Manusela




Manusela National Park is located on Seram island, in the Maluku archipelago of Indonesia. It is made up of coastal forest, swamp forest, lowland and montane rainforest ecosystem types. Mount Binaiya at 3.027 m above sea level, is the highest of the park's . Seram is remarkable for its high degree of localised bird endemism.

Covering an area of 189.000 hectares, geographical location between 129o06' - 129o46' East and 2o48' - 3o18' South. Temperature 25o - 35o C, rainfall average 1.500 - 2.000 mm/annual. 

Administratively, the Manusela National Park included in the subdistrict of North Seram and the district of South Seram, Central Maluku district, Maluku province, Indonesia. This national park offers a variety of attractive tourist destinations, among other, forest tours, mountain tours, wildlife photography, rock climbing, cross country and sports.

There are four villages in the park : Manusela, Ilena Maraina, Selumena, and Kanike. Manusela is also the name of one  of the mountains within the park, the local ethnic group and their language. In the local language, Manusela means 'bird of freedom'.  

In 1972, two areas in Central Seram were designated as nature reserves : Wae Nua (20.000 hectares) and Wae Mual (17.500 hectares). After survey in 1978, a proposal was made to unite the two areas to form Manusela National Park. Manusela National Park was established in 1997, to protect an area of 189.000 hectares, representing 11% on the land area of Seram island.

Manusela National Park has a variety of forest vegetation, such as coastal forest, swamp forest, river bank, palmah tropical rainforest, mountain forest, and sub alpine forest. Tancang (Bruguiera sexangula), Mangrove (Rhizophora acuminata), Api-api (Avicenia sp.), Lime (Dryobalanops sp.), Pulai (Alstonia scholaris), Ketapang (Terminalia catappa), Pandan (Pandanus sp.), Meranti (Shorea selanica), Benuang (Octomeles sumatrana), Matoa/kasai (Pometia pinnata), Kayu Putih (Melaleuca leucadendron), and various species of orchid.

Other animal in Manusela National Park include the Timor Deer (Cervus timorensis moluccensis), Common Cuscus (Phalanger orientalis orientalis), Water-hagedis Dragon (Hydrosaurus amboinensis), Wild Pig (Sus selebensis), Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata), Giant Skink (Tiliqua gigas gigas), Dugong (Dugong dugon), Common Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), and various species of butterfly.

There are about 117 species of bird, 14 of them endemic, lik the Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus roratus), Purple-naped Lory (Lorius domicella), Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis), Lazuli Kingfisher (Halcyon lazuli), Sacred Kingfisher (Halcyon sancta), Seram Friarbird (Philemon subcorniculatus), and Moluccan King Parrot (Alisterus amboinensis). The population of endemic Salmon-crested Cockatoo is now gravely threatened due to hunting and the destruction of its habitat.

As for travelers who like adventure, in this park there are many valleys which have the particularity of each. Manusela valley is famous for its natural panorama that smart and cool temperate. Pilianan famous valley with various kinds of butterflies, and Sawai valley popular with sea corals are beautiful.  In addition, in this national park also has six mountains, where Mount Binaiya is the highes mountain.

The presence of the mountains are very supportive of the desire of tourist who like hiking and sport like rock climbing. Meanwhile, the contours of the rising and falling terrain, trails that meander through deep into the woods, and supported by a diverse forest vegetation, provide sufficient space for adventurers to perform various activityes, such as cross country sport, camping, and photographing various unique flora and fauna.

Manusela National Park, there are various facilities, like the gatehouse, tourist guide, information centers and small shops, tower of view, laboratories, rest house, and speed boat rentals are other amenities available here. Travelers who want to stay, can rent the houses located in this park or rent a houseboat there is lots of Sawai Bay. Meanwhile, tourist who want to merge with nature, to camping at various places located in the park.


Declared by Minister of Forestry No. 291/Kpts-II/1997. March 19, 1997.