Protected Forest of Sleeping Beauty Mountains, More than Mountainous Range
Putri Tidur (Sleeping Beauty) Mountains Protected Forest (local acronym, HLPPT) is a highland forest ecosystem that stores high biodiversity. The area that stretches from 1000 to 2868 meters above sea level is the habitat of more than 80 species of birds, including Indonesia's proud national bird, the Javan-Hawk eagle.
HLPPT topography in the form of mountains in Malang regency which borders Blitar and Batu Districts, East Java. This protected forest is administratively located in 7 sub districts/areas: Dau, Wagir, Ngajum, Wonosari, Ngantang, Pujon, and Batu.
The protected forest in the HLPPT area managed by Forestry Department of Malang, has the most famous icon, Mount Kawi among other mountains. In addition to Mount Kawi (2561 m above sea level), in the HLPPT area of about 9000 ha there is also Mount Butak (2868 m above sea level), Batu tulis (2603 m above sea level), and Panderman (2000 m above sea level).
The mountain range including Kawi, Butak and Panderman mountains is known as the Sleeping Beauty (Putri Tidur, in local language) Mountains, because when view them from a distance they look like a laying down woman shape. Mount Butak looks like the head and hair, Mount Kawi like the bosoms and the abdomen, and Mount Panderman as the feet.
Mount Butak (Bald in Javanese) has its name because during the dry season, this mountain is brownish and it looks like a bald head from far away. While Mount Kawi is known as the tomb of local leaders: Eyang Djoego and Kiai Iman Soedjono and located in Wonosari Village, Wonosari District, Malang Regency.
The lowest mountain in the Sleeping Beauty Mountains is Panderman (2000 m above sea level) located in Pesanggrahan Village, Batu City. Panderman was named after a Dutch climber named Van Der Man.
In 2021, Forestry Agency of Malang signed a partnership with PROFAUNA Indonesia to strengthen the function of protected forests in the HLPPT area. Forest conservation programs in HLPPT include:
- Rehabilitation of damaged protected forests
- Research
- Forest patrols for security and protection
- Education and awareness of the communities by the forest
- Wildlife monitoring
Temporary data from PROFAUNA in the Protected Forest area of Putri Tidur Mountains (HLPPT) show that there are more than 80 species of birds: the Mees's white-eye (Lophozosterops javanicus), the Olive bulbul (Iole virescens), the flame-fronted barbet (Megalaima armillaris), the black-banded barbet (Megalaima javensis), the blue-eared barbet (Psilopogon cyanotis), the pink-headed fruit dove (Ptilinopus porphyreus), Javan whistling thrush (Myophonus glaucinus), Javan banded pitta (Pitta gujana), Horsfield's babbler (Malacocincla sepiaria), crescent-chested babbler (Stachyris melanothorax), Olive-backed tailorbird (Orthotomus sepium), indigo flycatcher (Eumyias indigo), Sunda minivet (Pericrocotus miniatus) and long-tailed shrike (Lanius schach).
There are four types of eagles that have been recorded: Javan-Hawk eagles (Nisaetus bartelsi), black eagles (Ictinaetus malaensis), Japanese sparrowhawk (Accipiter gularis), and crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela)
The mammals include Indian muntjac (Muntiacus muntjac), Java mouse-deer (Tragulus javanicus), wild boar (Sus sp), Javan langur (Trachypithecus auratus), long-tailed monkey (Macaca fascicularis), Sunda porcupine (Hystrix javanica), large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) and pangolin (Manis javanica).
"The cooperation between Forestry Agency and PROFAUNA in strengthening the function of protected forests in the Putri Tidur (Sleeping Beauty) Mountains area is an example of good collaboration, because in managing forests in the current era it is necessary to cooperate with various parties, and we will not be able to manage alone with increasingly difficult challenges," said Rosek Nursahid, founder of PROFAUNA Indonesia.
Threats
Forests in the HLPPT area is one of the remaining highland forests that are still in good condition. The condition of this good forest is mainly in the slopes of Mount Kawi and Mount Butak in the Perinci range, and the Mount Malang and Mount Butak in Pujon range, and Mount Butak in the Panderman range. However, the protected forests in this areas face forest clearing for agriculture. Forest fires in the dry season also threaten in the areas of Mount Panderman, Cemorokandang and Mount Butak.
Poaching of wildlife using rifles, hunting dogs and nets is also still quite high in the HLPPT area. Some cases of animal poaching that went viral on social media include the Javan langur hunt on Mount Butak in Perinci range in August 2020 and the hunt for antelope in the Pujon protected forest in April 2021.
Profauna Ranger team together with the forest police of East Java Forestry Agency and Environment Ministry authorities often conduct joint patrols to prevent the wildlife hunting. In addition, PROFAUNA also engages the local communities to actively participate in protecting forests from poaching or illegal wildlife capture.
"Putri Tidur (Sleeping Beauty) Mountains is not just a range of mountains, but also a protected forest that is still in good condition and becomes the habitat of various types of wildlife. The mountainous range need to be protected. Moreover, there are many water sources or springs in this area that are vital for the lives of the local people living around the forest," said Rosek Nursahid who is also an ecologist.