Animals of Indonesia: 280 species guides

Understand cats at home and in your neighbourhood: safe spaces, suitable food, natural behaviour, and a lifelong responsibility for their care.

Dogs need social connection, space to rest, suitable exercise, and planned care. Understand the individual animal before making an adoption commitment.

A great ape of northern Sumatra’s forest canopy. Its future depends on connected forests, regenerating trees, and safe coexistence with people.

The largest living lizard, native to a small group of islands in East Nusa Tenggara. Explore its links with prey, dry habitats, and island-specific conservation.

The last surviving Sunda Island tiger population lives in Sumatra. Protecting forest, prey, and movement routes supports a whole living landscape.

A large herbivore that disperses seeds and shapes forests. Its conservation needs connected movement space and solutions developed with communities living nearby.

A one-horned rhinoceros with a single surviving wild population in Ujung Kulon. Strong protection and careful habitat management underpin its future.

A Borneo-endemic primate closely linked to river forests, mangroves, and swamps. The male’s large nose is only one of its distinctive adaptations.

A nocturnal, tree-dwelling primate of Java threatened by wildlife trade. Understanding its behaviour helps turn curiosity into respectful observation.

A forest bird of Raja Ampat whose males carry red plumes and two long tail ribbons. Its striking displays connect birdwatching with forest conservation.

A marine reptile connecting seagrass meadows, coastal waters, and nesting beaches. Global recovery does not remove the threats turtles face at individual sites.

A distinctive white bird of Bali with blue skin around the eyes. Its story connects the bird trade, habitat, conservation breeding, and community stewardship.

A great ape of Borneo’s forests, including Kalimantan’s peat swamps. Population diversity and connections between habitats are central to its conservation.

An orangutan species described in 2017 from Batang Toru. Its exceptionally restricted range makes protection of remaining forest especially important.

The smallest living rhino and the only two-horned Asian rhino. Isolated populations make finding mates and protecting habitat particular challenges.

A small buffalo relative from Sulawesi and Buton. Forest life, water sources, and hunting pressures are central to the anoa’s conservation story.

A Sulawesi wild pig whose males have upper tusks curving through the snout’s skin. This profile distinguishes it from babirusas on other islands.

A silvery small ape dependent on Java’s forest canopy. Calls, family relationships, and routes through the trees shape its life.

The largest gibbon, with a throat sac that amplifies its calls. Group life connects communication, infant care, and connected forest.

The black-and-white tapir is Asia’s only tapir. Forest, water, and safe movement space support its life in Sumatra.

An Asian wild cattle species related to Bali cattle. Its global status changed to Critically Endangered in 2024, underlining the need to protect wild populations.

A plant-eating deer using grasslands and wooded areas. Population origins matter because people have introduced this species to many locations.

A big cat endemic to Java with spotted and black forms. Connected forests and careful management of human encounters matter for its survival.

A cloud-patterned forest cat from Sumatra and Borneo. Long-term research helps reveal the life of this rarely seen animal.

The world’s smallest bear climbs trees and uses varied forest foods. Its Indonesian name, honey bear, does not describe its entire diet.

A scaled, ant- and termite-eating mammal threatened by illegal trade. Climbing and secretive behaviour make direct observation difficult.

A seagrass-eating marine mammal dependent on healthy coastal waters. Dugong life connects seagrass meadows, sheltered bays, and human activity in shallow seas.

A profile of the Mahakam River dolphin population, rather than all Irrawaddy dolphins worldwide. Its future is connected to fish, wetlands, river traffic, and local livelihoods.

The largest living fish, with distinctive spots and filter-feeding behaviour. Its protection involves ocean movements, boats, fisheries, and tourism.

A large ray that filters zooplankton and uses coastal and reef areas. Learn its identity, feeding behaviour, and why observation needs to leave it space.

A pointed-beaked turtle closely associated with coral reefs. Shell trade, accidental capture, and habitat loss connect human choices with its future.

A relatively small turtle that travels through open seas and returns to beaches to nest. Not every population performs its famous mass-nesting behaviour.

A large reptile capable of using both salt and fresh water. Understanding its habitat and respecting its space matters for community safety and conservation.

A crested eagle endemic to Indonesia that depends on the forests of Java and, as recent records show, Bali. Nest trees, parental care, and movement space make its protection a long-term commitment.

A Sulawesi bird that uses environmental heat to incubate its eggs. Its survival connects forest living areas with highly specialised nesting grounds.

A white, yellow-crested cockatoo whose island populations need careful distinction. Feeding, nesting, and roosting trees complement efforts to prevent harmful trade.

A large flightless bird that disperses seeds through its feeding. This profile concerns Casuarius casuarius, one of the cassowary species in the New Guinea region.

A large bird with a shimmering green neck that uses wooded landscapes and openings. Green peafowl are distinct from the blue peafowl often seen in captivity.

A forest hornbill with long central tail feathers and a solid casque. Hunting for casque trade makes habitat protection and reduced demand particularly important.

A tree-dwelling marsupial of Sulawesi. Leaves, connected canopy, and low human disturbance matter to this often slow-moving forest animal.

