The Towering "Ant's Nest/Musamus" from Merauke Papua

The Towering "Ant's Nest/Musamus"
from Merauke Papua

Papua Island is one of the areas that has a source of biodiversity both flora and fauna as well as artistic, cultural and historical characteristics.

One of the Wasur National Parks in Merauke Regency has endemic fauna that are difficult to find in other areas. especially in Indonesia and the World, Yes, to be precise around the savanna area, visitors will see several towering mounds of land. This mound is called the musamus. Musamus itself is a term used by the people of Merauke to name "ant nests". This musamus is very unique because it has a relatively jumbo size. Homes for these tiny creatures can rise as high as five meters and up to two meters in diameter.
An animal named Termite has a scientific name Macrotermes sp. is a small creature that builds a nest or house so high that it reaches 1 to 2 meters and can even reach 3 meters or more.

The termites inhabiting musamus are not included in the category of destructive termites or are not pests. In fact, these termites are quite independent because they build musamus without riding on human objects. Their habitat is far from human settlements.
Physically, musamus looks like a mound of earth made of soil, dry grass, and the saliva of the termites that made it. The shape that towers above the ground resembles the stalagmites found in caves. The surface texture of this termite nest is grooved and reddish brown in color, according to the color of the soil in its habitat.

In this musamus, live millions of termite colonies that make this mound their home. The termites build their castles very strong and sturdy, even able to withstand the weight of the trampling of large creatures, humans, or the crash of fallen trees.

The contents of the musamus in the form of passages and small cavities. The aisles and cavities are used by termite colonies as a place to live. Not only a place to live, the existing cavity also functions as a ventilation that can keep the temperature stable so that it is protected from extreme temperature changes, even from forest fires.

Musamus is one proof that Indonesia has a lot of biodiversity. Therefore, don't forget to always take care of the environment and ecosystem so that other biodiversity can be maintained properly!