Mayor Promises Bandung Zoo Management Tender Winner to be Selected by End of May

Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan has promised that the winner of the tender for managing Bandung Zoo, or Kebun Binatang Bandung, will be selected by the end of May 2026. However, if no winner is chosen, the policy decision will be handed over to the central government. “So we will extend the handling for the animals and workers at the zoo. Insya Allah, by 29 May we will have a new manager. If we fail, everything will be taken over by the central government,” he said recently. In agreement with West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, he concurred that Bandung Zoo’s management should be 100 per cent handled by the Bandung City Government in collaboration with the West Java Provincial Government. However, the recommendation from the West Java High Prosecutor’s Office states that management must involve a third party. Additionally, another consideration is that the Bandung Zoo manager must be a conservation institution with permission from the central government. Meanwhile, if the local government manages Bandung Zoo through a regional-owned enterprise (BUMD), it must first obtain permits. “Well, the BUMD then has to handle various permits first. This is quite burdensome,” he said. He hopes that by the end of the tender period, a winner will have been selected. Of the 85 conservation institutions in Indonesia, Farhan mentioned that only four have shown interest and collected the tender documents. CEO of Faunaland Indonesia and representative of Vantara in Indonesia, Danny Gunalen, said that the case of the death of a Bengal tiger cub at Bandung Zoo has become a spotlight in several foreign countries. Given that situation, he was moved to participate in the tender for managing Bandung Zoo opened by the Bandung City Government. “We are saddened by Bandung Zoo; this news (the tiger cub’s death) has reached abroad,” he said on Tuesday (12/5/2026). Seeing that condition and with permission from the Ministry of Forestry, he said Vantara went to the field to check the animals’ condition. They saw the concerning state that needs immediate improvement. “From there, we came and were saddened to see the conditions there. It’s a pity if it’s not managed well; partners are saddened and want to manage it,” he said. However, overall, the animals’ condition at Bandung Zoo is monitored and under control. Nevertheless, he urged that no further oversights occur. “Overall, it’s still monitored and under control. Don’t let there be another oversight,” he said. Amid the tender process for managing Bandung Zoo, he said he is leaving it entirely to the Bandung City Government and West Java Provincial Government. If the West Java Provincial Government has plans to manage the animals, he said he does not object to that. However, if his side wins the tender for managing Bandung Zoo, they will collaborate with all stakeholders and the Bandung community. This includes prioritising the employment of former Bandung Zoo employees. He mentioned that the facilities and infrastructure at Bandung Zoo are already complete, and next, they will carry out new developments. Starting from educational experiences, animal interactions, and family experiences through the Children Safari Experience concept.