The crested black macaque is a distinctive North Sulawesi primate. Tangkoko field studies connect fruit availability, ranging and the future of its forest habitat.

A small primate of Central Sulawesi’s mountain forest. Live animals found again in 2008 enabled new research, while much of its ecology and population remains poorly known.

A northern Borneo population of Asian elephant shared by North Kalimantan and Sabah. Its future depends on a connected cross-border landscape and reducing conflict with people.

A social primate using forests, riversides, mangroves and settlement edges. Food and human encounters vary by place; frequent sightings do not describe the condition of the whole population.

A large semi-aquatic lizard living near rivers, swamps, mangroves and some human-used areas. As both predator and scavenger, it connects aquatic and terrestrial food webs.

A small bird with a chestnut crown and a black spot on each white cheek. Its proximity to people makes it easy to notice, but sighting records do not measure its population.

A songbird with a conspicuous yellow vent that often uses gardens, parks and forest edges. Local studies document fruit and insect feeding.

A small, long-tailed dove with white spots on a black neck patch. It uses open land, gardens and forest edges while searching for seeds.

A small swallow that catches insects in flight and builds a mud nest. Its scientific name matters because Pacific swallow taxonomy has changed.

A blue-green kingfisher with a white collar, often seen in mangroves and on coasts. Numerous subspecies make older names worth checking carefully.

Cave Swiftlet (Collocalia linchi). This swiftlet occurs on Java, Bali and Lombok (with nearby islands such as Madura, Bawean, Kangean and Nusa Penida) and in parts of Sumatra; species accounts describe woodland foraging and cave nesting.

Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata). Adults show scale-like marks across the breast and belly, a brown back and a stout dark bill; young birds are plainer.

Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata). This small dove has a relatively long tail, fine black-and-white barring over grey-brown plumage and a soft repeated coo.

Javan Pond-Heron (Ardeola speciosa). The Javan pond-heron forages in shallow freshwater and coastal wetlands, taking small fish, insects and crabs.

Glossy Swiftlet (Collocalia esculenta). The glossy swiftlet is an apodid that searches for food in flight; in its current narrower sense it ranges from Sulawesi and the Moluccas east to Papua and the islands beyond.

White-breasted Woodswallow (Artamus leucorhynchos). The accepted scientific name is Artamus leucorynchus (used by BirdLife Australia and eBird); GBIF uses the variant spelling leucorhynchos. Its white chest contrasts with a dark-grey head.

Javan Munia (Lonchura leucogastroides). The Javan munia occurs in southern Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok, while some populations elsewhere reflect human introduction.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta). The little egret is smaller than the great egret; wetland identification benefits from checking size, bill and leg characters together.

Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus). The brahminy kite is an accipitrid raptor often associated with coastal landscapes; its pale head and breast contrast with a reddish-brown body.

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos). This small sandpiper uses water edges and moves between regions; an Indonesian sighting does not by itself indicate local breeding.

Olive-backed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sepium). The olive-backed tailorbird is now placed in Cisticolidae rather than the older broad Old World warbler grouping; names should follow current taxonomy.

Brown-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis). The brown-throated sunbird uses semi-open Southeast Asian habitats; flower visits and bill shape can be observed without assuming every visit pollinates a plant.

Sahul Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus). The Sahul brush cuckoo belongs to Cuculidae; voice, plumage and locality matter because common names and species limits in this group change.

Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia). The common iora uses scrub and forest edges; plumage varies among populations, so a photograph from one region may differ from another.

Red-cheeked Parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi). The red-cheeked parrot is a stout parrot of eastern Indonesia and New Guinea; subspecies labels should not be treated as evidence for every population's range.

White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus). This waterhen has a dark body and conspicuously white face and breast; records should include the waterside vegetation where it was seen.

Black Sunbird (Leptocoma sericea). The black sunbird is a nectariniid; current bird lists (BirdLife/IUCN, eBird and IOC) name it Leptocoma aspasia, while GBIF still files it under the synonym Leptocoma sericea.

Blyth's Hornbill (Rhyticeros plicatus). Blyth's hornbill is a large canopy hornbill of Wallacea and Melanesia; ground observations may reveal only its silhouette or calls.

White-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus). The edible-nest swiftlet makes a nest largely of hardened saliva; nest harvesting is a human activity separate from the bird's own life cycle.

Helmeted Friarbird (Philemon buceroides). The helmeted friarbird belongs to the honeyeater family Meliphagidae; its helmet-like head does not make it a hornbill.

Pink-necked Green-Pigeon (Treron vernans). The pink-necked green-pigeon is a green pigeon often noticed in fruiting trees; its English name refers to the pink neck, not a parrot.

Willie Wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys). The willie wagtail actively flicks its tail while foraging; locality matters across its Australian, New Guinean and eastern Indonesian range.

Malaysian Pied-Fantail (Rhipidura javanica). The Malaysian pied-fantail is a rhipidurid; a fanned tail and black-and-white pattern aid identification around forest edges and gardens.

Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus). The blue-tailed bee-eater catches flying insects, and some populations move seasonally; a dated record is more informative than an undated sighting.

