One of Kalimantan`s endemic medicinal plants found in the TNK is Eurycoma longifolia jack root herb locally known as "Pasak Bumi" or "Tongkat Ali" .Bontang, E Kalimantan (ANTARA News) - The landscape of Kutai National Park (KNT) is dominated by a Dipterocarpaceae lowland tropical rainforest and has 958 species of flora, including 8 of the world`s 9 genus of Dipterocarpaceae family, and 41 species of orchids.
"Some of the flora species are used by local people as traditional herbal medicine. According to the results of an inventory, there are 220 species of medicinal plants here," Head of the Kutai National Park (TNK) Acep Sugiharta said here on Wednesday.
One of Kalimantan`s endemic medicinal plants found in the TNK is Eurycoma longifolia jack root herb locally known as "Pasak Bumi" or "Tongkat Ali" .
Other rare plant species include Gaharu (Aquilaria sp.), Kantong Semar (Nepenthes mirabilis), and various Orchids (Orchidaceae), which are on the list of CITES and considered endangered.
Kutai National Park held a three-day in-house training course for its personnel from September 13 to 15, 2011 to introduce various plant species existing in the forest.
The national park recently also organized a training course on wild animal handling for its staff members.
TNK has 10 species of primates including Orangutan (Pongo Pygmaeus Morio), 300 species of birds, and 90 species of mammals.
Kutai National Park is the last surviving habitat of the Orangutan family. East Kalimantan is believed to have around 5,250 Orangutan of the Pongo Pygmaeus Mario family,
"Because Mario Orangutans are endangered, TNK has been named a conservatin area," Brigadier Ujang Acep, commander of TNK`s forest rangers`unit, said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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