Syndicate behind disappearance of cubs from Prigen Safari Park

Syndicate behind disappearance of cubs from Prigen Safari Park

By Gin Kurniawan

PASURUAN, East Java (JP): Happy yet saddened, that may be how
the management and employees of PT Taman Safari Indonesia II (TSI
II) in Prigen feel, following the successful uncovering by the
police of the theft of dozens of rare animals from Prigen Safari
Park, East Java's largest tourist spot.

The safari park management had been worried about
irresponsible hands threatening the lives of the animals in the
park. Since the park opened two years ago, a number of animals
have disappeared. Some were tortured to death and others were
stolen. A Komodo dragon, for example, was trapped and some lion
and tiger cubs were stolen.

Whenever an animal went missing, the park management
immediately reported it to the police, who would then quietly
investigate it. The police have been quite serious in handling
the thefts.

"We are indeed serious because not only are the stolen animals
dangerous, they are also protected rare animals," Pasuruan Police
chief Supt. Djoko Mukti said.

However, the lengthy police investigation has proved to be not
only fruitful but also shocking. On top of uncovering the theft
of rare animals from TSI II, they have also disclosed that the
number of stolen animals is far greater than reported.

"Only six lion cubs have been reported stolen, but according
to the suspects' confessions the total number is 16," he said.

A more shocking discovering is that the police have also
exposed a syndicate behind the theft of the cubs. It was first
suspected that locals were stealing the animals because they felt
disadvantaged by the presence of the safari park. This suspicion
proved incorrect with the finding that a syndicate with a wide
network is behind the theft.

What has saddened the safari park management is the fact that
some of the park's employees were involved in the theft. They are
lion keepers, den wardens and security guards. "They have all
confessed their wrongdoings," Djoko said.

Pasuruan Police have detained nine suspects, six of whom are
employees of the safari park while the remaining three are the
buyers. The six safari park employees have been identified as
Bejo, Sugiyono, Surpiyanto, Nanang, Didit and Nunuk Herniadi,
while the three buyers are Edy Wiyanto, an animal trader from
Surakarta, Central Java, and Daniel and Anas from Malang, East
Java.

Police suspect that the network dealing in rare animal trading
is quite wide. They believe that there are several more people
involved in this case. "We will continue uncovering the network,"
Pasuruan police chief stressed.

Unfortunately, despite the unraveling of the network, police
are yet to trace the whereabouts of all the African-born cubs.
According to the suspects' confessions, all 16 cubs, aged between
one and two years, are now in the hands of rare animal
enthusiasts, most of whom are businessmen in Surabaya, Yogyakarta
and Jakarta. Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, according to the
suspects, bought one of the stolen cubs.

Meanwhile, collectors of rare and dangerous animals are
apparently unaware that the cubs they bought were stolen animals.
The sellers often tried to convince prospective buyers that the
cubs were imported from Africa. On average each cub was sold for
Rp 3 million to Rp 5 million.

The owner of TSI II, Jansen Manangsang, in the meantime, has
been shocked to learn that a lot of cubs have been stolen, saying
he had been deceived by the lion keepers and den wardens into
believing that the cubs had been eaten by their mothers.

"These cubs have not been eaten by their mothers, they have
been 'eaten' by their own keepers," he said.

He expressed hope that those who bought stolen cubs would
return them to the safari park management. TSI II will allow them
to be foster parents to the stolen cubs which they bought and
looked after. "We realize they have developed love and fondness
for the animals," Jansen said.

He hopes that collectors of rare animals will realize that
these wild animals cannot be reared in a house. He has his
worries about the survival of the animals. "If they agree, they
can act as foster parents to the cubs and can see them at any
time," he added.

He said the theft was a bad precedence to TSI II Prigen as the
safari park has been successful in the captive breeding of rare
animals.

It is this success that led to the government to present it
with the Kalpataru Award. "Our own employees have unfortunately
tarnished this success," he said.