Black-naped Oriole (Oriolus chinensis). The black-naped oriole occupies wooded Asian landscapes; its dark nape pattern and voice help separate it from other yellow birds.

Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). The purple heron is a long-necked heron associated with marsh vegetation; brownish colour alone is insufficient without checking shape.

Uniform Swiftlet (Aerodramus vanikorensis). The uniform swiftlet has grey-brown plumage, darker upperparts and a shallow forked tail; lookalike swiftlets make clear photos and locality valuable.

Golden-bellied Gerygone (Gerygone sulphurea). The golden-bellied gerygone is a small acanthizid occurring in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries; the English name describes its belly.

Striated Heron (Butorides striata). The striated heron is a small heron often using mangrove edges and shallow water; its current name distinguishes it from the American green heron.

Moluccan Eclectus (Eclectus roratus). Eclectus parrots show striking male-female colour differences; island origin also matters because species limits in the eclectus complex have changed.

Great Egret (Ardea alba). The great egret is a widespread large white heron; compare body size, bill shape and leg colour with smaller egrets.

Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii). The great crested tern forages over coastal sea and nests in colonies on coasts and islands; disturbance at a colony can affect many nests.

White-shouldered Triller (Lalage sueurii). The white-shouldered triller is a campephagid of Indonesia and Timor-Leste; its white wing markings should be read alongside body shape.

Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus). The coppersmith barbet has a red forehead and throat; its repeated metallic-sounding call may be noticed before the perched bird.

Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trochileum). The scarlet-headed flowerpecker is an Indonesian-endemic dicaeid; the male's red head is a clue, making sex and age relevant to identification.

Sultan's Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia doreya). Sultan's cuckoo-dove ranges from the northern Moluccas and Sulawesi towards New Guinea; its taxonomy reflects a split from a former cuckoo-dove complex.

Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis). The zitting cisticola uses open grassy cover; its repeated short call in flight can reveal it before plumage details are clear.

Plaintive Cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus). The plaintive cuckoo is a widely distributed Asian cuckoo; voice and place are valuable because several small cuckoos look alike.

Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica). The metallic starling ranges from the Moluccas and New Guinea to northern Australia; its apparent iridescence changes with light.

Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel). The lesser frigatebird is relatively small for a frigatebird and spends much of its time airborne above tropical seas.

Pacific Reef Heron (Egretta sacra). The Pacific reef heron uses rocky coasts and reefs; pale and dark colour forms make habitat and shape important in identification.

Green Imperial Pigeon (Ducula aenea). The green imperial pigeon is a large forest pigeon; its size and green wings help separate it from smaller green-pigeons.

Gray-rumped Treeswift (Hemiprocne longipennis). The grey-rumped treeswift belongs to Hemiprocnidae rather than the true swift family and may be seen perched as well as flying.

Cerulean Kingfisher (Alcedo coerulescens). This Indonesian kingfisher is metallic blue and white; size and pattern matter because other kingfishers also appear blue.

Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata). The pied bush chat uses open country; male and female plumage differs, so black-and-white appearance alone does not describe every bird.

Dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis). The Oriental dollarbird has rounded blue wing patches visible in flight, the field mark behind its English name.

Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azurea). The black-naped monarch is a slim, agile flycatcher; sexes differ, and its dark nape band informs the English name.

Freckle-breasted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos analis). The freckle-breasted woodpecker is a picid; Indonesian records should use head and wing pattern plus locality to distinguish lookalikes.

Black-naped Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus melanospilus). Male black-naped fruit-doves have a pale grey head, dark nape and mostly green body; females may look different.

Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus). The sacred kingfisher uses mangroves, open woodland and river valleys; movement in some populations makes date and locality useful.

Northern Fantail (Rhipidura rufiventris). Under the BirdLife/IUCN and Burung Indonesia taxonomy, Rhipidura rufiventris is the Timor fantail of Timor and nearby islands in Nusa Tenggara; fantails of Maluku and Papua once included in it (such as the northern fantail, R. isura) are now separate species, although the IOC list still lumps them as the northern fantail. A fanned tail identifies the family but not the species by itself.

Gray-cheeked Green-Pigeon (Treron griseicauda). The grey-cheeked green-pigeon is Indonesian-endemic; cheek and nape colour help separate it from other green-pigeons in fruiting trees.

Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis). The lesser coucal often uses dense low vegetation, including marsh edges; brief distant views can be confused with other coucals.

White-headed Munia (Lonchura maja). The white-headed munia uses wetlands and grassy places; the adult's white head helps identification, while young birds are harder to separate.

Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus). Ashy drongos vary across populations in grey tone and movement; photographs and dates improve the interpretation of sightings.

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). The barn swallow has blue upperparts, pointed wings and a deeply forked tail; Indonesian records may include seasonal visitors.

White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster). The white-bellied sea eagle has a white head, rump and underside with dark-grey upperwings; it uses coasts and major rivers.

Brown Honeyeater (Lichmera indistincta). The brown honeyeater is a meliphagid with a brush-tipped tongue adapted to nectar; flower visits should not automatically be counted as pollination.

