Current view: Text account
Site description (2007 baseline):
Site location and context
“A wild area of moist deciduous lowland forest with some mixed evergreen forest on the hills. The area [also] contains the interesting lake and swamps of Ira Lalaro” (FAO/UNDP 1982). There is an extensive intact range of habitats from the coast to karst hills lakes, rivers and swamps. Forest types include semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, swamp forest and coastal strand vegetation. Sandlund et al. (2001) identified this area as having the best remaining ‘primary’ forest in Timor-Leste, based on a rapid reconnaissance by helicopter.
Twenty-four restricted-range species have been recorded in this IBA, including the Endangered Timor Green-pigeon, and the Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo also occurs there (Ora 2000, Trainor et al. 2004). Lake Iralalaro (c.1,500 ha) is the most significant freshwater site in Timor-Leste and Nusa Tenggara, supporting at least 50 waterbird species including large populations of ducks and rails (Trainor 2005).
“A wild area of moist deciduous lowland forest with some mixed evergreen forest on the hills. The area [also] contains the interesting lake and swamps of Ira Lalaro” (FAO/UNDP 1982). There is an extensive intact range of habitats from the coast to karst hills lakes, rivers and swamps. Forest types include semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, swamp forest and coastal strand vegetation. Sandlund et al. (2001) identified this area as having the best remaining ‘primary’ forest in Timor-Leste, based on a rapid reconnaissance by helicopter.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Hunting and timber cutting were listed as threats to this site by FAO/UNDP (1982). A proposed hydroelectric development in the Malahara and Sungai Vero valley has the potential to significantly impact on the important forest ecosystems in the new National Park.
Proposed as a Wildlife Sanctuary by FAO/UNDP (1982) with a suggestion that this site might be combined with Lore (IBA TL06) and Jaco Island (IBA TL08) and considered for National Park status. The combination of these sites was gazetted as a Nature Reserve (SK Menhut No. 672/Kpts-II/1996) according to Ora (2000). Part of this area (“Tutuala beach together with forest adjacent to the beach”) was recognised by UNTAET (2000) as a Protected Wild Area under Regulation Number 2000/19. This IBA (together with IBAs TL06 and TL08 and other adjacent terrestrial and marine areas) has just been declared by the Government of Timor-Leste as Nino Konis Santana National Park.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mount Paitchau and Lake Iralalaro (Timor-Leste). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mount-paitchau-and-lake-iralalaro-iba-timor-leste on 23/12/2024.
