In the late 19th century, the English naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace had noticed a dramatic shift in the composition of the organisms as he moved from Asia to Australia, New Guinea, and other islands nearby.
He posited an invisible barrier in the ocean, later called the Wallace line.
It was running between the islands of Bali and Lombok, striking north between Borneo and Sulawesi before curving south of Mindanao.
According to him, this line was like a fence between the different kinds of animals on the two sides.
West of the Wallace Line consists of monkeys, apes, rhinos, squirrels, tigers, and hornbills, which are characteristic of the Asian ecosystem.
East of the Wallace Line includes the tree kangaroos, cockatoos, and honeyeaters, linked to the Australian ecosystem.
The region between the Wallace Line and the Weber Line is known as Wallacea.
This Isolated Wallacean islands have lower biodiversity than nearby continents and host unique species like the Komodo dragon, babirusa, and giant bees.