Taman Safari seeks funds for tiger park project

JAKARTA (JP): Taman Safari is looking for funds to help finance a plan to build a new three-hectare park for its 28 Sumatran tigers, which are currently jammed into a 2,000-square- meter plot.

On Monday, Frans Manangsang, one of the three owners of the park, told The Jakarta Post by telephone from Cisarua, West Java, that a massive injection of funds was needed to provide a proper space for the protected species to live in and breed.

"In the beginning, we had 16 Sumatran tigers in the old breeding place... Now, their number has grown to 28 and they all still live in the tiny space, which we think is no longer suitable for this kind of animal," Frans said.

Since the space was no longer a proper area for the Sumatran tigers to breed, the park's management decided to temporarily stop the breeding program of the rare species.

"We're afraid that the tiny space would disturb the natural life of the Sumatran tigers should we let their population grow," Frans said.

With the help of the current government and after a five-year struggle, the park's management was finally able to purchase an adjacent plot of land from a former village chief.

"About three or probably five hectares of this plot would be used for the tigers' new breeding park, which would also be developed in such a way to become a special zone for Sumatran tigers in which visitors could directly observe their activities from, for example, glass windows."

The ongoing crisis has led to escalating food prices for the park's 2,300 animals of 230 species and reduced visitor numbers. As a consequence, the management of the 138-hectare park in the popular Puncak mountain resort in Cisarua have called on financial assistance from any concerned parties, particularly international bodies, to realize the construction of the new enclosure.

"Based on our experience, local parties, especially businessmen, are reluctant to donate funds for animals."

Frans said Indonesian tycoons were only interested to throw money at government projects, in an attempt to obtain more projects for their businesses.

"We strongly depend on the international community and animal lovers to help realize the new breeding park for the Sumatran tigers," Frans, who runs the park with his two brothers with strong governmental support, said.

The Safari Park is the only official institution in the country allowed to breed Sumatran tigers.

Last year, the park's management opened a similar animal park in East Java.(bsr)