ProFauna Distributes Food for Cattle Victims of Mt. Kelud’s Eruption

Volcanic ashes from the eruption of Mt. Kelud has become a serious threat for cattle in Ngantang district, Malang regency. The district is known for its ranch houses and dairy products. According to the Head of Livestock and Animal Health Service of Malang regency, Sujono, in Ngantang there are approximately 14,000 milch cows, 12,00 of which are threatened with death or diseases due to the volcano eruption.

The milch cows are threatened with death or diseases because they are starved, extremely thirsty, and some are struck down by their collapsing shelters. Three cows are reported to have died, but this number is estimated to increased if no immediate rescue action is taken because the remaining shelters might collapse just anytime, while all the villagers whose houses are also damaged are in refuges. They are still afraid to return because following eruptions are likely to happen.

ProFauna's team got a move on helping the cattle in Ngantang by giving them food and drink especially in the most devastated villages: Munjung, Kutut, and Sedaun. ProFauna complies with the local Livestock Service and KUD Ngantang cooperatives in distributing the cattle food to those villages from early morning until midnight on 14 February 2014.

The volcanic materials covering the whole area has made the locations hardly accessible, and it took extra effort from ProFauna's team, consisting of 30 volunteers, to distribute the cattle food. ProFauna's campaign officer, Bayu Sandi, explained "Helping the cattle also means that we are helping the people, because these cattle is their main livelihood. The local villagers are very happy to know that ProFauna is distributing cattle food, because beside their family the condition of their cattle has caused great affliction for them. For farmers, their cattle are like their own children."

© 2003 - ProFauna Indonesia

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