The Largest Mountainous Tropical Rain Forest
Gunung means mountains, Gunung Halimun - Salak National Park is located in the Island of Java Indonesia and it holds the largest remaining mountainous tropical rain forest in the whole West Java.
Several peaks form this mountainous forest such as Mt.Sanggabuana, Mt. Halimun Utara, Mt. Kendeng, Mt. Halimun Selatan, Mt. Endut and Mt. Salak.
Its estimated about 1000 plant species inhabit the forest Halimun - Salak National Park Mountainous. Vegetation and flora within the park according to the altitude and it can be classified into three zones :
1. Colline Zone, between 500 - 1000m. It is dominated by Rasamala trees (altingia excels), which is diameter can reach up to 1.5m.
2. Sub - Montana Zone, between 1000 - 1500m. It is dominated by puspa trees (schima walichii) and some fagaceae species.
3. Montana Zone, between 1500 - 2.211m, it is dominated by fagaceae species (Castanopsis, lithocarpus and quercus). Crater vegetation is found especially in Mount Salak.
Fauna is also very diverse in the park and some species are rare and protected. Some the major endangered mammals in the park are the Javan Leopard (panther pardus mellas), The Leopard Cat, The grizzled leaf monkey, The silver leaf monkey and The Stink Badger.
The Javan Gibbon is also endangered and endemic of Java. Their characteristic calls can be heard in the morning and afternoon coming from the deepest of the raitnforest. Sites suggested to visited in order to observe the Javan Gibbon are : Cikaniki, Mt. Botol, Mt. Andam, Mt. Panenjoan.
Halimun - Salak National Park Mountainous is heaven for many unique and beautiful insect such as butterfly and beetles. The bird life in the park is also interesting for birdwatchers with 244 species recorded of 32 are endemic of Java Island. Some of them are endangered species such as The Javan Hawk - eagle, The Javan cochoa, The Javan scops Owl and The blue Tailed trogon.
