Future of Tinjomoyo zoo a knotty problem

Future of Tinjomoyo zoo a knotty problem

Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post/Semarang, Central Java

Jimmy, Choko and Chang reach their paws out through the bars
of their cages as a group of visitors approach the orangutans. A
moment later Jimmy is holding a Popsicle while Choko and Chang
have bananas.

Such scenes are common at Tinjomoyo Zoo in the provincial
capital, Semarang, despite the signs asking visitors not to feed
the animals.

Most visitors feel they are doing a good deed by giving
Popsicles, peanuts, bananas, corn and other food to the animals.
They do not realize their actions can endanger the animals'
health.

Located at the foot of a hill in Banyumanik subdistrict,
Semarang municipality, Tinjomoyo currently houses some 150
animals, comprising different types of birds, mammals, amphibians
and reptiles.

The zoo's giraffe died about six months ago after swallowing
some plastic wrappers.

Even more alarming is the condition of some of the animals'
enclosures. About 80 percent of the enclosures are in disrepair
and some have had to be vacated because the walls were so badly
damaged.

The run-down nature of many of the enclosures contrasts with
the overall appearance of the zoo, with its 57 hectares of
heavily wooded space and a small stream passing through the area.

Geographically, Tinjomoyo is ideal for recreation. An asphalt
road passes through the area, making it possible for visitors to
get to the heart of the zoo or travel around it in cars or on
motorcycles. It is like a safari park.

Yet, the municipal government's goal to turn Tinjomoyo into a
safari park remains elusive. Since it was moved from Tegal Wareng
on Jl. Sriwijaya in 1985, the zoo's management has had to deal
with a number of challenges.

The zoo's buildings and enclosures, constructed from brick and
cement, usually do not last more than a year before they start
cracking and the roofs begin to leak.

It is the same for the road that passes through the zoo, which
continues to crack or subside due to the unstable soil.

"The basins and the pools also crack and leak, so we are too
busy handling these 'natural disasters' rather than looking after
the animals or developing other tourist attractions here," a
member of the zoo's management, Kusyanto, told The Jakarta Post
recently.

A study conducted by researchers from Diponegoro University
(UNDIP) in Semarang determined that the zoo was indeed located on
unstable soil that was continually shifting.

That accounts for why the permanent buildings built from brick
and cement do not last long.

"We routinely fix the damage, especially in the animal
enclosures. But a few months later they begin to crack again. We
allocate Rp 30 million a year just for this work," the head of
the Semarang Municipal Tourism and Culture Agency, Agus
Sudarmadji, said.

Agus also said that in 1997 a team from UNDIP conducted a
study on how to better maintain the zoo at Tinjomoyo. The study
revealed that the buildings could be made more resistant to
cracking by using special foundation models.

"But it is very costly. According to UNDIP's calculation at
the time, it would cost some Rp 12.8 billion, or about Rp 44.9
billion today," said Agus.

This situation led to the idea of developing Tinjomoyo into a
protected forest and a place to breed deer, with the zoo being
relocated to Wonosari village, Ngaliyan subdistrict, across from
the Mangkang bus station.

"We have moved the birds there. We plan to make the move in
stages. We do not want to repeat the Medan experience," said
Kusyanto, referring to an incident in Medan in which many animals
died while being moved.

The management plans to finish moving all of the animals to
the new site before Idul Fitri this year, during which visitor
numbers to the zoo usually peak.

With tickets costing Rp 1,750 per person on weekdays and Rp
3,250 per person during holidays, the zoo has had no trouble
reaching its revenue target of Rp 150 million a year.

Once the zoo has been completely moved to the new site, it is
expected that profit will increase because there will be no more
costly repairs on buildings and animal enclosures.

The plan, however, has been criticized by some, including
Benny Danang Setianto, a lecturer on the environment at
Soegijapranata Catholic University Semarang.

"The reason the zoo was moved from Tegal Wareng to Tinjomoyo
was because Tegal Wareng was considered too busy because it was
near a bus station. And now it is being moved back next to
another bus station," Benny said.

Benny said zoos should be built so as to make the animals feel
like they are in their original habitat, allowing visitors to
learn about the animals and enjoy the whole zoo experience.

"It is wrong to consider a zoo merely as a revenue-generating
entity. I am afraid there is a hidden motive behind the plan (to
move the zoo from Tinjomoyo), for example, turning Tinjomoyo into
a housing complex," Benny said.

Pius Heru Priyanto, a villager in Tinjomoyo, expressed the
same concern, saying people would lose a public space once the
zoo was moved from Tinjomoyo to Mangkang.

"We have already lost so many public spaces in Semarang. We
used to be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Semarang city
from Gombel Hill in Taman KB (family park). But the park was
turned into a fancy restaurant after the municipal government
sold it to an investor," Pius said.