Question 1

What animals live in Bali?

Accepted Answer

Bali's wild animals include long-tailed macaques, Asian palm civets, wild boar, Javan rusa deer, water monitor lizards, flying foxes, geckos including the large tokay, a wide range of birds, and the critically endangered Bali starling. There are no big cats. Most large mammals live in forest on the volcanoes and in Bali Barat National Park in the far west.

Question 2

Are there leopards in Bali?

Accepted Answer

There is no confirmed leopard population in Bali. The Javan leopard survives in Java and is critically endangered. Historical accounts mention leopards in Bali and occasional sightings are still claimed, but none has been verified in modern times. Reported sightings are usually palm civets, large monitor lizards or dogs seen at a distance.

Question 3

Are there tigers in Bali?

Accepted Answer

No. The Bali tiger was a real subspecies, the smallest of all tigers, and it was hunted to extinction. The last confirmed animals were shot in west Bali in the 1930s. Only a few skins and skulls survive in museum collections. The tiger still appears in Balinese carving, painting and barong performance.

Question 4

Is there dangerous wildlife in Bali?

Accepted Answer

Very little. Traffic is by far the greatest risk to visitors, followed by mosquitoes, since dengue is present year round. Dogs and monkeys can bite and Bali has rabies, so any bite needs immediate cleaning and medical care. Snakes and centipedes exist but encounters are rare and almost always avoidable.

Question 5

Where can I see wildlife in Bali?

Accepted Answer

For wild animals, walk the forest edge and rice terraces at dawn in East Bali, or visit Bali Barat National Park in the far west, which holds the only wild population of Bali starlings along with deer and macaques. Nusa Penida has a community starling release programme. The island's safari and bird parks are captive collections rather than wild encounters.

Question 6

What is the Bali starling?

Accepted Answer

The Bali starling, or Bali myna, is a white bird with black wing tips and a bright blue mask, found in the wild only in Bali. It is critically endangered and the wild population fell to a handful of birds around the year 2000. Captive breeding and release programmes in Bali Barat National Park and on Nusa Penida have since increased numbers.