We spent two weeks in Indonesia visiting Tangkoko National Park in northern Sulawesi first. We had three main target species here, the critically endangered Crested Black Macaque, the Spectral Tarsier and the Sulawesi Bear Cuscus, the latter two species both endemic and classed as vulnerable. Habitat loss, bush meat trade and human interference are all impacting on these species. We had excellent encounters with them all over the five days we were there. The Macaques we saw were a habituated group and allowed us to get some great views as they foraged on the beach in the early mornings before returning to the forest to continue feeding, then resting, grooming and playing. The Spectral Tarsiers we saw spent their days in a sleeping tree, and as they started to get active in the evenings we could watch as they stirred and even fed on crickets. The Sulawesi Bear Cuscus is a curious creature, a marsupial and not a bear, with lemur-like eyes, a woolly bear-like body, a prehensile tail and sharp claws with two opposable digits. Its strictly vegetarian diet means that it moves very slowly like a sloth, and it lives in the canopy.

Our second destination was Komodo National Park and its eponymous dragons, and once again the sightings we had were excellent. Komodo dragons are also classed as vulnerable with threats including habitat loss through development and fires, and poaching of the dragons themselves as well as their prey. They are awesome animals and can reach 70kg in the wild with a potentially lethal bite and a fast turn of speed. Many thanks to the staff at Tangkoko Hill Cottages, and our super guide Julian, and the crew of the Phinisi Plataran Felicia and Simin and Jack, our two guides. Last but not least thanks to Nick Garbutt for putting together such a great trip and organising everything so well!


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