· Underwater Riches
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
· Looking Ahead

Global 200 Snapshot

The Central Sulawesi Lakes ecoregion contains many endemic species.  

Underwater Riches

These old, isolated lakes are home to many endemic species. Several groups of fish, prawns, and mollusks are the product of species radiations. These tropical island lakes are also home to a diversity of crabs.

Special Features

Millions of years ago, along the periphery of the Pacific Ocean, the Earth's crust began to shift. Among the many results of this event were depressions in the landscape where Lake Matano, Lake Mahalona, and Lake Towuti eventually formed. Other lakes in this region include Poso, Lindu, and Tempe. Lake Matano is the deepest lake in Southeast Asia and the eighth deepest in the world.

	The surface of Lake Matano is located at 1,253 feet (382 m) above sea level, but it is over 1,969 feet (600 m) deep. Thus, the bottom of the lake is actually below sea level.

Wild Side

The landscape of the Central Sulawesi Lakes ecoregion is beautiful, but other riches live under the lakes’ surfaces and along their shorelines. About 60 endemic mollusks and more than 25 endemic fish have already been identified in these lakes. The Matano-Towuti lake system alone harbors 20 species of fish, 12 mollusks, one endemic snake and seven plants. Lake Tempe supports a productive fishery that is important to the local people. The lakes are also great places for many species of birds, including wandering ducks, to rest, breed, and find food.

Cause for Concern

The shores of Lake Matano contain large deposits of nickel. Mining for this metal causes pollution and destroys habitat. Commercial fishing, development, and the introduction of non-native species are among other threats to this ecoregion.

Looking Ahead

Check back soon for more about the conservation of this ecoregion.