Jaco Island


Jaco Island, sometimes spelt Jako, is an unclaimed uninhabited island in the territory of East Timor, a country occupying the eastern end of the island of Timor in the Lesser Sunda Islands in Southeast Asia.

Overview

Jaco lies just off the eastern end of the island of Timor, part of the Tutuala subdistrict in Lautém District, and is separated from the mainland in front of Valu Beach by a channel navigable by small vessels. It is low lying, with an area of and a maximum elevation of about. It is covered mainly by tropical dry forest, fringed by strand vegetation and sandy beaches. There are some low cliffs on the southern coast.

History

The limestone Island was made out of coral and is surrounded by limestone cliffs and coral reefs. There was one lighthouse on the island built by Indonesia but in 2010 the structure was removed. To the locals, the island is considered sacred due to the two seas meeting.

Climate

The average annual temperature is roughly. On average the island receives of rain and the north and east coast of the small island is somewhat drier.

Wildlife

The island supports populations of bar-necked cuckoo-doves, black cuckoo-doves, pink-headed imperial pigeons, streak-breasted honeyeaters, fawn-breasted whistlers, blue-cheeked flowerpeckers, flame-breasted sunbirds and Timor sparrows.
The Javan rusa native deer can also be found on the island and unlike mainland deer, they have become accustomed to drinking salt water due to the lack of freshwater on the island.
Jaco is listed by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area.