TV star parts with menagerie, askes to keep deer

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

The Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) and a network of animal conservation non-governmental organizations (NGO) picked up on Monday 15 protected animals kept in cages at a resort home of TV personality Krisna Mukti in Gunung Jaya village, Cisaat district, Sukabumi.

"He gave up the animals voluntarily. This 'hobby' is a crime if the owner does not possess the required animal conservation documents," said BKSDA head for Bogor and Sukabumi, Noor Rakhmat.

The animals, including a loris, an agile gibbon, siamang gibbons, a pair of barking deer, cassowary, cockatoos and a peacock, were taken to a BKSDA rehabilitation center in Sukabumi.

Krisna did not appear during the removal of the animals, but Noor said the actor wanted the deer -- one of which was pregnant -- to remain in his property. "His request will probably be approved," Noor said.

The coordinator of the NGO network, Faisal H. Fuad, however, underlined that only an organization or an institution was permitted by law to establish an animal conservation facility.

Many people, unfortunately, are still not aware about rare animals and the laws protecting them. In fact, rare animals are protected under Law No. 5/1990 on conservation of biological diversity and its ecosystem. Article 21 of the law clearly stipulates that it is prohibited to capture, kill, keep, raise, transport and trade protected animals. Violators of the law face a penalty of five years in prison or a Rp 100 million fine.

Environmentalists recommended the government take firm, concrete legal measures against those who trade and raise protected animals. The public was also encouraged to play an active role, by not keeping, buying, or let alone selling rare animals.