Breeds of Baluran
A national park at Java's eastern tip, where wild banteng graze open savanna under the slopes of an old volcano.
Breeds of this place
Best time: June to October, the dry season, when animals gather at water.
Baluran National Park lies at the north-eastern corner of Java, across the strait from Bali. Much of it is dry savanna and monsoon forest around the extinct Baluran volcano, unusual landscape for Java. It is one of the few places where the wild banteng, ancestor of Bali cattle, can still be seen, along with deer, water buffalo and peafowl.
The banteng
Banteng are wild cattle of Southeast Asia, now endangered across their range. Bulls are dark brown to black, cows chestnut, and both have white stockings and a white rump like their domestic kin. They graze grassland at dawn and dusk and shelter in the forest by day. Baluran's population has fallen over the decades, and park staff work against poaching and the spread of invasive thorn trees across the savanna.
The savanna
The Bekol savanna, near the park's centre, is the best place to see grazing animals, especially in the dry season when they gather at waterholes. Thorny acacia, planted long ago as a firebreak, now covers much of the grassland, and clearing it to keep the savanna open is a major task for the park.
A trail idea for Baluran
- Bekol savanna Open grassland with watchtowers, where banteng come to graze.
- Bama beach A quiet beach on the park's east coast.
- Mount Baluran The old volcano at the centre of the park.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Baluran National Park" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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