Wetlands International Indonesia Programme

A 20 metres deep, 2,200 hectare blackwater lake in a rather flat terrain, located at about 250 metres altitude (Giesen, 1994). In the wetter months (April-Jume) the lake can rise by up to 5 metres from its dry season level; it never dries out completely, but the shoreline recedes several hundred metres. It has a muddy bottom, and the sediments of the shores are reportedly 'putih' (i.e.white, either sand or kaolin clay). There are seven small villages around the lake, and most adult male inhabitants (50-100) are (part-time) fishermen. Vegetation: Waterhyacinth was introduced to the lake in 1980s, but it cover only a small part of the lake. Formerly there were two species of submerged macrophyte (species not reported), but these disappeared or became very scarce after the introduction of Common Carp. Fish & fisheries: Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) was accidentally introduced to the lake in 1969, when fish kept in ponds escaped during floods. As a result, one small, thumb-sized species of fish, ikan halus (local name=bobok) has reportedly become extinct because of the disappearance of its habitat (the submerged macrophytes). The two species of Melanotaenia have apparently not been affected. Other species occuring in the lake are ikan sembilang hitam (a thorny catfish), ikan tet(?), ikan cepat(?) and possibly three species of large freshwater prawns, which local have named according to their colour: udang biru (blue), udang hitam (black), and udang putih (white, but occasionally with some reddish-orange). The fisheries are based on the ikan sembilang, prawns, ikan tet, ikan cepat, Common Carp and formerly also ikan halus. Other species: Crocodiles do not occur in the lake, but waterbirds are numerous, including egrets, ducks and Balck-winged Stilt (himantopus leucocaphalus). Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) and Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) are reportedly seasonal migrants, usually arriving in April-May. Royal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) also occur throughout the year, albeit in small numbers. Hunting occurs, especially of the ducks and storks.

Site Location

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Special Memmo

Lake Ayamaru is famous for its three endemic species of fish: Glossogobius hoesei (Hoese's Goby), Melanotaenia ajamaruensis (Ajamaru Rainbowfish) and M. boesemani (Boeseman's Rainbowfish), all three of which are found only in this lake (Allen & Boeseman,

List of Birds (21 species)

Species	Red Data Book	Cites
Anas penelope
Anas superciliosa
Anhinga melanogaster	Lower Risk
Chlidonias hybridus
Egretta garzetta
Egretta intermedia
Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus		App I
Gallinula tenebrosa
Haliastur indus		App II
Himantopus leucocephalus
Irediparra gallinacea
Ixobrychus flavicollis
Ixobrychus sinensis
Pelecanus conspicillatus
Phalacrocorax sulcirostris
Platalea regia
Porphyrio porphyrio
Porzana cinerea
Rhipidura albolimbata
Tadorna radjah
Threskiornis aethiopicus

List of Mamal (0 species)

List of Fish (4 species)

Species	Red Data Book	Cites
Cyprinus carpio
Glossogobius hoesei	Deficient Data
Melanotaenia ajamaruensis	Deficient Data
Melanotaenia boesemani	Endengered

List of Crustaseans (0 species)

List of Mollusk (0 species)

List of Fish (0 species)

List of Reptile (0 species)

List of Vegetation (2 species)

Species	Red Data Book	Cites
Ceratophyllum demersum
Eichhornia crassipes