Orange Clownfish - Timór-Leste

Timór-Leste experienced three separate waves of migrations prior to the arrival of Europeans. The first group consisted of Vedda people; they arrived about 42,000 years ago. The Vedda people were native to Sri Lanka. An archaeological site at the Jerimalai Cave in Timór-Leste suggests the Vedda were excellent mariners.

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Amphiprion percula - The orange clownfish has a symbiotic relationship with the Ritteri and the giant carpet anemone. In return for removing waste material, the sea anemones offer shelter and protection for the clownfish. Serving as a lure, the clownfish assists in providing food for its protector by attracting other fish close enough to the venomous tentacles of the anemones. When an unsuspecting intruder is in range, the anemones sting the victim into submission, but the clownfish, through chemical cues, is never harmed.

Orchids - Timór-Leste

Habenaria ankylocentron is a rare orchid restricted to the Lesser Sunda Islands. It grows to a length of about 17 centimeters and roots in rocky crevices where enough soil has accumulated. Orchids are one of the largest groups of flowering plants and have different characteristics when compared to other plants; orchids have extremely small seeds and feature resupinate flowers. This describes a flowering plant having one of its petals specially adapted to attract insect pollinators.

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Between 1509 and 1511, Portuguese traders established a mission on the island of Timór. This led to Portugal’s control of Timór-Leste for more than two centuries. A 1974 military coup in Portugal installed a new government willing to divest itself of colonial possessions; Timór-Leste was granted independence in 1975. Indonesia occupied the area in the same year in an attempt to incorporate Timór-Leste into Indonesia. In 2002, Indonesia relented, and Timór-Leste became fully independent.