Sebuku (also spelled Seboekoe or Sebeekee) is an island in the
Sunda Strait between
Java and
Sumatra. It is one of the larger islands in the strait and lies just 2.5 km (1.6 mi) to the north of
Sebesi and 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) south of
Sumatra.[1] It is administratively part of
South Lampung Regency,
Lampung.[2]
History
At the time of the 1883 eruption of
Krakatoa, Sebuku was uninhabited, but a village on Sebuku Ketjil, a small island to its east, was completely wiped out. Official records give 150 killed, with 70 being non-residents.[3]
In the 1920s,
copra palms were planted on Sebuku to satisfy the growing market. However, the palms eventually withered and died due to a lack of maintenance.[4]
In 1999, a sunken Japanese ship was found near Sebuku by divers preparing for an underwater photography contest. Its age is unknown.[5]
Geography
Sebuku is a low island, located in the eastern part of the mouth of
Lampung Bay,[6] 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) north of
Sebesi and 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) south of
Sumatra.[1] It covers a total area of 17.71 square kilometres (6.84 sq mi).[7] It is administratively part of
South Lampung Regency,
Lampung.[2]
Sebuku has a centre composed of
andesite, indicating an early volcanic history. This centre has been dated to the
Quaternary and has been called an early manifestation of
volcanism in the Sunda Strait.[8] The substrate on the northern side of the island consists of
fossilised coral, mud and sand, while on the eastern side of the island, the substrate consists of mud, sand, gravel, and both live and fossilised coral.[6] The outside is fringed by a
reef.[9]
A panoramic montage of Sebuku Island
Ecology
Sebuku and Sebesi have been noted as a "stepping stone" for butterfly migration between Sumatra and Krakatoa. There are numerous butterfly species from both
Java and Sumatra on Sebuku.[10] Four species of ants have been found on Sebuku, fewer than Sebesi and Krakatoa.[11] These included ants not found on Krakatoa, thought to be descended from fauna that survived the
1883 eruption.[12]
The waters near Sebuku have fewer
echinoderms than those further into Lampung Bay. This is thought to be from exploitation and poor
resource management.[13]
Due to cultivation, few natural forests remain on Sebuku.[11] However, along the eastern coast of Sebuku there are many
mangroves.[14] There are also tropical plants found throughout the island.[9]
Tourism
Sebuku is a popular destination for
snorkelling and
diving, with tourists generally arriving by boat from Candi village on Sumatra.[15]