Agreement on tiger breeding signed

BOGOR (JP): The management of Taman Safari Indonesia, the company managing the Safari zoological park in Cisarua, Bogor, and PT Crown Pacific Jaya signed a memorandum of understanding for funding on Tuesday.

The memo stipulates that the private sector firm, PT Crown Pacific Jaya, will donate US$ 45,000 to the zoological park to finance Sumatran tiger captive breeding programs.

The agreement was signed by Pesta Simorangkir, a director of PT Crown Pacific Jaya, and Jansen Manansang, the director of Safari Park at a ceremony here.

The zoo management said the donor, an international freight forwarder, insurance, transportation and shipping company, is concerned over the dwindling existence of Sumatran tigers. A 1992 survey found only 400 tigers left.

The Directorate General of Forest and Nature Preservation appointed Safari Park as a center for Sumatran tiger captive breeding programs in 1992.

At present there are nine Sumatran tigers at the park.

The park management is calling on more wealthy people for donations to save the Sumatran tigers and other endangered animals.

The Safari Park management also plans to do a study on the artificial insemination of Sumatran tigers. (yns)s