JP\/5\/BULL<\/p>\n
Wild ox on the brink of extinction
\nIndra Harsaputra
\nSurabaya<\/p>\n
The population of the wild ox has been steadily dwindling in the
\npast few years, and if there is no affirmative action to save
\nthem, they will be extinct in the near future, according to an
\nestimate by The Indonesian Bio-Diversity Conservation.<\/p>\n
Andi Iskandar, the coordinator of the Indonesian Bio-Diversity
\nConservation, said that in East Java only, the population of the
\nwild ox, an endangered species, numbered some 320 between 1992
\nand 1998, but it dropped to some 260 this year.<\/p>\n
\"Some 60 wild oxen currently live in Alas Purwo and Baluran
\nNational Parks, while over 200 others wander around in Meru
\nBetiri National Park in the province,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The wild ox (Bos Javanicus D'Alton) live in Java island,
\nKalimantan island, Thailand, Myanmar and other countries in
\nIndochina.<\/p>\n
The number of wild oxen has been on the decline due to rampant
\nhunting against the protected animal. Andi revealed that at least
\nthree oxen were killed in East Java in a month in average due to
\nthe illegal hunting of the animal.<\/p>\n
He said that there is a temptation to hunt down the animal, as
\nit is a bit lucrative business. The hunters sold the ox's meat Rp
\n15,000 (US$ 1.6) per kilograms to customers and traders. They
\nalso sold the head of the ox as souvenir to those who are
\ninterested.<\/p>\n
The second factor that put the number of wild ox into decline
\nwas the presence of wild dog (Cuon Alpinus) in the national
\nparks. In Baluran National Park alone, some 40 wild dogs are
\nestimated to have wandered around there in the past few months.<\/p>\n
They usually hunt down the wild ox, once he is separated from
\nhis group.<\/p>\n
According to an animal hunter here, he hunts down the animal
\nbecause people are fond of eating wild ox meat on the ground that
\nits fat is far less than cow meat. The price of ox meat is also
\nless than the price of cow meat. \"Besides good demand on the wild
\nox meats, there is also good demand on the head of wild ox,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The hunter, who refused to be identified, said that he and his
\ngroup hunted down the wild ox in their habitats in East Java in
\nsecret, knowing that the animal is a protected animal.<\/p>\n
\"We have avoid the presence of forest rangers, otherwise we
\nwill be arrested for hunting the endangered species,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Animal observer from the Faculty of Veterinary at the Bogor
\nInstitute of Agriculture (IPB) Aryanto R. Putro said that the
\ngovernment had to take firm measures against the illegal hunters
\nto prevent the animal from being extinct.<\/p>\n
However, separately, the coordinator of forest rangers from
\nEast Java's Natural Resources Conservation Body, Budi Mulyanto,
\nadmitted that the government could not do its best due to lack of
\npeople and poor equipment.<\/p>\n
Few facts about wild ox
\n=================================================================
\n* The color of his buttock and leg is white. It is in contrast to
\nthe basic color of his body that is light brown or dark brown.
\n* The length of the body 1.9 to 2.5 meters, not including its
\ntail.
\n* Weight: 600 to 800 kilograms
\n* The wild ox eats leaves during rainy season, and grass in the
\ndry season.
\n* The wild ox lives in the savanna in the forest
\n* They live in Java, Kalimantan, Myanmar, Thailand and other
\nSoutheast Asian countries, with land height 0 to 2,000 meters
\nabove sea level.
\n* They live in groups not more than 25 oxen each.
\n==================================================================
\nSource: Ensiklopedi Nasional Indonesia<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp5bull-1447899208",
"image": ""
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