Mataram, Oct. 8 -- West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) holds a strategic position in the global bird migration system, serving as a key stopover along one of the world's largest flyways due to its rich ecosystems and equatorial location, an animal ecologist said.

Animal ecology expert Prof. I Wayan Suana from Mataram University said Sumbawa and Moyo Island lie on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF), a major migration route stretching from Siberia and East Asia to Australia and New Zealand.

Each year, millions of birds travel along this flyway to escape harsh winters, and NTB offers crucial resting and feeding grounds along their journey.

The province's varied ecosystems - including mangroves, coastlines, savannas, and tropical rainforests -...