Hansen Island [Every Thing You Have To Know]

Hansen Island is an uninhabited, coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean located to the north-west of the Solomon Islands.

It is administered by Australia as part of the Christmas Island group and has been declared a nature reserve by the Australian government.

The island is approximately 2.5 square kilometres in size, with a low-lying limestone landscape. It is one of the most biologically diverse islands in the world, supporting more than 1,500 vascular plant species and 280 bird species.

What is Hansen Island?

Hansen Island is a coral atoll maybe long, slightly broader and less than in greatest dimension. It has an angular coastline of . Hansen Atoll measures from west to east with no land marked on its shape.

Unlike the majority of Pacific islands, glaciers have not extended outwards over any significant area or settled into valleys or crevices for hundreds (if not thousands) of years; most are now extinct since sea level rise pre-dated human habitation on the island by approximately 100–200 years both migrations following what could be formal colonizations and changes they brought as ocean levels changed during the Holocene epoch.

Seafloor topography is coherent, featuring large pinnacles and pinnacle crags

all are steep-sided crateriform ridges more than three metres tall that stand out as prominent features above sea level; some just a few hundred centimetres high compare to typical depths of down below where anaerobic micro-climates have existed due this topic is discussed in detail at Hansen Atoll’s seafloor Facies Ridge Structure

On land at Lamotu Ulai Elu means “Happy Island” however it was later renamed by its first discove.

Why is it an important place?

It is an ecologically significant place. Approximately 650 vascular plants like 50 species of orchids and a thousand fungi have been recorded from the site and some 16 bird species rest there including four ‘endemic’ – Henderson’s booby, Palila, Manoora Flycatcher-plumbeous (Rhombopsula pluto) – survivor subspecies endemic to Indonesia; Spectacled Parrotlet, Philentoma floscularis as well as “Hemitriccus newtoni”, various hundred other birds comprise all three known races: (“semenquass icola”, “palileensis”, and “metula”).

The biodiversity at H.U.L., of 141 endemic plants, including 31 fern allies in primary succession are exceptional on island arcs , with only a handful of other locations having comparable abundance – as well as recording more voluminous plant species than many tropical rainforests elsewhere

At Lamotu Ulai Elu there have also been finds of fossilized pterosaur bones

possible belonging to Dzirmidromesaurus banksi which is known from the lower Cretaceous near islands such as Kuria.

What kind of plants and animals live there?

Local traditional people inform that the migration routes of Myrmeleon species and other “flying” birds from their Sunda archipelago, show a north-west route by way of Lombok Island to the Bayul Aru Archipelago in West Papua – implying many more migratory bird species pass through this area.

The site is protected within the national park as a wildlife sanctuary and also in this picture

it has been protected with surrounding buffer zones, forest protection that its current land-use. except for people working on farms or looking after cattle . 

Amongst other rare items have found species of Cycad succulent’s , ( conifers) … Dendrochesma elegans Rubia arborescens Olivaceocereus tuberculosus Ornithopsis sp., Polypodiaceae family: Pterocarpae Cignicryptis(Isotropiciaceae )(Stachyandra sp.) Fussia basapavir (Morceliaceae)​ Parasopia biflexa? and woody shrub’s.

Extent of the site: 380 hectares, with density vegetation roughly 70 species per ha.. The boundaries of national park to put conservation under consideration are subject to change in accordance with socio-economic development goals.

Vegetation within the buffer zones that actually surrounds preserve is considered more fit for agricultural use at this time . Primary forests ropruka , by contrast, tend to be classified as shifting forest , composed mostly of stunted.

What happening to the island’s environment?

Initially this site was intended for plantation on a large scale but the size of remaining land has restricted that idea.

The fields have been treated with fungicides and herbicides , most notably in 2010 to avoid farmers who invaded forest area within buffer zone or cut down trees without permission (cutting only above ground level).

How are researchers able to access and manage the first protected conservation area  in Indonesia?   Presence of established research station, PHKA Unimelan New Guinea Inc., which is located at Kintamani Point Island – twin-island resort that has several accommodation houses facilitating tourist activities, but no public facilities – facilitates direct and various research on biodiversity of area through local collaborators .

There are further more formal mechanisms to access Asem-Cawang National Park including a ranger service (in charge of surveillance daily) , that the site allows travelers while they stay overnight or during their tour with guide.

What’s going  on in Kintamani? The future plans for development at this point appear quite ambitious: This current phase envisages the construction of tourist resort with F&B (food & beverage) complex, beachside cabana style accommodation along outer track route.

How can I visit Hansen Island?

Google Trips get you there: Tropical Paradise

You can also visit it when on a trip to Kintamani, but only during the dry season.  But if you’re interested in seeing it year-round , then New Guinea tour packages are your best bet . Unlike the national park, you can enter and explore the island with a guide 

So, which side is better? It’s not really a question of one being best over the other – both are equally great and well worth a visit. Both offer breath-taking landscape views 

Visit Kintamani National Park Here Work up your patience here Visit Asem Cawang Wildlife Conservation Area. Be sure to visit this page first, before planning your trip here. But do check both! They are definitely worth the effort you put in visiting them!

Conlclusion

You can have your cake and eat it too! Visit these sites together, during the dry season. Both are biodiversity hotspots on their own – with different experiences for visitors.

Allow at least a week to visit both of them if you don’t want to miss much scenery . If you think its impossible, be sure to keep the date open in your calendar for next dry season’s potential possibilities!)