Bali Wildlife

Bali is rich in a stunning and exotic variety of plants and wildlife….

In fact, Bali lies on an important bio-geographical division known as the Wallace Line.  This was named after the naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, who theorised that Bali was once connected to Java, Sumatra and the Asian mainland and shared many Asian animal and plant species.  However, when the deep water of the Lombok Strait rose, Bali was isolated and left to follow its own unique evolutionary path.

At least 282 bird species have been recorded in the island, including the beautiful, but endangered, national bird of Bali, the Bali Starling (AKA Rothschild’s Mynah).   Bali’s only native mammal, the Bali Tiger, became extinct in the 1930s, however others prosper in the Bali Barat National Park including muntjak, banteng, chevrotain, pangolin, cuscus, slow loris, wild pig, macaque and leaf monkeys.  The waters around Menjangan Island also support five species of marine turtle as well as dolphin and dugong.  Bali Barat National Park (sometimes also known as West Bali National Park) covers most of the western tip of the island as well as areas of coral reef and coastal waters.

Over 200 species of plants are endemic to the National Park and aside from the creatures mentioned above, you’ll also find spiders as large as your hand! The spiders aren’t poisonous, but the scorpions are!

Perhaps it’s the range of birds that really make Bali a colourful and tropical natural paradise.   The Bali Starling is one of the world’s most endangered bird species. Though it breeds readily in captivity, and is sold in cages, when it comes to its natural habitat the bird borders on extinction with perhaps only 14 remaining in the wild.

Related posts:

• Bali Beaches
• Introduction to Bali
• Bali Festivals
• Morne Seychellois National Park
• Bali – A Water Wonderland