
The Charming Birds of Matano Lake
Matano Lake, situated just miles northward of PT Vale processing plants, has a beautiful and attractive panorama. Nevertheless, the beauty of the lakeside's colorful birds are not known to many. A Vale engineer spares years of his free time to capture the beauty into a book.
Sulawesi is a paradise of biodiversity. Located amidst the imaginary line of Wallacea, that marks the biogeographical area of Autralasia and Asian fauna, place the island into the map of world biodiversity. Dozens of endemic birds, in addition to endemic mamals and floras, are inhabiting the island hinterland.
Book of Enchanting Birds
5 years
Weldi Purwanto, Senior Mechanical/Civil Designer of PT Vale, enjoys birdwatching and photography. The book entitled The Charming Birds of Matano summarized his 5 years observations. The book was launched on January 30, 2013.
70 birds
In his book, Weldi is showcasing approximately 70 species of birds, including 9 endemic species and 4 migratory birds inhabited the forest around Matano Lake.
Value our people
One of the our company values is "value our people", meaning the company is supporting individual development, awarding their achievements, valuing diversity, and acknowledging one's aspiration. Through his work, Weldi is inspiring us to preserve our environment.
Facts

41 species
According to "A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea (1997)", Sulawesi hosts 41 endemic species at the least, out of a total 224 bird species. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) has recorded 35 species of endemic birds of 123 species in the vicinity of Matano Lake.
8-100 cm
Sulawesi is home to small birds such as Cabai panggul kelabu (Grey-sided flowerpecker), measuring only 8 cm, and a whoping endemic species of Julang Sulawesi (Knobbed Hornbill), which body length strectch to a meter.