Animals left for dead in Indonesian zoos

[Clouded Leopard]

Neglected, cramped, and now fatally ill-kept – the animals in these zoos are dying. Where are they? Indonesia, a nation famous for its wildlife and wilderness.

Animals left for dead in Indonesian zoos - Nature - Environment - The Independent

 

[Shirokuma]

And apparently there is to be a swap between Indonesia and China involving giant pandas and Komodo dragons.

 

[Arizona Docent]

That is a pretty depressing article. I cannot believe China would give them pandas. Although, it might ultimately turn out for good if they get the pandas and then kill them, it could create enough of a public outcry to finally make some changes.

 

[Emanuel Theodorus]

Well, the pandas are not housed in any of those zoos, they are housed in a special exhibit called "Istana Panda" or "Panda's Castle" in Taman Safari Bogor. So far, the pair is going great.

 

[Salt Merchant]

Most Indonesian zoos are just a form of "entertainment". I wouldn't be suprised if Cai Tao and Hu Chun (The name of the pandas) ever mate and have a baby, they probally used it as something for the visitors to take a photo with

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

That is a pretty depressing article. I cannot believe China would give them pandas. Although, it might ultimately turn out for good if they get the pandas and then kill them, it could create enough of a public outcry to finally make some changes.

@AD, it has already happened. TSI Bogor has received a giant panda pair already.

BTW: not all facilities in Indonesian zoos are bad. And it is worth reminding its zoo infrastructure and animal husbandry is improving and certainly the awareness that standards need to be improved is very much there.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

If I am correct there might already have been some exchange deals involving TSI Bogor Komodo dragon to foreign zoos.

I believe in the recent and more distant past most collections holding Komodo dragons in North America and Europe trace their ancestry back to individuals born at Ragunan - Jakarta, Surabaya Zoo and Jogyakarta Zoo.

I suppose our Indonesian zoo experts might be able to provide more detailed info on these transfers. A pointe de critique is and / or might have been that foreign zoos were quite uninterested in the animal welfare aspect or reciprocity and exchange in animal husbandry, management and expertise vice versa.

 

[Salt Merchant]

Zoos that are actually improved are the Taman Safari parks and Bali Zoo, other zoos like Bandung Zoo improved just a little (They still have several awful primate exhibits). Although the two zoos should removed the animal rides and young animals photo booths. New zoo, like Lembang Park and Zoo, are getting better everyday (They recently introduced toco toucans to the zoo)