Indonesia seeks to maximize use of its fauna resources

Indonesia seeks to maximize use of its fauna resources

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia must maximize the potential of its
abundant fauna resources for commercial and research purposes,
the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said yesterday.

But first Indonesia must make an inventory of its diverse
biological resources, LIPI's head of the biology research center,
Soetikno Wiryoatmodjo, said while opening a seminar on
Indonesia's vertebrate animals in Bogor, West Java.

"We need to gather as much information as we can about the
fauna population and habitat in this country," he told the
seminar, which has been jointly organized by the Zoology Museum
of Bogor and the Western Australia Museum.

Information about the fauna resources in Indonesia is still
sorely lacking, although it has the potential to benefit society
and mankind, Soetikno said.

The more information obtained, the better scientists will
understand the fauna and also preserve their habitats and
interactions with their environment, he said, stressing that this
is important to assist in their preservation.

A complete inventory will also help LIPI to certify any export
of animals.

Meanwhile, Prof. D.J. Kitchener, a research staff member of
the Western Australia Museum, said field expeditions involving 32
scientists from Australia and Indonesia going back to 1987 have
yielded a substantial amount of samplings.

The results of the survey, Kitchener said, which was completed
according to the scientific method and procedure, was shared
while the specimen will be stored at Bogor Zoology Museum. (prs)