Animals in Indonesia (Islands)
Below you can find a complete list of Indonesian Island animals. We currently track 180 animals in Indonesia (Islands) and are adding more every day!
The islands of Indonesia, which are also collectively called the Indonesian Archipelago, are located to the northwest of Australia and span from western Malaysia across to New Guinea. These islands, including Bali and the island systems of Java and Sumatra, are home to many unique species of wildlife, such as the rare and endangered Sumatran Orangutan. About a quarter of the mammal species found on the islands are endemic.
The Official National Animal of Indonesia (Islands)
The national animal of Indonesia is the Komodo Dragon. This rare and dangerous giant lizard is found on several of the islands, including Komodo. They also have a national bird, which is the unique Javan Hawk-eagle.
Where To Find The Top Wild Animals in Indonesia (Islands)
The best places to see the wildlife on Indonesia’s islands are probably the national parks and other nature preserves. Certainly, this is the safest way to see elephants and Komodo Dragons. There are parks found on nearly every island, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and Sunda.
The Most Dangerous Animals In Indonesia (Islands) Today
The most dangerous animals in the Indonesia islands include:
- Komodo Dragon
- Rove beetles – they neither sting nor bite, but if one is crushed on your skin, their toxin is released, causing painful, dangerous sores to erupt.
- Bali dogs
Endangered Animals
Sadly, because the islands of Indonesia have so many endemic and unique species, much of its wildlife is endangered, including its national animal and its national bird. Several species will go extinct in the wild without intervention. Other endangered animals on the islands include:
Indonesian Island Animals
Stunningly beautiful wings
First evolved 100 million years ago!
Renew their horns every year!
Archerfish can shoot a stream of water up to five feet with amazing accuracy.
They are so named because they "march" in armies of worms from one crop to another in search of food
It mainly eats mangos and coffee!
Extinct ancestor of all domesticated cattle!
The babirusa is the only mammal with vertically growing canine teeth!
People spin clothing and fishing nets out of these spiders’ silk.
There are over 1768 known species!
Found everywhere around the world!
Detects prey using echolocation!
There are 8 different species!
Bed bugs feed for 4-12 minutes.
Rock paintings of bees date back 15,000 years
There are more than 350,000 different species
Not all birds are able to fly!
There are around 50 different species!
They typically prey on insects!
The most common species of bee!
There are thought to be up 17,500 species!
The camel crickets that are found in the USA are light brown in color. They also have dark streaks all over their body.
May have been domesticated up to 10,000 years ago.
The larvae of a moth or butterfly!
There are nearly 3,000 different species!
There are about 3,000 documented species!
First domesticated more than 10,000 years ago!
Highly social, smart, and chatty bird.
Dated to be around 300 million years old!
The most common raptor in the UK!
House spiders have the ability to eat most insects in a home.
Has a long, strong prehensile tail!
They can fly 35 mph and dive 150 feet below water.
There are nearly 1.5 billion worldwide!
Cow reticulated pythons hatch solid white, then develop spots as they mature.
There are 93 different crab groups
Crab Spiders can mimic ants or bird droppings
Many are critically endangered species!
Male crickets can produce sounds by rubbing their wings together
Have changed little in 200 million years!
Its tail is twice the length of its body.
Crocodylomorphs include extinct ancient species as well as 26 living species today.
There are around 40 different species!
First domesticated in South-East Asia!
First domesticated 5,000 years ago!
Found in Europe, Africa and Asia!
It's larvae are carnivorous!
Rows of tiny plates line their teeth!
The dung beetle can push objects many times its own weight
Has exceptional eyesight!
They are hermaphrodites, which means they have male and female organs
There are nearly 2,000 different species!
Eels can be a mere few inches long to 13 feet!
Spends around 22 hours a day eating!
They lay their eggs in termite nests!
Its hood is actually made of many elongated ribs.
The fastest creatures on the planet!
Found across mainland Europe and Asia!
The firefly produces some of the most efficient light in the world
Adult fleas can jump up to 7 inches in the air
There are more than 240,000 different species!
Can glide up to 90 meters!
Only 12 species are considered "true foxes"
There are around 7,000 different species!
Fruit flies are among the most common research animals in the world
Named for the Arabic word for love poems
There are thought to be over 2,000 species!
Originally known as the Desert Rat!
Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!
Most closely related to the Sheep!
Migrates between Europe and Asia!
There are 29 different species!
There are 11,000 known species!
Able to run as quickly backwards as forwards!
Many hawk moth caterpillars eat toxins from plants, but don’t sequester them the way milkweed butterflies do. Most toxins are excreted.
Thought to be one of the oldest mammals on Earth!
Inhabits wetlands around the world!
There are only 8 recognized species!
Honey buzzards are medium-sized raptors that earned their names by raiding the nests of bees and wasps.
Stunning bird with a stinky way to deter predators!
Has evolved over 50 million years!
Horseflies have been seen performing Immelmann turns, much like fighter jets.
Thought to have orignated 200,000 years ago!
Some huntsman spiders have an interesting way of moving around. Some cartwheel while others do handsprings or backflips.
