Rawa Aopa National Park is a national park on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, on Kendari, the province of South East Sulawesi. With an area of 105.194 hectares, geographically located between 121o4' - 122o44' east longitude and 4o22' - 4o39' latitude. Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park is a representative type of low mountain rain forest ecosystem, mangroves, coastal forests, savannas, and freshwater swamp forests in Sulawesi. Savannah vegetation in this park has distinctive features and unique, because it is a combination of grassy plains with plants agel, palm leaves and bamboo thorns, bushes and plants are also along the river that flow in these savannahs. Plant diversity in this region is very prominent of carrying at least 89 families, 257 genera and 323 species of plants, including "Lara" (Metrosideros petiolata), "Sisio"(Cratoxylum formosum), "Kalapi" (Callicarpa celebica), "Tongke" (Bruguiera gimnorrhiza), Palm (Borassus flabellifer), and Lotus (Victoria spp.).
Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park (RAWNP) has many potential natural resources. According to the Governmen Administration, the national park is located in 4 district :
- 6.238 Ha in the Konawe district, located in the Lambuaya and Puriala subdistrict,
- 12.824 Ha in the Kolaka district, located in the Tirawuta, Ladonggi Watubangga, and Tangketada subdistrict,
- 40.527 Ha in the South Konawe district, located in the Anggata and Tinanggea subdistrict,
- 45.605 Ha in the Bombana district, located in the Rorawatu subdistrict.
The park has varied vegetation : sub-montane rain forests, mangrove forests, coastal forests, savanna and freshwater swamp forests. It is home to Babirusa, both species of endangered Anoa, essentially miniature Water Buffaloes.
Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park area is merger of a few conservation areas. The Watumohai Buru Park, Rawa Aopa Reservation, and Rumbia Land Buru Park.
Various species of bird also inhabit the park : 155 species have been recorded, of which 32 are endangered and 37 are endemic. Those 155 bird species include the Maleo fowl (Macrocephalon maleo), Lesser adjutant stork (Leptoptilos javanicus), Woolly necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus episcopus), Collared kingfisher (Halcyon chloris chloris), Sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita triton), Vinous-breasted sparrowhawks (Accipiter rhodogaster rhodogaster), Sulawesi black pigeon (Turacoena manadensis), and Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica). There is one type of bird that is endemic in South-east Sulawesi "Kacamata Sulawesi" (Zosterops consobrinum). These birds were never seen for tens of years ago, but now, we can see at Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park
The Eastern tarsier (Tarsius spectrum spectrum) and Black-crested macaque (Macaca nigra nigra) are among the primate species to be found here. Endangered and protected animals in the park include Lowland Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), Mountain Anoa (Bubalus quarlesi), Water-hagedis Dragon (Hydrosaurus amboinensis), Small Cuscus (Strigocuscus celebensis celebensis), Timor Deer (Cervus timorensis djonga), Sulawesi palm Civets (Macrogalidia musschenbroekii musschenbroekii), and Babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa celebensis).
Point of tourism to visit are Pulau Harapan, located in the center of Rawa Aopa to see a panoramic of natural wetlands, water birds and boating. Lanowulu beach, canoe along the river to the coast, mangrove forest, swimming and marine tourism. Watumohai mountain, hiking and camping. On the slopes of the mountain, there savanna to see hundreds of deer grazing, birds and other wildlive.
Declared by Minister of Forestry No. 756/Kpts-II/1990, December 17, 1999.