German woman at home in local zoo

By Lena Rosenthal

JAKARTA (JP): Ragunan Zoo in Jakarta is home to more than 4,000 animals of almost 300 different species -- most of them are only found in Indonesia. Besides all these fascinating animals, the zoo is also home for Ulrike Freifrau von Mengden, who has lived at Ragunan Zoo ever since it was built in 1964.

Von Mengden, who has spent more than half her life in Jakarta, is dedicating a lifetime to pioneering the movement to care for the orangutan, an endangered species. She studied biology and took medical training in Germany. In 1952, she came to Jakarta with her husband, who helped to build the first German embassy here. He died seven years later but she decided to stay.

Working at the German embassy, she got to know B. Galstaun, who was then director at Cikini Zoo. As she had worked at the Veterinary Institut at the University Bonn, Germany, prior to her departure for Indonesia, she soon started to help out at Cikini.

"Galstaun was one of the most remarkable people I have ever met in my life," von Mengden told The Jakarta Post. "He was not only good in character, but also knew everything one needs to know about the zoo. I owe a lot of my knowledge to him."

It was the then governor of Jakarta, Ali Sadikin, who invited von Mengden to work with the zoo, as it was moving to Ragunan in 1964.

She, too, moved to Ragunan, where she built herself a house. She was assigned to take care of the primates, which further intensified her interest and love for the orangutans.

Today there are 36 orangutans living at Ragunan Zoo, most of which are from Kalimantan and only a few from Sumatra. Despite the economic crisis, providing food for the primates has not become a problem. "Our budget has been lowered, but we are being subsidized by the city government," explained Ismianto, Director of Ragunan Zoo.

Von Mengden said they still have enough food for the orangutans. "But the selection of fruits, their primary food source, has shrunk. I am already planting papaya and some other fruits to add variety to their diet," said von Mengden, who donates DM 1,000 (about Rp 5 million), part of her monthly pension, to the zoo every month.

Orangutans are protected under Indonesian law. But hunters threaten their survival and many animals are still captured and sold abroad. Due to cruel hunting methods, organizations like Orangutan Foundation International estimate that four orangutans to eight orangutans die for every one that ends up in captivity.

Although Indonesia outlawed the capture, ownership or killing of an orangutan in 1931, violations to the regulation are not uncommon.

"Thousands of animals are still being smuggled abroad or kept as pets. In Jakarta, about 200 orangutans are still being kept in captivity where they are often maltreated," explained an expert, who requested anonymity.

Last year's forest fires in Kalimantan shrunk the orangutan's habitat in this province considerably as thousands of hectares of tropical forest in Kutai and Tanjung Puting National Park were destroyed. "We estimate that at least 2,000 orangutans either burned or starved to death," von Mengden said.

In addition, deforestation, responsible for the loss of approximately 4,000 species worldwide every year, is rapidly reducing their habitat even further.

The extinction of any species has a significant ecological impact, as it significantly contributes to preserve the earth's essential life support system. Only if their habitat can be preserved will the orangutans, whose population once exceeded a couple of millions, be able to survive. Current population estimates place the number of orangutans in Kalimantan at between 10,000 and 15,000.

Working closely with rehabilitation centers in Kalimantan, von Mengden has been able to reintroduce some of her "babies" to the wildlife.

"I love the animals and I take care of them like they are my own children."

Von Mengden knows every one of her "children" by name and knows all their very personal habits. There is Fatima, who loves visitors and will try to take their hand to go on a walk with them; Tobi, one of the young ones, who loves to be carried around; and Sumo (Sumatran Orangutan), Ragunan Zoo's biggest orangutan, who has been here for 20 years.

"I don't know of any other zoo worldwide, where orangutans are allowed to play outside the restricted zones. Why does this work? Well, let's say it's all about care and affection," von Mengden said as she fed Tobi, one of 16 young orangutans playing in her garden.

Von Mengden has fought for her animals for more than 30 years now but she does not know who should continue her work when she leaves. Whoever takes her place must be committed to be the successor of an outstanding lady. In 1993, von Mengden was presented the first grade of the German Order of Merit for her life-long personal commitment to the protection of primates and for other charity work that strengthens the friendship between the people of Indonesia and Germany.

"It is hard to find a successor," she said. "What we need are educated people who are dedicated to their work and love to be with the animals. I have offered so many times to have some of my books on how to take care of animals translated. It's a lack of proper schooling for the staff."

Being asked whether she plans to leave Jakarta some time in the future, von Mengden, who retains her German citizenship, said: "I am still undecided about the future. Although the situation here in Jakarta is getting more difficult, I feel at home here in Indonesia. I am part of the zoo and have probably lived here longer than anybody else. I have even received mail sent to 'Ulrike von Mengden, Jakarta'."