Wasur National Park, National park and Ramsar site in Papua, Indonesia
Wasur National Park is a protected area in the southeastern corner of Indonesian Papua, bordering Papua New Guinea. It covers wetlands, savannas, open grasslands, and forest patches that sit side by side across a largely flat terrain.
The area was designated a national park in the 1980s, after earlier conservation measures had already been put in place in previous decades. It was also listed as a Ramsar wetland of international importance, adding another layer of formal recognition to its protection.
The Kanum, Marind, Marori Men-Gey, and Yei peoples have lived here for generations, using the forests, wetlands, and savannas to meet their everyday needs. Walking through the land, you can notice traces of long-standing human presence woven into the landscape.
The dry season, roughly from May to October, makes moving through the wetland areas much easier and more comfortable. The nearest base for visitors is Merauke, a town on the southern coast of Papua, which serves as the main gateway to the park.
In the 1920s, Dutch colonial administrators brought sambar deer into the area, an animal that was not originally from there, and this changed the local wildlife balance in ways that are still visible today. These deer are now one of the most commonly spotted large animals in the park, outnumbering many native species.
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