Dozens of bird species are found only on Sulawesi.

The plant life shows similar patterns.

The karst landscape of South Sulawesi, with its complex of caves, sinkholes, and tower karst formations, supports a distinct assemblage of plants adapted to the calcareous substrate and the mosaic of forest types that the karst topography creates.

The areca palms of Sulawesi — the specific wild or semi-wild plants whose nuts the ancient foragers were using — were part of this endemic plant community.

Areca palm species found in Sulawesi are related to but distinct from the species found on other islands and on the mainland.