Mount Curi

Rice fields in Manatuto, before Curi.

View of the Curi, west of Subaubdep2

The Curi ( Gunung Curi ) is a mountain in East Timor, near the road between Dili Suco Manatuto and Uma Caduac ( subdistrict laclo, Manatuto District ), south of the villages Subau and Beheda. The state capital Dili is located about 45 km to the west.

Wildlife Reserve and Important Bird Area

The BirdLife International has declared the mountain with the surrounding forest, terraced fields and savannas to Important Bird Area. At least 14 so-called trigger types could be detected so far here. It reaches out to the coast in the north, the district of Dili to the west and the Northern laclo the south and east and covers an area of ​​20,086 hectares. Since 2000, the region is a wildlife sanctuary.

The coastal hills rise rapidly, forming the tip of the standing isolated Curi 1332 m. Then the land is sinking in direction of flow of the Northern Laclos back down to below 200 m. The Curi is the center of the Important Bird Area. Below 400 m is dominated by a tree savannah with Eucalyptus alba. About 400 m is found mainly Eucalyptus urophylla. Protected by ravines and on isolated slopes are formed in places small tropical forests. The grass landscape burns down regularly every one to three years. Locally, there are fields where corn and vegetables are grown. In the region there are marble, its degradation would compromise the nature and birdlife.