PRESS RELEASE: ProFauna Reproaches Bird Hunting in Cangar Forest

ProFauna Indonesia deplores the practice of bird hunting in Cangar and Watu Ondo, within the area of R. Soerjo Grand Forest Park, East Java in December 2013. The hunting was done using bird snares deep in the forest. Ironically, there is a strong indication that the practice was instructed by the area administrator in order to fill the large cage near Cangar hot bath.

R. Soerjo Grand forest Park is a conservation area home to more than 90 bird species, including the rare and endangered Javan Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi). Thus, the area is supposed to be a 'safe haven' for wild birds and also a buffer balancing the whole ecosystem. The wild birds can also become ecotourism attraction through birdwatching activity.

ProFauna urges the administrator of R. Soerjo Grand Forest Park to stop the bird hunting within the conservation area. Rosek Nursahid, the chairman of ProFauna Indonesia, claimed "Any  form of animal capture from the wild must be permitted by the Natural Resource Conservation Agency, under the Department of Forestry. There is a sign that the bird trapping going on in Cangar is acknowledged by the area administrator, this strongly violates conservation laws and ethics. It has to stop now."

jaring penangkap burungThe establishment of bird cage in Cangar tourism site is also criticized by ProFauna, who since 1994 has been regularly doing bird observation in that Grand Forest park. "The bird cage is not necessary, even it becomes double-edged as R. Soerjo Grand Forest Park is going to host a birdwatching competition when they also keep birds in captivity," added Rosek. ProFauna Indonesia demands the administrator to tear down the cage because Cangar should have developed birdwatching as ecotourism attraction instead.

 "ProFauna will report this illicit practice to the governor of East Java, as the authority in charge of the management of grand forest parks, including R. Soerjo," declared Rosek after ProFauna's team visited Cangar on Saturday (7 December 2013). ProFauna also demands for further investigation on the conjecture that there is an involvevement of the park official in the bird hunting.

For further information, please contact:

Swasti Prawidya Mukti (International Affairs Officer, ProFauna Indonesia)

Email: international@profauna.net

© 2003 - ProFauna Indonesia

ProFauna Indonesia is an Indonesian society for the protection of
wild animals and their habitats