Press Release: ProFauna and Veterinary Students Protest Wildlife Exploitation in Television

(01/26/2011) ProFauna Indonesia activists together with a group of veterinary students from all over Indonesia called Interval (Indonesia Veterinary Student Festival) staged a demonstration protesting the rampant wildlife exploitation in some television shows in the nation. In the protest held on 26^th January 2012 in Malang City, East Java; more than 100 wildlife activists laid on the street to symbolise the suffering of the wildlife exploited in the television.

ProFauna enlisted some shows exploiting wildlife according to one of the following categories: containing animal cruelties and against animal welfare principles, violating the Indonesian Wildlife Act Number 5 year 1990 concerning the Conservation of the Natural Resources and Ecosystems, and containing manipulation.

Based on the categories, the national television shows which were obviously exploiting wildlife included: Petualangan Panji (Adventures of Panji) and Steve Ewon Sang Pemburu (Steve Ewon the Hunter). Both shows which are aired on Global TV station violate the animal welfare principles and cause suffering to the wild animals. In most episodes, the presenters of both shows perform the captures of wildlife which are protected by the 1990 Wildlife Act. According to the Act, it is illegal to capture, kill, buy, and keep the protected wildlife.

Moreover, ProFauna strongly suspects that there is manipulation in both shows. Instead of running into the animals, the encountered wildlife are allegedly prepared by the crews and released to the sets, which are logically far from the natural habitats of the wild animals.

Rosek Nursahid, Chairman of ProFauna Indonesia, stated, "ProFauna has reported about wildlife exploitation in some television shows to the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI). Not only exploit wildlife, the television shows are not educational." ProFauna has been working to urge the authorities to ban the shows.

For further information, please contact:

• Swasti Prawidya Mukti

  (International Affairs Officer, ProFauna Indonesia)
  Email: international@profauna.net
  Mobile: +62 856 369 3611