Found in swamps, marshes and wetlands!
There are an estimated 30 million species!
Some can jump 50 times the length of their bodies
They are the longest venomous snake in the world.
Inhabits wetlands and woodlands worldwide!
There are more than 5,000 species worldwide!
The offspring of a lion and tiger parents!
There are around 5,000 different species!
Ear tufts make it look bigger!
Often hangs upside down while feeding!
They are found across Europe, Asia and Africa!
Found throughout Asia, India and China!
There are 2,500 known species worldwide!
They have a symbiotic relationship with ants.
Females lay up to 5 million eggs at one time in warm, shallow and salty waters
Some species have a poisonous bite!
Primarily hunts and feeds on Earthworms!
Range in size from just 1 to 3 foot!
Has characteristics of two or more breeds!
Some species are thought to carry a weak venom!
There are around 260 known species!
Feeds on aquatic insects and water-spiders!
There are 250,000 different species!
Found on every continent on Earth!
The offspring of a horse and donkey parents!
Roamed Asia and Europe for around 100,000 years!
Nematodes range in size from 1/10 of an inch to 28 feet long
Able to regrow lost or damaged limbs!
Named more than 1,000 years ago!
Females are about four times the size of males
There are 13 different species worldwide
The owl can rotate its head some 270 degrees
Can live for up to 100 years!
Females lay between 8 and 12 eggs per clutch!
Thought to have been domesticated in 9,000 BC!
Found in mountainous regions and rocky areas
There are 500 different species!
There are 30 different species worldwide!
Inhabits woodland and forest areas worldwide!
There are more than 300 different species!
Omnivores that eat anything!
Rat snakes are constrictors from the Colubridae family of snakes.
The redback spiders found in New Caledonia differ from other populations in that they don’t practice sexual cannibalism and don’t bite people as much.
These popular pets can get big enough to kill their owner.
It's horns are made from keratin!
Inhabits freshwater habitats around the world!
There are more than 45 species in Australia alone!
The capybara, the world’s largest rodent, likes to be in and around bodies of water. Because of this, the Catholic Church in South America decided that it was a fish, and people were allowed to eat it during Lent and First Fridays.
Will mate with the entire flock!
There are more than 700 different species!
Before ball pythons' morphs became popular, Savu pythons were everywhere in the pet trade.
There are around 2,000 known species!
The sea eagle tends to mate for life with a single partner
Males give birth to up to 1,000 offspring!
Around 35 million in the English countryside!
There are 2,000 different species worldwide!
Found widely throughout British gardens!
Has up to 45 eggs per egg case
There are nearly 1,000 different species!
There are around 4,000 known species worldwide
There are 140 different species!
Small rodents found in woodlands worldwide!
There are more than 3,000 different species!
Average adults weigh about 200 grams!
Can glide for over 100 feet before touching the ground
Populations have been affected by pollution!
Tarantula hawks are excellent pollinators, especially for milkweed.
Each eye weighs more than their whole brain!
Their mounds can be up to 9 meters tall!
The largest feline in the world!
The adult tiger beetle is one of the fastest land insects in the world
Can live until they are more than 150 years old!
Found in warmer jungles and forests!
Some species of aquatic turtles can get up to 70 percent of their oxygen through their butt.
Vinegaroons can spray 19 times before the glands are depleted
Vipers are one of the most widespread groups of snakes and inhabit most
There are 30 different species worldwide!
There are around 75,000 recognised species!
Has been domesticated for thousands of years!
Spends most of it's time in the trees!
The smallest carnivorous mammal in the world!
None have been seen in the wild for 50 years!
Males have a top tusk to sharpen the bottom one!
Thought to date back more than 300,000 years!
Carnivorous arachnid that hunts its prey.
This animal can roll up into a ball
There are 200 different species!
There are around 75 different species!
Indonesian Island Animals List
About the Author
AZ Animals is a growing team of animals experts, researchers, farmers, conservationists, writers, editors, and -- of course -- pet owners who have come together to help you better understand the animal kingdom and how we interact.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What animals live on the islands of Indonesia?
The Indonesian islands are home to many unique animals, including Sumatran Orangutan, apes, babirusa, Sumatran tigers, and Komodo Dragons.
What wildlife are the islands of Indonesia famous for?
Indonesia’s islands are best known for the Komodo Dragon, Sumatran tigers, Sumatran Orangutans, the Javan Rhinoceros, and several endemic species of rare birds.
Are there lions in Indonesia?
No. While there may once have been Asiatic lions found in Indonesia, they are now extinct on the islands and are only found in parts of India.
What is the rarest animal on the islands of Indonesia?
The rarest species of wildlife found on the islands of Indonesia in number is probably the Sumatran tiger, with only about 400 specimens remaining in the wild. However, one of the most unique is the endemic Balirusa, whose name means “pig deer.”
What is the largest flower that grows in Indonesia?
The largest flower in the world grows in the Indonesia Islands, specifically Borneo and Sumatra. It’s named Rafflesia arnoldii, also called the giant padma, a species of plant that can grow up to 3.3 feet in diameter and weigh as much as 24 pounds.