Endemic Fauna
North Sulawesi’s unique forest-coastal ecosystem of Tangkoko – Dua Saudara protected jungle was introduced to the western world through the scientific expedition of Alfred Wallace, the famous natural scientist of the 19th century who competed with Darwin to formulate the theory of evolution.

Animals characteristic of the Wallacean region are common in the forests of the Tangkoko National park and Mt Dua Saudara, including the maleo bird (Macrocephalon maleo), the tiny primate Tarsius spectrum and the Sulawesi black macaque (Macaca nigra). This place is home to 13 species of mammal, 155 species of bird and 17 reptile species. It is a haven for endemic species.

If MSM operates in this protected area, there is no doubt that it will all be destroyed. Moreover, MSM will be violating Indonesian law as the Constitutional Court decision on 7th July 2005 was that only six companies already at the exploitation stage would be allowed to carry out open cast mining in protected forests. They’re PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals, PT INCO, PT Freeport Indonesia, PT Natarang Mining, PT Indominco Mandiri, and PT Karimun Granite.

The Ecology of Sulawesi by Whitten, Henderson and Mustafa (2002):
"The fauna of Sulawesui is one of the most distinctive in all Indonesiaparticularly among mammals. Of the 127 indigenous mammal species, 79 (62%)are endemic and the percentage rises to 98% if the bats are excluded. (...) New species of mammals continue to be found and revisions of old and newspecimens combined with fieldwork help to clarify the exact number andidentity of species."

A Guide to the Birds of Wallacea by Coates, Bishop and Gardner (1997):
"The Sulawesi subregion supports the richest, most highly endemic and mostdistinctive avifauna in Wallacea. (...) Mainland Sulawesi hosts a residentavifauna of c. 224 land and freshwater species of which 41 are endemic.(...) Disconcertingly though, the birds of Wallacea are among the mostpoorly known and among some of the most threatened in the world. A review ofthe conservation status of the world's birds lists 52 Wallacean species (ed:Sulawesi is the biggest island in Wallacea) as threatened, either critical,endangered or vulnerable."

BirdLife International, the authority when it comes to bird conservation,ranked all Endemic Bird Areas in the world by the number of restricted range species of these Areas. Sulawesi holds the fifth position on this globalcomparison with no fewer than 54 restricted-range species.