Excursions to ecological sites provide the students the opportunity to conduct practicums and observations on flora and fauna living in the sites. They are Siti Efiyati, Arellea Revina D, Novita Setyawati, and Mardentri Rahma, the students of the Biology Department. From November 20th-24th, 2014, they joined an excursion to West Bali National Park, Bali. This western part of the island has a rich biological diversity. There are more than 160 species of flora and fauna in the site and several of them are endangered species. The ecosystem in this national park is a combination of land and sea ecosystem, which makes it unique.
In this excursion, the observation was focused on endemic species in Bali island that is Balinese starling (Leucopsar rothschildi ). The Balinese starling is an endemic species in the western part of the island. This species is protected under the government regulations and acts on plant and animal preservation.
The Balinese starlings have a typical white fur except its black colour on the tail and the tips of wings. Its eyes are dark brown and each is surrounded by a dark blue parts without fur. Those birds are grebes. The beak can as long as two to five centimeters. These days, their population is declining. Other than physical factors contributing to the endangered condition of the species, there is also human involvement which hazards Balinese starlings such as taking the woods, grazing cattle, and hunting. Therefore further programs to preserve the species are needed. (Yuli)