Newly Hatched Javan Hawk Named Garda Nusantara

The government faces policy dilemmas with no truly comfortable solutions. The government faces policy dilemmas with no truly comfortable solutions. Deputy Minister of Forestry (Wamenhut) Rohmat Marzuki conducted a working visit to the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park Authority (TNGHS) on Tuesday (7/4), with the main agenda of strengthening the conservation of protected wildlife and the Java forest ecosystem. As part of the event, Wamenhut named a newly hatched Javan hawk chick “Garda Nusantara”. The naming ceremony began with direct observation via an online monitoring system in the TNGHS Authority Office courtyard. After the observation, Wamenhut officially wrote the name on the certificate as a symbol of the state’s protection of this protected animal. “With the grace of Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, I name it Garda Nusantara. The philosophy is that this Javan hawk can become a guardian or protector of Indonesia’s nature through the skies,” said Rohmat. He emphasised that the Javan hawk is not just an animal, but a national identity akin to the Garuda bird, Indonesia’s state emblem. As a top predator in the food chain, the presence of the Javan hawk serves as a vital indicator of the health of the forest ecosystem on Java Island. Furthermore, Rohmat explained that the Javan hawk population across Java Island shows an increasing trend based on the latest research from collaborations between the Ministry of Forestry and various NGOs and LSMs. This success is driven by commitments to preserve habitats in mountainous areas, particularly in TNGHS, which is a favourite nesting area for this raptor due to the presence of tall trees. “The hope is that by enhancing protection in the TNGHS area, the Javan hawk will continue to breed successfully. Garda Nusantara is expected to become a symbol of the aerial guardian of our forest nature,” he asserted.