Asian Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica). The Asian emerald dove uses tropical forest floor and edges; its iridescent green wings are easier to judge in good light.

House Swift (Apus nipalensis). The house swift is an apodid spending much time on the wing; wing shape and nesting context are safer clues than unverified claims about flight physiology.

Hair-crested Drongo (Dicrurus hottentottus). The hair-crested drongo is a dicrurid formerly grouped with another drongo; record the taxonomy and region used by each source.

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia). Rock pigeons include wild-type birds and free-living domestic descendants; an urban record need not represent an original wild population.

Rainbow Bee-eater (Merops ornatus). The rainbow bee-eater catches flying insects and is well known from Australia and nearby regions; Indonesian records need locality and movement context.

Green Junglefowl (Gallus varius). The green junglefowl is a junglefowl of Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara; males are more conspicuous than females, and domestic chickens should be distinguished.

Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike (Hemipus hirundinaceus). The black-winged flycatcher-shrike belongs to a debated woodshrike lineage; citing the scientific name and taxonomic source avoids a misleading family label.

Plantain Squirrel (Callosciurus notatus). The plantain squirrel uses trees in Southeast Asian forests, gardens and settlements; body stripes and colour help separate similar squirrels.

Javan Lutung (Trachypithecus auratus). Javan lutungs are usually glossy dark as adults, while young may be orange; age-related colour should not be mistaken for another species.

Tatar Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus tatar). Tatar horseshoe bats are known from Sulawesi; public species accounts are sparse, so field identification needs expert and acoustic evidence.

Thomas’s Langur (Presbytis thomasi). Thomas's langur is restricted to northern Sumatra; habitat loss is reported as a pressure, while each local group needs separate assessment.

Southern Pig-tailed Macaque (Macaca nemestrina). The southern pig-tailed macaque has a relatively short pig-like tail; it differs from long-tailed macaques and occurs on the Malay Peninsula (southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia), Sumatra, Bangka and Borneo.

Silvered Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus cristatus). Silvered leaf monkeys use coastal, mangrove and riverine forest; presence at one site cannot stand for their status across Borneo or Sumatra.

Gursky's Spectral Tarsier (Tarsius spectrumgurskyae). Gursky's spectral tarsier was separated from a broader spectral-tarsier concept on Sulawesi; older records may use a different name.

Black Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor). The black giant squirrel is a large forest tree-squirrel; its size and bushy tail distinguish it from the much smaller plantain squirrel.

Waigeo Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis). The Waigeo spotted cuscus is a marsupial native to Waigeo Island; outlying records need scrutiny before being treated as natural range.

Horsfield's Treeshrew (Tupaia javanica). Horsfield's treeshrew belongs to Tupaiidae rather than the squirrel family and is reported from Sumatra, Java, Bali and Nias.

Wild Boar (Sus scrofa). Wild boar have both native and human-transported populations; wild, domestic and feral animals must not be combined into a single population claim.

Sumatran Surili (Presbytis melalophos). The Sumatran surili is a forest primate endemic to Sumatra, with forest loss and fragmentation reported as pressures in parts of its range.

Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). The Asian palm civet can use varied habitats; captivity and civet-coffee production should be distinguished from its wild behaviour.

Diadem Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros diadema). The diadem roundleaf bat belongs to Hipposideridae, not Rhinolophidae; nose shape matters, but a single photograph may not settle identification.

Domestic Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Water buffalo are domesticated bovids with a long Asian husbandry history; Indonesian records should not be mapped as an original wild-buffalo range.

Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Spinner dolphins are known for rotating leaps, but each leap need not have the same function; vessel encounters should maintain distance.

Fawn Roundleaf Bat (Hipposideros cervinus). The fawn roundleaf bat is a hipposiderid recorded across parts of Southeast Asia and Australia; colour alone is unreliable for similar bats.

Lesser false vampire bat (Megaderma spasma). The lesser false vampire bat does not drink blood; accounts describe cave and tree-hollow roosts and an insect diet.

Moor Macaque (Macaca maura). The moor macaque has dark brown-to-black fur and a paler rump patch; it differs from the crested macaque of northern Sulawesi.

Black-striped Squirrel (Callosciurus nigrovittatus). The black-striped squirrel occurs on Java, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula; its dark side stripe can assist identification in a clear view.

Javan Porcupine (Hystrix javanica). The Javan or Sunda porcupine is an Indonesian rodent with defensive quills; it is endemic to Java, Bali and the Lesser Sunda Islands and lives mainly in lowlands, including secondary and degraded habitats.

Large Flying-fox (Pteropus vampyrus). The large flying fox is a Southeast Asian fruit bat; its size and fruit-feeding ecology differ from many smaller insect-eating bats.

Sunda Colugo (Galeopterus variegatus). The Sunda colugo is neither lemur nor bat; a skin membrane between its limbs lets it glide between trees.

Northern Common Cuscus (Phalanger orientalis). The northern common cuscus is a New Guinean-region marsupial; some island populations may reflect human movement.

