Danau-Danau Mahakam

English (EN)

The Mahakam Lakes are a complex of two main lakes—Semayang and Melintang—located in the middle reaches of the Mahakam River in East Kalimantan. Together, they form one of the most significant freshwater wetlands in Southeast Asia.

Detail	Information
Main Lakes	Lake Semayang, Lake Melintang
Location	Middle Mahakam basin, East Kalimantan
Type	Floodplain lakes
Seasonal Variation	Expand dramatically during rainy season; shrink during dry season
Ecological Significance	Ramsar site; critical habitat for endangered species
Key Species	Irrawaddy dolphin (Pesut Mahakam), endemic fish

Ecology

The lakes support some of the most biodiverse freshwater ecosystems in Southeast Asia. They are home to the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), locally known as Pesut Mahakam—one of the few freshwater dolphin populations in the world.

Cultural Significance

The lakes are the cultural heartland of the Dayak peoples, who have lived along their shores for centuries. In Dayak cosmology, the lakes are considered a gateway between the visible world and the spirit world—a sacred landscape where the boundaries of the Three Realms become thin.

Environmental Threats

The lakes face severe threats from deforestation, coal mining, and oil palm plantations, which cause sedimentation, pollution, and habitat loss.

中文 (ZH)

马哈坎湖群是位于东加里曼丹马哈坎河中游的两个主要湖泊——塞马扬湖和梅林唐湖的复合体。它们共同构成了东南亚最重要的淡水湿地之一。这些湖泊支持着东南亚一些生物多样性最丰富的淡水生态系统，是极度濒危的伊洛瓦底江豚（当地称为Pesut Mahakam）的家园——世界上为数不多的淡水江豚种群之一。

Bahasa Indonesia (ID)