Land Cover Analysis and Habitat Identification of Tanimbar Corella (Cacatua Goffiniana) on Tanimbar Islands, Maluku

Abstract

The Tanimbar Corella (Cacatua goffiniana) is a protected bird species endemic to the Tanimbar Islands (Yamdena and its satellite islands) in the Maluku province of Indonesia. The major threats identified to this species are hunting, illegal trade, and habitat loss. Therefore, this study aims to classify the land cover, distribution, and habitat types occupied by C. goffiniana on the Tanimbar Islands. Classification of land cover was analyzed using a supervised classification method of the Erdas Imagine 2014 software. Direct field observations were conducted to identify the distribution of Tanimbar Corella and its habitat use. The land cover was classified into six classes: forest (54.26 %), open area (20.76%), plantation (14.81%), mangrove (6.89%), settlement (1.85%), and wetland (1.43%). C. goffiniana is distributed on five islands, Yamdena, Selaru, Larat, Sera, and Molu. Furthermore, this species was observed in forest, plantation, and open land habitats. The results identified seventeen nest trees of six species: Canarium Indicum, Pometia pinnata, Instia bijuga, Sterculita foetida, Maranther corymbosa, and Alstonia scholaris, with a range diameter of 40.00-136.71 cm and nest cavity heights of 9.00-34.22 m (n = 17). This research brings new data in three areas: 1) a reassessment of the distribution of C. goffiniana on the Tanimbar Islands; 2) a detailed classification of the land cover concerning habitat types of the Tanimbar Islands; 3) an identification of the tree species utilized by nesting Tanimbar Corellas. Information on preferred habitats and nesting trees is crucial for selecting release sites of confiscated birds to ensure post-release survival.