Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia has announced the discovery of 19 new species of flora and fauna in the first half of 2025, reinforcing its status as one of the world’s leading megadiverse nations. The announcement coincided with the 2025 National Nature Conservation Day, marked annually on August 10.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni lauded the nation’s natural wealth, saying, “Few countries have the biodiversity richness that Indonesia does.” He noted that the archipelago is home to 10% of the world’s flowering plants, 12% of mammals, about 15% of reptiles and amphibians, and 17% of fish species.
The newly identified species comprise 11 types of plants and eight types of animals, many found in protected areas such as Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park in Kalimantan, Mount Rinjani National Park, and Southwest Papua.
New plant species include:
- Begonia bukitrayaense, Begonia kalimantana, and Bulbophyllum bukitbakariense from Kalimantan.
- Dendrobium wanmae, Dendrobium eruciforme, Bulbophyllum abuniorum, Bulbophyllum sandfordiorum, and Mediocalcar gemma-coronae from Southwest Papua.
- Morchella rinjaniensis from West Nusa Tenggara.
- Homalomena chikmawatiae from Riau.
- Chiloschista tjiasmantoi from Aceh.
Newly recorded animal species include:
- The bent-toed gecko Cyrtodactylus pecelmadiun from East Java.
- Two fanged frog species: Limnonectes maanyanorum and Limnonectes nusantara from Central Kalimantan.
- The tree frog Rhacophorus boeadii from West and Central Sulawesi.
- The land snail Diancta batubacan from North Maluku.
- Two leaf beetle species: Thlaspidula gandangdewata and Thlaspidula sarinoi from Sulawesi.
- The blind cave fish Barbodes klapanunggalensis from West Java.
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The Forestry Ministry said the discoveries resulted from collaboration among government agencies, researchers, and academics from universities across the country. In partnership with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), teams conducted exploration, expeditions, and species identification from Sabang to Merauke.
Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Satyawan Pudyatmoko said the joint efforts nationwide have successfully identified 19 species so far in 2025. The ministry emphasized that cross-generational and cross-sector collaboration will remain central to safeguarding the country’s ecosystems and biodiversity.
(Raidi/Agung)
