ProFauna’s Assessment result of the Impact of Mt. Kelud’s Eruption on Animals

Mt. Kelud in East Java erupted on 13 February 2014, and the impact is felt across the island. Thus, ProFauna sent off an animal rescue team consisting of 5 personnel since 14 February 2014. The team was sent to assess the impact of the volcanic eruption on the wild and domestic animals (including cattle) in Malang and Kediri regencies. Here is the result of the assessment:

Wild animal

Prior to the eruption, villagers around the mountain witnessed several wild animals descending the slope, like macaques and deer. By the foot of the mountain, there is Manggis Gadungan Nature Reserve which is inhabited by many wildlife species such as deer, macaques, and birds. When ProFauna's team visited the natural reserve, they found no serious threat or conflict involving the wild animal. The macaques, for example, had no shortage of food supply.

ProFauna's team has coordinated with the Natural Resource Conservation Agency of the Forestry Department in Kediri to prepare things should they need to treat the wild animal harmed by the disaster. The agency warmly welcomed ProFauna's proposal and declared their readiness to cooperate. Together, ProFauna's team and the staffs of the agency observed the wild animal at the nature reserve and surrounding areas.

The conclusions of the assessment on the wild animal are:

• There is no serious threat for the wild animal
• Several wildlife species like the macaques, deer, and wild boars has descended the slope but they do not cause any conflict with the people. As for the macaques, the number of groups noticeably increased in the few days before the eruption.
• No wild animal was found dead due to the eruption

Cattle and Domestic Animal

Around Mt. Kelud there are many ranch houses where local farmers keep cattle and chickens, which are in a great danger due to the eruption. In Kediri regency, the evacuation plan of the cattle had been well-arranged by the local authorities, by providing 3 temporary cattle shelters at:

• Pluncing, Kepung district
• Sumurbor Siman
• Kepung Brawijaya field

Among the three provided locations, only the Kepung Brawijaya field is used to rescue 4 cows, while the other location remained empty because most people had rescued their cattle to safer places days before the disaster.

A chicken ranch in Sabiyu village, Kenteng district, was in a very wretched condition because hundreds of chicks got neglected by their owner. They will die very soon due to dehydration and the toxic volcanic ashes.

If in Kediri regency the treatment for the cattle can be considered proper, the same thing did not happen in Ngantang district, Malang regency. In several villages in the district, thousands of cattle were abandoned by their owners when they left for refugees. All that is left now is ghost town full of dying cows.

As for pets (dogs and cats), there is no serious issue with them. Several dogs were left by their masters, but no dead pet was found.

Conclusions of the assessment on the cattle:

• Most cattle have been properly treated in Kediri regency. The local government has provided temporary shelters for cattle
• Lots of cattle in Ngantang district, Malang regency, are abandoned by their owners. There is even a private ranch house with thousands of neglected cows.
• There is no serious danger faced by dogs and cats other than being left by their masters

General condition of the environment:

• Villages around Mt. Kelud are blanketed by thick volcanic ashes, sands, and stones. Roads are fully covered by ashes as thick as 10 cm, and several places are only accessible by 4WD vehicles or dirtbikes.
• No electricity in most places
• No communication signal
• More eruptions are likely to recur

For more information about the treatment for the animal victims of the eruption of Mt. Kelud, please contact: bayu@profauna.net