Researchers Find 35 Caves On Mount Batu Benau, North Kalimantan - East Kalimantan

One of the vertical caves in the Mount Batu Benau karst in North Kalimantan and East Kalimantan (ANTARA/HO YKAN)

SAMARINDA - Karst Study Group Research at the Faculty of Geography, Gadjah Mada University (UGM) together with the Nusantara Nature Conservation Foundation (YKAN) discovered 35 caves on Mount Batu Benau which stretches from North Kalimantan (Kaltara) to East Kalimantan (East Kalimantan) Provinces.

"The geological potential has been recorded with the discovery of 35 caves, including a large cave with a long underground river flow, the shape of the cave varies from the shape of long tunnels and vertical shapes/wells," said the Head of the UGM Karst Study Group Prof. Eko Haryono in a YKAN release, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, March 21.

The area also has the potential for cultural diversity, namely the Punan Batu Indigenous community which, based on the results of research by the Eijkman Institute, has unique genetics and culture.

The Punan Batu sub-tribe uses caves as burrows, and still adopts a hunting and gathering lifestyle, so they are very dependent on the existence of the forest. The area also found potential for biodiversity.

"Until now, there has been no comprehensive study of biodiversity and culture in the context of developing an earth garden," said YKAN Senior Manager for Provincial Government Niel Makinuddin.

Meanwhile, for development to become a geopark (earth park), he continued, there is a need for a connection between geological, cultural, and biological heritage, all three of which are referred to as earth heritage.

"The existence of the Punan Batu sub-tribe and the good forest cover is an indication of the potential for heritage," he said.

Mount Batu Benau is a karst landform that stretches from north to south with a length of about 15 km, has an average width of 4 km with an area of ​​36 km2.

Most of the karst area of ​​Mount Batu Benau is located in the administrative area of ​​Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan Province (Kaltara), while the rest is in the area of ​​Berau Regency, East Kalimantan Province (Kaltim).

Niel said, on Friday, March 17, 2023, a Grouped Discussion and Field Visit were held "Exploring the Potential of the Earth's Heritage of Bulungan Regency for the Development of the Gunung Batu Benau Geopark".