Rainforest Animals in Manokwari

I often guide tourists in tropical rainforest of Manokwari. The objective of the tour is to see the biodiversity of the environment both in lowland and highland region. These two environments have got diferent species of animals and plants.
Lowland and Lower Montane Region

Ikaheka white snake (Micropechis ikaheca)

There are two forest areas that I regularly visit, i.e.: Susnguakti Forest and Mesirokow Forest. Animals that I saw in these forests were:

• Birds such as Lesser Birds of Paradise,  King Bird of Paradise, Common Paradise Kingfisher, Hooded Butcherbird, Coconut Lorikeet, Dwarf cassowary,
• Mammals: Bandicoot, cuscus possum, fruit bats. I often see foot prints of wild pigs and deer in Mesirokow river.
• Reptiles: Green tree lizard, blue tail lizard, Soa-soa lizard, Papuan iguana, Ikaheka white snake (which is very venomous), and etc. 
• Amphibious animals: Frogs
• Insect: Cruiser butterfly, priamus butterfly, taenaris catops butterfly, and beetles such as tiger beetle and eupholus schoenherri butterfly and etc.

Higher montane forest of Manokwari 

Lesser Birds of Paradise in lower montane region

From my personal observation, big animals such as deer and wild pigs do not exist from elevation 1,500 and above. But tourists are happy to visit the region to watch Vogelkop Bowerbird, Masked Bowerbird, Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Superb Bird of Paradise, and Western Parotia. There are butterflies such as Ornithoptera tithonus (birdwing family), and Taenaris schoenbergi kenricki.

There is another species of bird of paradise called Black Sicklebill at the elevation of 2,000 meters above sea level. To watch the bird, visitors need to wake up at 03.30 a.m. and make preparation. At 04.00, they can start hiking to the top of Mount Soyti. Local guide cannot fully guarantee that after the two-hour walk, visitors will be able to see the bird.

Rainforest Tours

Cuscus possum

I offer tours to rainforest near Manokwari city. The duration of the tour can be as short as 1 day to as long as 1 week or more. Because most of the activities will be carried out in the middle of the forest, we will stay in base-camps in the jungle. I provide tents, cooking and eating utensils. I also have got two pairs of Visionking binoculars which visitors and a Kinglux spotting scope 20-60x60 may use during the tours. However, I highly recommend that visitors bring their own birdwatching/ wildlife-watching optics as well as telephoto camera.

You need to wear t-shirts and short/ long hiking pants for the tours. Dark colours are better for watching animals. Head torch, anti insect spray are important too for the jungle tours.

For tours in Susnguakti forest, local guide, Mr. Yunus Sayori often conducts night walk in the jungle to find cuscus possum. He will immitate the sounds of female cuscus to attract male cuscus. When the male possum comes down through the hanging vines, He will turn on his torch or flash light so that visitors could see the nocturnal animal and then take picture.

Flights to Manokwari

Garuda, Sriwijaya, Batik, and have got regular flights between Manokwari and Jakarta city. You need to fly from your country to Jakarta and then take a domestic flight to Manokwari by one of the airlines that I mention above.

I can also organize rainforest animal watching tours in Klasow valley of Sorong regency and in Raja Ampat. For these sites, your flight destination should be Sorong city. You could visit traveloka.com to find schedules and ticket price.

Booking
Please, contact me (Charles Roring) by e-mail to: peace4wp@gmail.com or by whatsapp: +6281332245180.

Also read:

• Hiking in Table Mountain
• Birding Kabui bay of Raja Ampat
• "Shooting" birds at Warduwer beach of Raja Ampat