June 19, 2025
JAKARTA – On the eastern edge of Jakarta, a group of urban explorers gathered in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) during a long holiday in late May, seeking the rustle of leaves underfoot, the chatter of birds and the rich biodiversity hiding amid the city’s tall buildings and often covered in smog.
Dozens of people were taking part in the Jakarta Naturalist Walk, a quarterly event initiated by the Jakarta Birdwatcher’s Society in collaboration with nature communities including Kupu Kita, Generasi Biologi and ASTA Indonesia.
It was the group’s second outing, following a walk in February at the Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve in North Jakarta, which observed more than 60 species of birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and plants.
By observing Jakarta’s biodiversity, participants from various backgrounds, including students, academics and curious residents, can share knowledge and foster awareness about urban conservation.
“Jakarta may be known as a metropolitan city, but it still has remarkable biodiversity,” said Muhammad Bilal Yogaswara of the Jakarta Birdwatcher’s Society in late May. “Unfortunately, conservation efforts here remain limited, and bird hunting is still common.”
He cited the white eyes, a small songbird known locally as pleci, as one of the avifauna which are getting rare in the capital due to trapping for trade.
According to a 2023 survey by the Jakarta Environmental Agency and IPB University, the city hosted almost 200 bird species, with 22 protected and seven classified as near threatened on the IUCN Red List. Among the seven is the red-breasted parakeet, locally known as betet biasa, which is frequently targeted by illegal traders.
During the walk at TMII, Bilal led the route and Reza Raihandhany from Generasi Biologi pointed out the flora in the Indonesian miniature park, which is 70 percent covered by green space.
They moved slowly from one point to another. Some participants were armed with binoculars and cameras with telephoto lenses, others simply using notebooks or birding apps on their smartphones.
Each time someone spotted a bird, binoculars were lifted and the camera clicked repeatedly. Participants who came equipped did not hesitate to hand over their binoculars to others, freely sharing tools and knowledge.
Among the group was Tatang Mitra Setia, a primate biologist and lecturer at Jakarta’s oldest private university Universitas Nasional, who brought his students to observe nature in the field.
“When they see their lecturer being enthusiastic, students become enthusiastic too. They get a real understanding out here that we can’t find just reading textbooks,” he said.
He said that fieldwork helps students grasp not only the species but its habitats, ecological roles and the importance of maintaining balanced environments.
“If we only protect the bird but not what it needs, such as its food, its habitat, it will fly away,” he said. “But if we protect the environment, the birds will come on their own.”
During the visit, participants identified a wide range of birds, including the Javan flowerpecker or cabai jawa, barbets, red-breasted parakeets, kingfishers and sooty-headed bulbul.
Shrikes, green pigeons and buffalo starlings were spotted nesting at the treetops. A Javan pond heron was seen hunting insects and fish from lotus leaves in the lake.
Also spotted during the walk were Asian common toad hopping near the Buddhist temple, and native trees such as red sandalwood, teak and ashoka lining the park.
Wardah, a 41-year-old mother who accompanied her 13-year-old child on the walk, said she had never realized how diverse the animals and plants in the city were.
“I saw a bodhi tree with such beautiful leaves. I never imagined what one looked like before,” she said. “I’m really grateful for joining the walk. Many experts join the walk to share the knowledge because I don’t even have a biology background.”
For Wardah, the experience changed her perspective and made her more aware of nature.
“Next time I go to a park, I’ll probably look up more.”
Besides TMII and Muara Angke, there are about 50 other biodiversity hotspots in Jakarta, including the National Monument Park in Central Jakarta, Tebet Eco Park and Langsat Park in the south and the Pesanggrahan Forest in the west.
However, the city’s green space is still far from ideal despite its crucial role in biodiversity conservation. According to the Jakarta Environmental Agency, as of late last year, only 6.48 percent of the capital’s 661.5 square kilometers is green open space, far below the 30 percent required by law.