Whitish Dwarf Squirrel (Prosciurillus leucomus). The whitish dwarf squirrel is endemic to Sulawesi and nearby islands; its scientific name separates it from wider-ranging striped squirrels.

Javan Surili (Presbytis comata). The Javan surili is endemic to western Java; the word 'Javan' should not be read as an even range across the whole island.

Prevost's Squirrel (Callosciurus prevostii). Prevost's squirrel shows strongly contrasting fur colours that vary regionally and occupies forests in Sumatra, Borneo and the Malay Peninsula.

Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar). The lar gibbon is a tailless, long-armed canopy primate; Sumatran records need care near the ranges of other gibbons.

Lesser Long-tongued Fruit Bat (Macroglossus minimus). The lesser long-tongued fruit bat feeds at flowers and is much smaller than large flying foxes; size alone cannot identify it reliably.

Bornean White-bearded Gibbon (Hylobates albibarbis). The Bornean white-bearded gibbon inhabits southern Borneo and is separated from the agile gibbon by some taxonomies; sources place it between the Kapuas and Barito rivers.

Mainland Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). Leopard-cat taxonomy has changed, separating some Sunda populations; Indonesian records under this name need checking against the Sunda leopard cat split.

Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko). The tokay gecko is a large mostly nocturnal tree gecko with a conspicuous call; a call need not reveal the animal's exact position.

Flat-tailed House Gecko (Hemidactylus platyurus). The flat-tailed house gecko has a noticeably flattened tail; tail and body form help distinguish it from other building-dwelling geckos.

Common Sun Skink (Eutropis multifasciata). The common sun skink uses open basking places; smooth scales and lengthwise pattern should be compared with other skinks.

Indian Garden Lizard (Calotes versicolor). The oriental garden lizard can change colour with condition and behaviour; that does not make it a true chameleon.

Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus). The Asian house gecko often lives on buildings and hunts insects around lights; separate it from flat-tailed house geckos.

Great Crested Canopy Lizard (Bronchocela jubata). The maned forest lizard is a slender arboreal agamid with a crest along the neck and back; its local 'chameleon' label is not a taxonomic classification.

Oriental Whipsnake (Ahaetulla prasina). The oriental whipsnake is exceptionally slender and often found in vegetation; green colour alone cannot separate it from other tree snakes.

Painted Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis pictus). The painted bronzeback is a slender active snake ranging across Southeast Asia and southern China; side pattern must be checked with head shape.

Oriental Long-tailed Grass Lizard (Takydromus sexlineatus). The long-tailed grass lizard often has a tail several times its body length; never pull it by the tail, which can be shed.

Javan Flying Dragon (Draco volans). The Javan flying dragon glides on rib-supported skin membranes; it has neither bird wings nor bat wings.

Common Four-clawed Gecko (Gehyra mutilata). The four-clawed gecko is widespread; its common name points to foot structure, while species identification still needs toe detail and locality.

White-lipped Island Pitviper (Trimeresurus insularis). The Sunda island pitviper is venomous; older sources treated it as a white-lipped pitviper subspecies, so taxon names need checking.

Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus). The reticulated python can grow exceptionally long and subdues prey by constriction; it is nonvenomous but large animals still require distance.

Keeled Slug Snake (Pareas carinatus). The keeled slug snake is a pareid associated with feeding on slugs and snails; a group name does not prove every individual meal.

Marbled Bow-fingered Gecko (Cyrtodactylus marmoratus). The marbled bent-toed gecko is an Indonesian gecko known mainly from Java; mottled pattern should be considered with toe shape and photo locality.

Pacific Bluetail Skink (Emoia caeruleocauda). The Pacific bluetail skink can show a blue tail, especially at some ages; colour changes and other skinks also have blue tails.

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait (Laticauda colubrina). The yellow-lipped sea krait has dark-and-light bands and uses both sea and land during its life cycle; it is venomous and should not be handled.

Puff-faced Water Snake (Homalopsis buccata). The puff-faced water snake occurs in tropical Southeast Asian waters; head shape and wet habitat matter more than colour alone.

Double-spotted Gecko (Gekko monarchus). The double-spotted gecko occurs from southern Thailand and the Malay Peninsula through Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi and Maluku to New Guinea and the Philippines; spots alone are insufficient without body shape and locality.

Common Wolf Snake (Lycodon capucinus). The common wolf snake is named for enlarged front teeth, not kinship with wolves; building encounters are often misidentified.

Indo-Chinese Rat Snake (Ptyas korros). The Indo-Chinese rat snake is a Southeast Asian ratsnake; the common name does not imply every individual eats only rodents.

Wagler's Pit Viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri). Wagler's pitviper is a venomous Southeast Asian snake; the 'temple' nickname comes from a well-known site, not every habitat.

White-lipped Pit Viper (Trimeresurus albolabris). The white-lipped pitviper is venomous and has lookalike relatives; safe-distance photographs and locality are better than handling for identification.

Emerald Tree Skink (Lamprolepis smaragdina). The emerald tree skink is a bright green arboreal skink; green colour alone cannot distinguish it from other green lizards.

Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus). The blacktip reef shark has dark tips on several fins, especially the first dorsal fin; it differs from the whitetip reef shark.

