Rare tarsier's guardian angel

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Former beauty queen Angelina Patricia Pingkan Sondakh is trying hard to live up to her controversial statement that "beauty is not everything".

Angelina, the 2001 Miss Indonesia, is making her mark as a conservationist, an animal lover and a writer. To show her true love for nature, she is focusing on the protection of the tarsier (tarsius spectrum), a tiny endangered primate.

She has completed her second book titled Tarsius Spectrum - Lambang Cinta Sejati (Tarsius Spectrum -- Symbol of True Love), but unfortunately she has canceled a plan to launch the book on June 5, 2003, World Environment Day.

"Well, I think it's better to go on a public campaign about saving the tarsier first, then one or two years later I'll launch the book," she told The Jakarta Post at her office.

Angelina now works as public relations and communications director with an event organizer, Royalindo Expoduta.

Her first book Kecantikan bukan modal utama saya (Beauty is Not Everything), was published in late 2002, making her the first Miss Indonesia to express her vision in a book. In the book she tries to deviate from the stereotype of a beautiful women who obtains popularity through pageant contests.

Her vision on beauty and the mission of Miss Indonesia as she describes in the book stirred up quite a controversy.

Angelina, who loves water sports like swimming, diving and jet skiing, claims she does not want to be a celebrity like other former beauty queens, but she wants recognition as a writer.

"I want to share my experience with others through books. Writing is a noble job," she said.

Regarding the tarsius spectrum, Angel explained that she fell in love with the animal not only because of its small size and physical beauty, but more because of its peaceful and loving nature.

"The tarsier is monogamous; its love is true, such that if its spouse dies, it too will die shortly afterwards," she said.

"The animal is peace loving. If its home is occupied by other animals, it will persuade them to leave without resorting to violence. It would be suitable to use as a mascot for Indonesia, where violence is commonplace."

To better know the tarsier, she visited its natural habitat in Tangkoko Batuangus National Park, North Sulawesi, where she had to stay after dusk and wait for the animal to go out.

Angelina's efforts to campaign for the survival of the tarsier has also received support from the Minister of Culture and Tourism I Gde Ardika, who named her Indonesian ambassador for orangutan and tarsier protection.

"I campaigned in four states in America and received a positive response," said the classical and slow rock music lover.

Angelina was dismayed to know that people in other parts of the world care about the tarsier which lives in the neighboring Philippines more than those in North Sulawesi.

Funds from the United Nations for the tarsier go mostly to the Philippines.

"So my duty is to convince the world that tarsier and orangutan deserve international attention for their survival. My dream is that the UN will put the tarsier on its list of endangered animals featured on its stamps," Angelina said.

She expressed envy about the worldwide popularity of the Tasmanian devil. Indonesia has yet to promote any of its many endangered native animals as a world icon.

"If tarsier can be made a world icon, Indonesia would benefit a lot," she said.

Angelina has also been campaigning among businesspeople as part of her efforts to raise public awareness about the plight of the tarsier.

She also put tarsier on her website, www.angelinasondakh.com. "If you access my website you will find the tarsier, and if you access the tarsier website you will find me," she said.

Born in Australia on Dec. 28, 1977, Angelina grew up in Manado and Australia, Angelina began making a mark for herself by winning various speech competitions, scientific debates, beauty contests in North Sulawesi and at the national level.

She has been aware of environmental issues from a young age thanks to her father's profession as a lecturer in animal husbandry at Sam Ratulangi University.

"My house is like a zoo. My father's hobby is horse riding. In Manado, the community is close to nature where activities like swimming, diving and hiking are popular. So I learnt about the environment a long time ago," she said.

It has become her major concern that despite Mother Nature's generosity, only a few people have the awareness about the balance between producing and consuming natural resources.

"Balance is important... It's also my life principle. If everybody knows about balance or yin and yang, there will be a harmony in life," she said.

Angelina is determined to divide her time between her regular work and her conservation activities, particularly for tarsier protection.

"Sure, I may not be able to spend 100 percent of my time on helping the environment but I'll not loosen my commitment to the environment," she said diplomatically.