Diving & Herping Bangka Island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Nomad Divers 4K

Описание: Diving Bangka Island with Nomad Divers, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Herping was mostly on Bangka Island with a couple of species from the mainland:

Tropidolaemus Laticinctus - Broad-banded Pit Viper
Cerberus Rynchops - South Asian Bockadam Snake
Dendrelaphis Terrificus - Terrific Bronzeback Snake
Rhabdophis Chrysargoides Juvenile - Gunthers Keelback Snake
Rhabdophis Chrysargoides Adult - Gunthers Keelback Snake
Boiga irregularis Blue/Grey Form - Brown Tree Snake
Boiga Irregularis Orange/Brown Form - Brown Tree Snake
Dendrelaphis Marenae - Marens Bronzeback Snake
Boiga Dendrophilia Gemmicincta - Sulawesi Mangrove Snake

Thank you to Marijn Van Goor and Nomad Divers and Donald, my friend and terrific dive guide. Thanks also to John Paul Foenander for arranging the herping on the mainland. Thanks to Charles, Diki and Kenneth too. Thanks to B. Fascination for Dugong shots.

Bangka Island is a small island located off the northeastern tip of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Bangka is known for its unspoiled beaches and dive tourism. It belongs administratively to the district of East Likupang in the North Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi province. The island has three main coastal villages: Lihunu, Kahuku, and Libas. Controversy exists over a Chinese company's development of an iron ore mining facility on the island, as the company's permits were revoked by Indonesian courts.

Bangka is located in the western Pacific Ocean, between the Celebes Sea (Indonesian: Laut Sulawesi) to the west and the Molucca Sea to the east. Bangka is southwest of Biaro Island, separated by the Bangka Passage. Just west of Bangka are the islands of Kinabohutan, Talisei, Tindila, and Gangga.

Bangka has an area of 4,778 hectares. The geographical faces of the island include forests, hills, coconut plantations, rocky outcrops, mangroves and pristine beaches.

The largest village is Lihunu, followed by Kahuku and Libas.

Local commerce involves selling fish and agricultural products such as coconuts, copra, cloves, maize and vegetables. Some locals are also employed by the island's five eco-tourism ventures, which specialize in diving and snorkeling. Tourism: Bangka's popularity as international tourism destination has increased since its first dive resort was opened in 1987. Most of the sandy beaches and coral reefs attractive to tourists are located at the southwestern and southern parts of the island. The northern coastline is rockier and its waters contain more seagrass than spectacular coral.

Most residents are from the Sangihe-Siao ethnic group. According to the 2000 census, the population of the island's three villages totaled 2,649 (Lihunu 1,162, Kahuku 983 and Libas 504). In 2010 the population of the villages had declined to 2,397 (Lihunu 1,029, Kahuku 938 and Libas 430). Other residents live outside the villages and at the five resorts.

Most of the population is split between those who work as fishermen and those who work as farmers. Other islanders work as civil servants, teachers, on resorts or other occupations.

Small-scale clearing of forest has taken place for several decades, leaving just grass cover on parts of the hilly interior. The island's land also includes forests, orchards, shrubs, and coconut plantations. Mangroves cover just 1.98% (58.7 hectares) of the island. Part of the island's mangrove forests and coral reefs were destroyed after a Chinese mining company in 2014 began developing an iron ore mine, despite its permits being revoked by Indonesian courts.

Ecologically, Bangka and its waters contain an abundance of biodiversity. Land animals include Javanese deer (Rusa timorensis), tarsier (Carlito syrichta - a nocturnal arboreal primate), common cuscus (Phalanger orientalis), Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). There are many coral reefs that attract tropical fish species, such as Napoleon fish, frogfish, pygmy seahorses and nudibranchs, as well as dugongs: a species of protected marine mammal. Dugongs are known to dwell and feed in waters off the island's coast. Also present is a species of tubular marine sponge, the Petrosia nigricans, from which four new purine derivatives have been isolated.

Bangka Island is located close to Bunaken Marine National Park, a popular marine-based international tourism destination. Bangka does not have protected marine park status. The area around Bangka lies on a whale migration path.

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Videography:
Christian Bassett
Editing:
Christian Bassett
Camera:
Sony 4K FDR-AX700 Camcorder