I traveled to Sulawesi after a ten-day stay in Bali (see previous report). I flew to Ujung Padang (formerly Makassar, as everybody still knows it), where I was picked up by my guide for the trip, Royke Mananta of Sulawesi & Halmahera Birding (www.birdingsulawesi.com). Based on my list of targets, he had designed an itinerary of 21 days that we had to change a number of times due to unseasonal heavy rains.

Rainy weather in Lore Lindu NP

Weather was so consistently horrible throughout the trip that it prevented almost all birding at key areas like Lore Lindu National Park, reducing significantly my list of endemics. However, to Royke's credit I managed to see and photograph almost all of my main targets, although it took a lot of driving, flying and waiting at airports for delayed flights. Reaching certain sites required long hikes over difficult and muddy terrain, especially in Halmahera.

Apart from its impressive number of endemic birds, Sulawesi hosts a number of unique mammals. Sulawesi Bear Cuscus and three of the world's five species of tarsier are found nowhere else. The elusive and endangered Babirusa lives only in the deepest forests of Sulawesi and some neighboring small islands, and the more common Sulawesi Wild Pig is also endemic. There are four endemic species of macaque found in the island, the best known being the striking Crested Macaque. Despite its abundance of herbivore species, there are no large predators in the island, other than Man.

Almost 15 million people live in Sulawesi, with several big towns having more than 350,000 inhabitants. Roads between the main cities are usually good, and most of the key birding areas are easily reached by car. There are some exceptions, however, in my case accentuated by the heavy rains that rendered many roads in Central Sulawesi almost impracticable.

Although not as popular with foreign visitors as other islands in Indonesia, large numbers of tourists flock to the Tana Toraja area of Central Sulawesi in search of unique culture and burial rites, and the coast and islands around the city of Manado, on NE Sulawesi, attracts divers from all over the world. English isn't widely spoken; only hotel employees in big towns use it. Other than top hotels in main towns, which are European-standard, accommodation is usually basic, but adequate and clean. Electricity away from cities is often only available after sunset, and running water is absent from most guesthouses and small lodges.

Typical Sulawesi dog, Wuasa

In the recent past Central Sulawesi has seen serious religious conflict, especially around the town of Poso. Western Foreign Office services strongly discourage visiting Central Sulawesi, including its capital, Palu (but then, many recommend not visiting Indonesia at all). I didn't see any sign of trouble during my stay, or feel unsafe at any moment, which was consistent with Royke's communications previous to the trip, and the reports I checked on several travelers' web forums. Without exception, people were welcoming and helpful, including the authorities.

Books:
Very little is published about the ecology and fauna of Wallacea, other than its birds. I saw many animals that I haven't been able to identify, especially invertebrates and reptiles.

A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea,
by Brian J. Coates, K. David Bishop and Dana Gardner (Dove, 1997) is the most complete birdguide dedicated to the region. A bulky book with good illustrations and text. No distribution maps, but ranges are well described in the text.

The Birds of Sulawesi
byDerek Holmes and Karen Phillips (Oxford University Press, 1996) is a nice pocket book that illustrates and succinctly describes "the most representative and colourful birds" of the island.

Birding Indonesia: A Bird-watcher's (sic) Guide to the World's Largest Archipelago
by Paul Jepson et al (Periplus) is a useful, nicely illustrated and generally detailed site guide. Published in 1997, some of its indications (at least for the areas I visited) are inevitably outdated.