Ira Lalaro
Largest lake in East Timor
The Ira Lalaro (also Lagoa Ira Lalaro, Iralalara, Iralalaru or Suro -bec ) in the Suco Mehara ( subdistrict Tutuala, District loud ) is the largest lake in the state of East Timor and the island of Timor. It lies at an altitude of 318 m on the Fuiloro Plateau, the largest plateau of East Timor.
Geography
The Ira Lalaro varies greatly in size. In the dry season (May to October) he shrinks down to 10 km ², while in the rainy season it reaches an area of up to 55 km ² and extends into the adjacent Sucos Bauro and Muapitine. Its catchment area covers an area of 406 km ². On its shores lie marshes.
From the Ira Lalaro the Irasiquero ( Irasiquiru ) flows from the south until it disappears before the mountain chain of the Paitchau in Mainina hole. This Ponor is a sacred site to the local population. The surrounding karst landscape, there are caves and sinkholes poljes.
The nearest settlement, close to the southern shore of the lake is Malahara; in the northeast of Poros town is located.
Fauna
2007 here Timor turtle, a subspecies of the McCord's snake -necked turtle ( Chelodina mccordi ) was first described, which was previously known only from the island of Roti. The lake has a few hundred saltwater crocodiles that are not hunted by the people, because they are considered sacred due to the creation myth Timor. Here will also find various other reptiles, such as the Sunda Lanzenotter ( Cryptelytrops insularis ). Striking is the large variety of invertebrates. 57 families were counted in Ira Lalaro and Irasiquero. While one finds amphipods and isopods in the river, missing in both aquatic decapods. The reason may lie in the lack of an open connection to the sea.
The Ira Lalaro belongs, along with the southern mountain chain of the Paitchaus to an Important Bird Area and is part of the Nino Konis Santana National Park. Here you can find endangered species such as the Yellow-crested Cockatoo ( Cacatua sulphurea ), the Green Timor Dove ( Treron psittaceus ) or the slate back pigeon ( Ducula cineracea ). About 50 species of water birds were identified on the lake, making it the most important freshwater habitat throughout the small Sunda Islands. A research group counted 16 different bat species in the region, eleven of which are considered to be cave dwellers. The most common were the Geoffroy's fruit bat ( Rousettus amplexicaudatus ) and the canuts horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus Canuti ).
Others
A planned shortly after independence hydroelectric power plant, in which a 4558 m long tunnel should drain the water of the Ira Lalaros, below the Paitchau massif, 318 meters down into the Timor Sea, was not implemented after years of planning.