Bali Bird Sanctuary on Nusa Penida
Nusa Penida is a unique island-wide bird sanctuary. It is unique in that Nusa Penida is a populated island where all of the island's communities have used traditional Balinese village regulations to create a sanctuary for birds. The idea of converting Nusa Penida (and its sister islands of Lembongan and Ceningan) into a bird sanctuary came from Drh I. Gede Nyoman Bayu Wirayudha (veterinarian) and his Indonesian NGO, Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF), who envisioned the islands to be a natural safe haven where endangered birds could be released to rebuild their numbers, free from the threat of poachers. FNPF spent 2 years counselling all of the key people of influence on the Penida islands on the benefits of protecting birds and conservation. In 2006 all 35 villages (now 41 villages) unanimously agreed to make bird protection part of their traditional regulations (“awig-awig”), making it a social and spiritual obligation for all Penida residents to protect birds. Since then, FNPF has rehabilitated and released various Indonesian birds, most notably the critically endangered Bali Starling which is endemic to Bali but whose numbers in the wild had declined to less than 10 in 2005. After a 2 year program by FNPF in which 64 cage bred birds were rehabilitated and released onto Nusa Penida, their number had increased to over 100 in 2009. Other released birds include Java Sparrow, Mitchell's Lorikeet and Sulphur Crested Cockatoo. In return for this unanimous commitment by all villages to protect birds, FNPF runs a variety of community wellbeing / development projects. FNPF's office, visitor centre, nursery and guest accommodation is located in the village of Ped, on the north side of Nusa Penida.July 2011: In the fifth anniversary of FNPF, they have released 100 tiny birds of Java Sparrows altogether. The birds are very conspicuous with brightly colored, so very visible to predators, release in a large flocks make it harder for predators to catch them.
Diving sites
Nusa Penida covers a wide area of diving locations. They are Penida Bay, Batu Lumbung (Manta Point), Batu Meling, Batu Abah, Toya Pakeh and Malibu Point. The flow through the Lombok Strait is, overall, south-tending, although the strength and direction of the tidal streams are influenced by the monsoon seasons.During the southeast monsoons, the tidal flow tends south; during the northeast monsoons, the tidal flow tends north. In the area of the strait north of Nusa Penida, the pattern is relatively simple, with a flow, at peaktide, of about three-and-one-half knots. Tidal streams in Badung Strait are semi-diurnal, but the character of the stream is very complicated because its direction runs obliquely to the general south to north direction of Lombok Strait, and the channel has a curved shape.
See the Nusa Penida Dive Sites
Toyapakeh
Toyapakeh has a stretch of reefs, and in the southern part of the bay there is a similar area of rugged bommies, rich with color and fish. Big schools of fish, sea turtles, and occasionally Mola mola (sunfish) are highlight of Toyapakeh diving. Toyapakeh is special for its pillars of coral.Malibu Point
Malibu Point is a diving site with gray reefs, reef white tips, silver-tips and numerous sharks. While Penida Bay is another anchorage, and the rocky islands have an interesting forms; something like an old resting elephant. The bay is vulnerable to swell, creating-up-and-down-currents. Then, Manta Point is a limestone rock off Pandan cafe. The swell is relatively strong.Nusa Penida/Lembongan
Nusa Penida/Lembongan is a diving site with vast spread of coral reefs and good visibility. Big fish are frequently observed at the area. Manta rays or sunfishes appear in certain seasons.The site is also known because of the very strong currents requiring advanced diving skills.
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