Bluespotted Fantail Ray (Taeniura lymma). The bluespotted fantail ray inhabits Indo-Pacific reefs; blue spots should be checked with disc and tail shape to separate similar maskrays.

Tasselled Wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon). The tasselled wobbegong blends into shallow reef bottoms near New Guinea and northern Australia; branched head fringes add to its camouflage.

Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus). The whitetip reef shark often rests near the reef bottom; white tips on the dorsal and tail fins separate it from blacktip reef sharks.

Bluespotted Maskray (Neotrygon caeruleopunctata). The bluespotted maskray belongs to a taxonomically revised Neotrygon complex; blue spots alone do not establish species identity without form and locality.

Indonesian Speckled Carpetshark (Hemiscyllium freycineti). The Indonesian speckled carpetshark is known from shallow Raja Ampat waters; older accounts included populations now assigned to other species.

Oriental Bluespotted Maskray (Neotrygon orientale). The Oriental bluespotted maskray is reported from Indonesia and nearby countries; sources use orientale and orientalis spellings, so taxonomy should be cited.

Moluccan Bluespotted Maskray (Neotrygon moluccensis). The Moluccan bluespotted maskray is a narrowly defined Neotrygon; generic blue-spotted ray records cannot automatically be assigned to it.

Brown-banded Bamboo Shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum). The brownbanded bamboo shark is an Indo-Pacific bottom-dweller; banding is particularly noticeable in young animals and changes with age.

Oceanic Manta Ray (Mobula birostris). The giant oceanic manta ray differs from Indonesia's reef manta; size, habitat and body characters should be considered together rather than the word 'manta' alone.

Asian Common Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus). Asian common toads use many human-modified habitats; genetic research suggests the name may encompass a more complex set of lineages.

Common Southeast Asian Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax). The Southeast Asian tree frog builds foam nests near water for its eggs; a nest site should be left undisturbed.

Schlegel's Frog (Chalcorana chalconota). Schlegel's frog once covered stream-frog populations later split into other species; Sumatran and Javan identifications need current taxonomy.

Paddy Field Frog (Fejervarya limnocharis). The paddy field frog belongs to a complex revised by molecular studies; older records under this name may not match today's species limits.

River Toad (Phrynoidis asper). The river toad is a Southeast Asian bufonid; 'giant' is a relative common name, not a fixed size for every individual.

Green Paddy Frog (Hylarana erythraea). The green paddy frog occurs in Southeast Asia and formerly appeared under Rana; wetland observations do not measure local abundance or status.

Poisonous Rock Frog (Odorrana hosii). Hose's frog is associated with rocky stream settings in Southeast Asia; a common name is no reason to handle an unidentified frog.

Crab-eating Frog (Fejervarya cancrivora). Crab-eating frogs use brackish habitats; salinity studies document tadpole tolerance, but laboratory limits do not justify moving animals into seawater.

Muller's Narrowmouth Frog (Kaloula baleata). Müller's narrowmouth frog is a microhylid with a rounded body; skin condition and age can change its appearance.

Hasselt's Toad (Leptobrachium hasseltii). Hasselt's litter frog was once a broad name for Southeast Asian populations; current taxonomy narrows confident identification and calls for comparison with relatives.

Slender Skimmer (Orthetrum sabina). The slender skimmer ranges widely from Asia to Australia; its green-and-black pattern and perching behaviour aid recognition.

Great Eggfly (Hypolimnas bolina). Great eggflies show sex-linked differences in wing pattern; one photograph cannot represent all population variation.

Asian Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina). Asian weaver ants join leaves into nests with silk produced by larvae; one colony can occupy several nests in a tree.

Straight-edge Red Parasol (Neurothemis terminata). The straight-edge red parasol can use artificial wetlands and ranges from Southeast Asia towards the Lesser Sundas.

Red Percher (Neurothemis ramburii). Neurothemis ramburii is a libellulid; identification requires wing and body pattern rather than generic red colour.

Chalky Percher (Diplacodes trivialis). The chalky percher is often seen low to the ground; mature males can differ in colour from females and young individuals.

Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya). Junonia orithya has region-dependent common names and many subspecies; wing eyespots and locality should be recorded together.

Great Mormon Swallowtail (Papilio memnon). Female great Mormon swallowtails occur in several colour forms, including mimics; these forms should not automatically be treated as different species.

Scarlet Skimmer (Crocothemis servilia). Scarlet skimmers are native to East and Southeast Asia with introductions elsewhere; red males do not represent every age or sex.

Lime Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus). Lime swallowtails use citrus among larval host plants; garden records should distinguish eggs, caterpillars and adult butterflies.

The Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma) is a haemotoxic viper of Java that hides in leaf litter and tends to stay still when approached.

The white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus) is a forest songbird with a rich song whose Indonesian populations have fallen through trapping for trade.

The straw-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus) is a large, straw-crowned bulbul now Critically Endangered because of trapping for the bird trade.

The sooty-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is a black-capped bulbul native to Java and Bali, common in gardens and towns but widely trapped for sale.

The oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) is a black-and-white songbird that was once common on Java but is now rare there because of trapping.

The common hill myna (Gracula religiosa) is a glossy black myna with yellow wattles, famous for its ability to mimic human speech.

The black-winged myna (Acridotheres melanopterus) is a white, black-winged starling endemic to Java and Bali, almost wiped out in the wild by the bird trade.

The rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) is a large hornbill with an upturned orange-red casque, found in Sumatra, Java and Borneo; Vulnerable.

The greater bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea apoda) is a yellow-plumed bird-of-paradise of the Aru Islands and the southern lowlands of New Guinea.

The Victoria crowned pigeon (Goura victoria) is a giant pigeon with a lacy blue crest, living in lowland forest in northern Papua, Yapen and Biak.

The palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) is a large black cockatoo with red cheek patches from New Guinea and the Aru Islands, known for drumming.

The Flores hawk-eagle (Nisaetus floris) is a white-headed forest eagle endemic to Nusa Tenggara, from Lombok to Alor, and listed as Endangered.

The barn owl (Tyto alba) is a pale, heart-faced owl that hunts rats in rice fields, oil palm plantations and villages across Indonesia.

The Javan mouse-deer (Tragulus javanicus) is a tiny, antlerless chevrotain found only in the forests of Java, where it is a protected species.

The southern red muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak) is a small deer with short antlers and tusks, found in Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Bali and Lombok.

The sambar (Rusa unicolor) is Indonesia's largest deer, found in the forests of Sumatra and Borneo; it is Vulnerable and protected in Indonesia.

The binturong (Arctictis binturong) is the largest civet, a tree-dwelling mammal with a gripping tail, found in the forests of Sumatra, Borneo and Java.

The Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) is the world's smallest otter, living in family groups in rivers, rice fields and mangroves in Indonesia.

The Sunda slow loris (Nycticebus coucang) is a slow, venomous nocturnal primate of Sumatra, threatened by the pet trade and protected in Indonesia.

The mountain anoa (Bubalus quarlesi) is a dwarf wild buffalo endemic to Sulawesi and Buton, smaller and shaggier than the lowland anoa.

The marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) is a small, marble-patterned wild cat with a very long, bushy tail, living in the forests of Sumatra and Borneo.

The agile gibbon (Hylobates agilis) is a tailless small ape of Sumatra's forest canopy, known for its white brow band and its dawn songs.

The bearded pig (Sus barbatus) is a wild pig with a bristly facial beard from the forests of Borneo and Sumatra, known for mass migrations that follow fruiting.

The smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) is Indonesia's largest otter, with short sleek fur, living in family groups in rivers, swamps and mangroves.

The Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga) is a ground-dwelling, black-spotted civet with a black-and-white banded tail, common in the forests of Sumatra and Borneo.

The leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) is the world's largest turtle, with a leathery shell; in Indonesia it nests mainly in Tambrauw, Southwest Papua.

The Indonesian coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis) is a rare, deep-water lobe-finned fish known from Sulawesi to Papua, first recognised in 1997.

The scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) is a hammer-headed shark with a notched snout, found across Indonesian seas and listed as Critically Endangered.

The humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) is the largest wrasse, a hump-headed reef fish threatened by the live reef fish trade.

The giant clam (Tridacna gigas) is the world's largest bivalve, living on shallow coral reefs; it is now very rare across most of Indonesia.

The spotted seahorse (Hippocampus kuda) is a small horse-headed fish whose males carry the young; it lives in seagrass and estuaries and is widely traded.

The false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) is a slender-snouted crocodilian of the peat swamps of Sumatra and Borneo, listed as Endangered by the IUCN.

The Rote Island snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) is a freshwater turtle of Rote Island, NTT, left Critically Endangered by the pet trade.

The painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) is a Critically Endangered estuary and mangrove turtle; breeding males show a white head with a red stripe.

The pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) is a flipper-limbed freshwater turtle of southern Papua, threatened by egg harvest and hatchling smuggling.

The crocodile monitor (Varanus salvadorii) is a large tree-climbing monitor lizard found only on New Guinea, with a very long tail and serrated teeth.

Wallace's golden birdwing (Ornithoptera croesus) is a large birdwing butterfly with an orange-gold male, found only in North Maluku, Indonesia.

The Sunda king cobra (Ophiophagus bungarus) is a venomous snake-eater of Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Bali, separated from O. hannah in 2024.

The Javan spitting cobra (Naja sputatrix) is a venomous spitting cobra of Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara that often turns up around homes.

The banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus) is a neurotoxic krait with full black-and-yellow rings, found in Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Bali.

The Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) is a highly venomous black-and-white banded krait of Sumatra, Java and Bali that is active at night.

The loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) is a big-headed sea turtle that is very rare in Indonesian waters and fully protected by law.

The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) is a coastal dolphin with a spotted belly that is fully protected in Indonesia.

The crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster) is a venomous, spiny, coral-eating starfish whose population outbreaks can devastate coral reefs.

The greater blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) is a small octopus with blue rings whose bite carries tetrodotoxin and can kill a person.

