Dec 04, 2019
Celebrating Lorentz National Park
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates the anniversary of Indonesia’s Lorentz National Park, the largest protected area in Southeast Asia. This massive nature sanctuary, spanning over 9,600 square miles (about 24,864 square kilometers), is located in the Papua province, right at the intersection of two colliding continental plates.
The Lorentz National Park contains several ecosystems, including grasslands, swamps, ocean beaches, rainforests, and alpine mountains topped by rare tropical glaciers. Its most famous mountain, Puncak Jaya, is the tallest peak in Southeast Asia.
Renowned for biodiversity, its various climates are home to an abundance of animals, including tree kangaroos and tigers, many species of rare birds like the Pesquet’s parrot seen in today’s Doodle, and outliers like the echidna – a “spiny anteater” mammal that lays eggs. It’s also home to at least seven indigenous human ethnic groups, all living according to traditions dating back thousands of years.
Named after Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, a Dutch explorer who visited the area in 1909, the park was established by the Indonesian government in 1997. While threatened by logging, poaching, and pollution, the Lorentz National Park is rigorously protected by the World Wildlife Federation and UNESCO, which has designated it a World Heritage Site. It’s an unofficial wonder of the world, containing many more wonders within.
Early concepts by artist Alyssa Winans
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