Ad promotes 'hunting'

Ad promotes 'hunting'

We watched the TV show of Hadiah Mandiri Fiesta Bank Mandiri
prize draw on June 28, 2002, and were surprised that the show
used a jaguar (Panthera onca), which is an endangered species.
Bank Mandiri's advertisements on several TV stations in recent
weeks have also used a jaguar.

We believe that the image of the jaguar and the use of the
word "hunt" in Bank Mandiri's ads -- "It's time to hunt Mandiri
Fiesta Prize" -- could lead to the misperception that endangered
species like jaguars deserve to be hunted. Furthermore, the
particular use of a jaguar in the Hadiah Mandiri Fiesta Bank
Mandiri prize draw gave the impression that endangered species
such as jaguars were suitable for pets.

A relative of the jaguar found in Indonesia, Macan Kembang
(Panthera pardus), is included in the endangered species list and
protected by national law. Since 1975, the jaguar has been
categorized as an endangered species and included in the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES) Appendix I, meaning that international
trade in the animal is strictly prohibited. The CITES was
ratified by the government of Indonesia through the issuance of
Law No. 5/1990 on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Conservation.

As a conservation organization, we call on Bank Mandiri to
stop using the jaguar for its ads, as this could lead to the
perception that this endangered species deserves to be hunted or
owned. We believe that the use of endangered species in
advertisements should be limited to ads that are promoting or
supporting conservation efforts for those species.

AGUS PURNOMO

Executive Director

World Wide Fund for Nature

Jakarta