42 Swamp Forest and Mud Reef are also indicated as mostly area concentration of
important waterbirds.
Table 25 Percentage of natural wetlands that form PCA-3
Lake-Swamp Coastal
Numunira Lake 0.02
0.002 -
Iralalaro Lake 11.24
1.659 -
Swamp Forest 3.81
0.562 -
North Coastal 12.58
5.0 Total
27.65 2.22
7.2 Components
Area km
2
of Area
4.1.1.3.1 Numunira-Utchanira Lake
Small saltwater lakes west of Com Village only approximately 100 meters from Com Beach and only 50 meters from main roads Lautem-Com. There are
three separate water bodies that permanently in the year. Those are namely, Numunira1 0.586 Ha, Numunira2 0.716 Ha and Utchanira 0.318 Ha with salt
water because it’s closer to the sea. During 2003-2004 Colin Trainor were recorded abundance of birds that
present at savanna woodland and Lake, such as Actitus hypoleucos, Ardea purpurea, Butorides striatus, Dupetor flavicollis, Egretta sacra, Nycticorax
caledonicus, Phalacrocorax
melanoleucos, and
Tachybaptus ruficollis.
Numunira-Utchanira Lake need to considered as one priorities conservation areas within national park because it’s surrounded by significant water birds habitat
such savanna woodland, beach and saline mudflat.
4.1.1.3.2 Iralalaro Lake
Iralalaro Lake is one of fresh water ecosystem in the national park area, its lied at Lospalos plateau and this is remain as one of the biggest lake in Timor
Island. Time series data of 1993, 2003 and 2007 data analysis indicated that water level of lake itself differentially depends to the seasons and rainfall. At 1993 the
Lake was flooded up to10.74 km
2
, at 2003 water level flooded up to 46.24 km
2
wide while at May 2007, it’s lowering till 1.6 km
2
only. Lake surrounded by
43 floodplain covered by grass and shrubs, and just few hundred meters to south is
Oaoloho swamp forest. The Lake is consisting of two parts, such Lonina and Acakaranu. Lonina is the main canal and Acakaranu the small canal. At both canal
intersections, Irasequiro River flows out to the end point which water flows underground at Paitchao Mountain. Iralalaro Lake, Irasequiro River and Oaoloho
Swamp Forest form a habitat for water birds. Trainor was recorded more than 50 Restricted Range water birds which some of species are IUCN listed as threatened
and near threatened species. Others wildlife that exists in Iralalaro Lake is Crocodiles. Local people have believed and placed Crocodiles as sacral reptile
and it’s fully protected. Crocodiles found around Lonina main canal, Acakaranu and some points along Irasequiro River 5.2 km length the flow out River of
Iralalaro Lake which runs southwards into the Paitchao range where it drains into a sink hole, then reappear to the south of the range near sea level. A new endemic
fish species also found in Iralalaro Lake, Craterocephalus laisapi MAFP, 2006. Main issues during field work are that future use of Iralalaro water for
agricultural irrigation around Lake Floodplain in order to empower self food surrounding community, while keep maintaining biological diversity that
embedded to Iralalaro Lake. Touristic purposes might be promoted within eco- tourism concept, such for birds watching.
4.1.1.3.3 Oaoloho Swamp Forest
