Zoo games cloud ape project<\/p>\n
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The prolonged row between the city's Ragunan Zoo and the
\ncouncillors has confused Howletts and Port Lympne Animal Park,
\nwhich will lend four gorillas to the zoo, and the Gibbon
\nFoundation, which will provide support for the care of the apes.<\/p>\n
Willie Smits, director of the Gibbon Foundation, said he was
\ndisappointed with the inaccuracy of local media reports and with
\nthe dispute between councillors and the Ragunan management,
\nmostly about the spending on the gorillas.<\/p>\n
\"The people in Britain are hesitant (to lend the gorillas) as
\nnewspaper clippings on the matter are sent there,\" Willie said in
\na discussion here on the controversy surrounding the gorillas,
\norganized by the Dialog Forum on Tourism.<\/p>\n
He added that soon experts would come to Indonesia to
\ndetermine whether Ragunan really deserved the gorillas.<\/p>\n
\"I don't understand, as we are only trying to help. Why are
\npeople here making such a fuss about the funds to feed the
\ngorillas? Our foundation will be providing the funds for the
\nwhole three-year period,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Smits was mandated by the late Mrs. Puck Schmutzer, founder of
\nan animal lovers' foundation, in her will to arrange the lending
\nof four low-land African gorillas, to Ragunan Zoo.<\/p>\n
Schmutzer also financed the building of a giant enclosure for
\nthe gorillas, costing Rp 10 billion, in Ragunan Zoo.<\/p>\n
The Gibbon Foundation will cover all expenses for the gorillas
\nand other primates in the zoo. According to Smits, Rp 200 million
\nper month was enough to feed and maintain the gorillas and other
\nprimates in the zoo.<\/p>\n
The gorillas could eat vegetables, hibiscus leaves known
\nlocally as kembang sepatu, and even sugar cane and not merely
\nimported and expensive fruits.<\/p>\n
Earlier reports stated that for the four gorillas alone, the
\nzoo would need to allocate Rp 2.2 million per day or a total of
\nRp 3.2 billion annually, which would be taken from the city
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
\"I am confused by media reports that the zoo management is
\nstill asking for some Rp 3.2 billion annually from the city
\nbudget. What is it for?\" Smits remarked.<\/p>\n
Also speaking in the discussion were Allen Marbun, the zoo's
\noperational director and Agus Darmawan, a member of the City
\nCouncil's Commission B for economics and development affairs.<\/p>\n
A councillor last week urged the city governor to dismiss
\nAllen for allegedly trying to bribe him with Rp 90 million in an
\nattempt to cover-up irregularities in the spending of funds at
\nthe zoo.<\/p>\n
Allen said the City Council deserved the money as they had
\nactively taken part in land acquirement for the zoo.<\/p>\n
Allen denied media reports on the zoo's proposal for the funds
\nfor the gorillas. \"You may examine our proposal, there is not a
\nsingle mention about the gorillas.\"<\/p>\n
According to Allen, what was reported by the media was the
\ncalculation made by the zoo, which was submitted to the city
\nadministration for the calculation of the ticket price to see the
\ngorillas.<\/p>\n
\"We need to put together all costs, including the food, the
\nmaintenance of their enclosures and other things, to calculate
\nthe ticket price,\" Allen said.<\/p>\n
The City Council last month set tickets at between Rp 2,000
\nand Rp 3,000.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on the gorilla controversy, Agus
\nDarmawan only said that from the very beginning, the councillors
\nwere never consulted about the plan for the apes to be lent to
\nthe zoo.<\/p>\n
\"And if all the controversy is now about the figures, it is
\nstill being discussed by the City Council's Commission C for
\nbudgetary affairs,\" Agus said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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