|
Press Release
ENDANGERED ANIMALS FOUND IN CENTRAL KALIMANTAN
A team from Yayorin (Yayasan Orangutan Indonesia) has been conducting biodiversity research in the Belantikan
Hulu ecosystem of Central Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) since 2003. Other than a large population of orangutan,
the research also gathered some information on the existence of the endangered banteng or wild cattle (Bos javanicus) from the local people who
live in the research area. This information
was very valuable because it is believed that banteng
distribution in Kalimantan has becoming more and more limited and largely
unknown.
In 2005, Yayorin conducted another
research and was able to gather more information and data. According to the local people, banteng were often seen in sopanan or saltlick areas, saltwater
sources where animals go to drink and to get the mineral they need. Although the team found their tracks and
faeces many times in these saltlick areas, they were not completely convinced
of these findings because it was possible that they belonged to cows that were
common in Belantikan.
On November 20th, 2007, Yayorin team
conducted yet another survey on Bukit Durian area of Kahingai Village. There they encountered a surprising find: two
well-preserved banteng tracks; one
was about 12 cm x 11,5 cm and another one was about 14 cm x 13 cm. According to their sizes, it was believed
that those tracks belonged to one male and one female banteng. In addition, the
tracks were also found in a habitat dominated by bamboo trees. Some locations where banteng tracks and faeces were found were: Sopanan Penggaraman,
Sopanan Pasiran, Sopanan Plemodaan and Kuli River.
On April 11th, 2008, two local people went hunting using dogs and
spears. On their way, their dogs found
two banteng (mother and child). They then killed the mother using spears,
while captured the baby and took it to the village. The location where these banteng were captured was around Tungkapan River of Kahingai
Village, Belantikan Raya District, Lamandau Regency. Moreover, according to some local people who
go into the forest to hunt pigs, they also encountered more than ten bantengs in Sopanan Pasiran area between
January and February 2008.
All stakeholders need give their serious attention to this matter and do
concrete actions to preserve the existence of these endangered banteng in Belantikan area. The last thing we all want to happen is to
see these wonderful and beautiful animals extinct in the wild.
(This article was also published in "Kompas", 29 April 2008.)
----------------------------------------------
|