The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a large striped shark that eats almost anything and is among the sharks most often involved in bites on people.

The yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) is a black-and-white, day-biting mosquito and the main carrier of dengue virus in Indonesia.

The black rat (Rattus rattus) is a long-tailed climbing rat that nests in ceilings and walls and can spread leptospirosis to people.

The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a large burrowing rat of drains, settlements and ports, and one of the animals that spread leptospirosis.

The Asian house shrew (Suncus murinus) is a small, musky, insect-eating mammal with a pointed snout; it looks like a rat but is not a rodent.

The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is a large reddish-brown cockroach of drains and buildings that can carry disease-causing bacteria.

The Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) is a native Indonesian honey bee that nests in cavities, pollinates plants and is kept for honey.

The Sunda scops owl (Otus lempiji) is a small owl with short ear tufts that lives in forest, gardens and wooded parks in Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Bali.

The crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela) is a snake-eating eagle of forest edges in Sumatra, Java, Bali and Borneo, and is protected in Indonesia.

The Javan pied starling (Gracupica jalla) is a black-and-white starling of Java and Bali that may now be extinct in the wild because of the cagebird trade.

The salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) is a large cockatoo endemic to Seram and Ambon in Maluku, listed as Endangered because of trapping for trade.

The black-capped lory (Lorius lory) is a red, black-capped parrot of Papua's forests. It is protected in Indonesia yet is among Papua's most-traded birds.

The lesser short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus brachyotis) is a common small fruit bat of Indonesian towns and forests that spreads seeds and pollinates flowers.

The Philippine slow loris (Nycticebus menagensis) is a small, venomous, nocturnal primate of coastal north and east Borneo, threatened by the pet trade.

The Selayar tarsier (Tarsius tarsier) is a tiny nocturnal primate found only on Selayar Island, South Sulawesi, often sleeping in thorny bamboo clumps.

The Malayan porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) is a large, quilled, nocturnal rodent of Sumatra and Borneo that is widely hunted for meat and trade.

Reinwardt's flying frog (Rhacophorus reinwardtii) is a green, broadly webbed tree frog of the forests of Java and Sumatra that lays eggs in foam nests.

The banded Malaysian coral snake (Calliophis intestinalis) is a small venomous snake with a red tail and black-and-white belly from western Indonesia.

The giant featherback (Chitala lopis) is a knife-backed predatory freshwater fish of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, and South Sumatra's identity animal.

The Java stingaree (Urolophus javanicus) is a small ray known from a single 1862 Jakarta specimen, declared extinct by the IUCN in December 2023.

The Bawean deer (Axis kuhlii) is a small deer found only on Bawean Island, East Java. It is Critically Endangered, with an estimated few hundred animals.

The dingiso (Dendrolagus mbaiso) is a black-and-white tree-kangaroo that lives mostly on the ground, found only in the mossy forests of Papua's Sudirman Range.

The western long-beaked echidna (Zaglossus bruijnii) is a spiny, egg-laying mammal of Papua's Bird's Head region, Critically Endangered by hunting.

The bay cat (Catopuma badia) is a small wild cat found only on Borneo, with a rusty-red or grey coat, and one of the world's least known cats.

The Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus) is a large-scaled freshwater fish of Sumatra and Borneo, a costly ornamental fish with threatened wild populations.

The coconut crab (Birgus latro) is the world's largest land arthropod, a giant hermit crab that eats fruit and carrion, threatened by hunting for restaurants.

The New Guinea crocodile (Crocodylus novaeguineae) is a medium-sized freshwater crocodile found only on New Guinea, smaller than the saltwater crocodile.

Horsfield's tarsier (Cephalopachus bancanus), or mentilin, is a big-eyed, insect-eating primate and Bangka Belitung's identity animal, hit by forest loss.

The great argus (Argusianus argus) is a large pheasant with eye-spotted wings from the forests of Sumatra and Borneo, and West Sumatra's identity animal.

The Nias hill myna (Gracula robusta), or beo nias, is the largest hill myna, endemic to Nias, North Sumatra's identity animal, and Critically Endangered.

The blue-crowned hanging parrot (Loriculus galgulus) is a tiny green parrot that sleeps hanging upside down, and the identity animal of Riau province.

The rufous-tailed shama (Copsychus pyrropygus), Aceh's ceumpala kuneng, is a forest songbird of Sumatra and Borneo and Aceh's identity animal.

The knobbed hornbill (Rhyticeros cassidix) is a large fig-eating hornbill endemic to Sulawesi, with a red casque, and South Sulawesi's identity animal.

The snoring rail (Aramidopsis plateni) is a flightless rail endemic to Sulawesi with a snore-like call, and the identity animal of West Sulawesi.

The standardwing (Semioptera wallacii) is a North Maluku bird-of-paradise whose males dance with long white wing plumes; the province's identity animal.

The twelve-wired bird-of-paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus) is a swamp-forest bird-of-paradise of New Guinea and the identity animal of Papua province.

The Moluccan king parrot (Alisterus amboinensis) is a red, blue and green parrot of the forests of Maluku and Papua, and Maluku province's identity animal.