Zoo now equipped with open-air enclosures

Zoo now equipped with open-air enclosures

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said that the construction of open-air enclosures constitutes the most suitable choice for the well-being of the animals.

Speaking at the inauguration of a tiger enclosure donated by Mrs. P. Schutzer and her friends on Friday, the governor said that besides supporting programs on the preservation of animals, the enclosure can also function as a water catchment.

"Water catchments are vital to help secure an adequate supply of groundwater for residents of the city," the governor said.

The preservation of the animals in the zoo is expected to run well because the enclosures enable the animals to live almost as they would in their natural habitat, he said.

The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris) enclosure is built on a 2,700 square-meter plot of land at a cost of Rp 430 million (US$195,454). The enclosure is designed to help improve the zoo's tiger breeding program.

Through the breeding program, Ragunan is expected to become a sperm bank for endangered animals, Surjadi said. Ragunan is also expected to maintain its function as a center for education, research purposes and recreation, he said.

So far Ragunan Zoo has a collection of 3,600 animals of 372 species and uses about 1.800 cubic meters of water per day. The zoo has a total area of 135 hectares, of which only 81 hectares are being utilized.

On the same occasion, head of Ragunan Zoo Atje D. said that at the moment Ragunan is in the process of building a dam at the zoo. The dam will be built on a plot of land covering about 12 hectares at a cost of about Rp 15 billion.

"The dam project is expected to function as a water reservoir for the zoo's operational purposes, including the cleaning of enclosures, the watering of plants and drinking water for animals," Atje said. (31)