chirping.
The four endemic mammals include two montane rodents : Bunomys naso and Rattus hainaldi.
Not only does it have bigh biodiversity, this park is also the location of a unique natural phenomenom-three different-coloured lakes at the peak of Mount Kelimutu (1.690 m above sea level) . The first lake is named Tiwu Ata Mbupu (lake of people spirits), the second is named Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (lake of young people spirits), and the third is Tiwu Ata Polo (lake of fortune teller spirits).
The first and the second lakes are situated close together, while the third lake is abou 1,5 km to the west. The colour of the water in each lake is different and the colours change from time to time, particularly that of Tiwu Nuwa Koo Fai lake : twenty years ago, its water changed colour twelve times. Thought to be caused by the volcanic activity of Kelimutu, it has also been suggesten that the changes in colour are due to refraction of the sun's rays, microbiota in the water, dissolution of chemical substances, and the reflection of the colour of the lake walls and bottom.
This is determined by the gases seeping out of the volcano and into the water, with the colour altered by the amount of oxygen which can be carried within the water molecules in each lake. Much like veins and arteries in your body, the colouring is determined by the abundance of oxygen within the individual lakes.
For example, when the lake waters lack oxygen, they look green or blue (just like de-oxygenated blood seen in your veins), and when they are rich oxygen, they are deep red or black.
Declared by Minister of Forestry No. 679/Kpts-II/1997. October 10,1997.
The park provides habitat for at least 19 restricted-range bird species including the near threatened Flores-green Pigeon (Treron floris), Wallace's Scop Owl (Otus silvicola), Chestnut-backed Jungle Flycatcher (Rhinomyias oscillans), Bare-throated Whistler (Pachycephala nudigula), Little Minivet (Pericrocotus lansbergei), Russet-capped Tesia (Tesia everetti), Thick-billed White-eye (Heleia crassirostris), Crested White-eye (Lophozosterops dohertyi), Golden-rumped Flowerpecker (Dicaeum annae), Flores Monarch (Monarcha sacerdotum), Flame-breasted Sunbird (Nectarinia solaris), and Flores Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus floris).
The national park also records other species that are easily spotted such as Perkici Rainbow (Trichoglossus haematodus weben), Lodo (Ducula rosaceae), Rufous-chested Flycatcher (Ficedula Dumetoria), Ordinary Glasses (Zosterop palpebrosa unica), and many other blending into the harmony of birds chirping.The four endemic mammals include two montane rodents : Bunomys naso and Rattus hainaldi.
This is determined by the gases seeping out of the volcano and into the water, with the colour altered by the amount of oxygen which can be carried within the water molecules in each lake. Much like veins and arteries in your body, the colouring is determined by the abundance of oxygen within the individual lakes.For example, when the lake waters lack oxygen, they look green or blue (just like de-oxygenated blood seen in your veins), and when they are rich oxygen, they are deep red or black.
Declared by Minister of Forestry No. 679/Kpts-II/1997. October 10,1997.