Wasur National Park

Wasur National Park is a large protected area in southern Papua, Indonesia, that preserves seasonally flooded plains, marshes, and savanna within the Trans-Fly ecoregion. The park is noted for its extensive wetlands that support high densities of waterbirds, migratory species, and a range of freshwater fauna.

Key attractions include wide floodplain habitats, open savanna, and interspersed forest patches that are important for birdwatching and ecological research; canoe and guided wildlife trips are common ways to explore the wetlands. The park is recognised for its biodiversity and for landscapes that differ markedly from Papua’s interior rainforest environments.

Wasur was established to protect the Trans-Fly wetlands and is managed for conservation, subsistence use by local communities, and low-impact ecotourism. Management aims to balance biodiversity protection with traditional livelihoods.

The park lies in the far south of Indonesia’s Papua region, administratively near Merauke, and occupies lowland terrain close to the border region with Papua New Guinea.

• Size: The park covers roughly 4,100 square kilometres and protects a vast lowland wetland and savanna system in southern Papua.
• Visiting season: Best wildlife viewing is generally during the dry season when water recedes and animals concentrate in permanent water bodies-typically May to October.

What to See #

• Wetland floodplains: Extensive seasonally flooded plains and marshes that form the park's core habitat, supporting large congregations of waterbirds and freshwater wildlife.
• Savanna and gallery forest: Savanna and grassland areas interspersed with forest patches that host grassland and terrestrial species typical of the Trans-Fly ecoregion.