The Fauna Of Sumatra

This island has a geography with mountains to the west and plains to the east, in addition to being surrounded by straits that separate it from Java and Borneo, in addition to the Malay Peninsula. 

The sixth largest island in the world is located in Southeast Asia and belongs to Indonesia. Although it has lost 50% of its rainforest in the last 30 years, we can still find specimens of typical Sumatran fauna, most of them in danger of extinction.

What is the fauna of Sumatra like?

The island is dominated by two regions: the mountains to the west and the plains to the east. Furthermore, it is surrounded by straits that separate it from the islands of Java and Borneo and the Malay Peninsula. Within the fauna of Sumatra, we can find:

1. Sumatran tiger

This subspecies of  Panthera tigris  is only found in Sumatra and its population is estimated to be around 500 specimens, all within the territories belonging to the national parks.

It is small compared to other tigers: it measures about two meters in length and weighs 120 kilos.

The Sumatran tiger – the image that opens this article – has thin black lines in contrast to the predominant orange fur.

It is famous for swimming very fast, due to a special membrane between its toes,  and for transporting its prey – wild boar, deer, birds – into the water to drown them.

1. Sumatran rhinoceros

Weighing in at 800 kilos, this rhinoceros is small compared to the other subspecies in the family. In addition to being part of the fauna of Sumatra, it can also be found in Malaysia and other areas of Indonesia,  protected by the governments of both countries.

This rhinoceros has been poached since ancient times due to its horns, highly valued in traditional Asian medicine.

It is a solitary and very territorial animal that only finds a pair in the breeding season. It is usually most active at night, when it feeds on leaves and branches.

1. Blue kingfisher

This endemic Indonesian bird occupies southern Sumatra, the island of Java, Sumbawa and other smaller islands nearby.

Its plumage is bright blue on the wings, while the head, chest and rest of the body are white. It has a very long beak that ends at one end, like that of its entire family.

The  blue kingfisher  measures approximately 13 centimeters and feeds on invertebrates captured in mid-flight. It is a territorial and monogamous bird that has two chicks per year.

1. Sumatran orangutan

The Sumatran orangutan is one of the three subspecies of Pongo and, as the name suggests, only inhabits this island. It is the smallest of these primates and, like the others, is at critical risk of extinction.

Did you know that the word ‘orangutan’ comes from Malay and means ‘forest man’? This is because this animal walks similarly to people and is often mistaken for humans when it is among trees.

One of the obvious differences from humans is that their arms are longer: they use them to climb trees, where they spend a good part of the day.

In addition, the orangutan feeds only on fruits, fungi, bark and tender leaves; only occasionally consumes insects. It is one of the least aggressive monkeys out there and usually interacts with people without any problems.

1. Clown loaf

To end the list of Sumatra fauna, we can not overlook the water species, such as this  fish  water  fresh, colorful and chosen as a pet.

Clown loaches have a yellow-orange body with three thick dark lines and curious whiskers on the sides of the face.

It is very active, sociable and groups in small schools of up to five individuals. He likes to protect himself between rocks, hiding himself, in case he doesn’t find others of his kind.