TEAM FORMED TO END CONTROVERSY OVER KOMODO TRANSFER PLAN by Fardah

    Jakarta, Aug. 13, 2009 (ANTARA) - The forestry ministry has finally decided to set up a team of experts to study its plan to transfer 10 Komodo dragons from Flores to Bali, following a controversy on the plan.

         The formation of the team was recommended by a meeting of various stakeholders in the matter, chaired by Forestry Minister MS Kaban in Jakarta, on Wednesday (Aug 12).

         The meeting recommended the setting up of the study team to formulate preventive measures related to the forestry ministry's decree issued on May 13, 2009 regarding the plan to move 10 komodo dragons to the Indonesian Safari Park located in Serongga Kelod, Gianyar subdistrict, Bali Province.

         Present at the coordinating meeting were representatives of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) administration, the Environmental Affairs Ministry, the Indonesian Safari Park, the Tourism and Culture Ministry, the West Manggarai District Head, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) officials, the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and the University of Gadjah Mada.

         The Komodo national park which covers Komodo, Rinca and Padar islands in West Manggarai district, East Nusa Tenggara, is home to the Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis).           
    On July 21 2009, New 7 Wonders Foundation announced the 1,817 sq km National Komodo Park park, which was set up in 1980, as one of the 28 finalists qualified to advance to the final stage (Third round). The foundation will officially declare the theme parks eligible to be appointed as the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011.

         Although the forestry ministry's officials have explained repeatedly that the transfer of the giant lizards is aimed at promoting komodo dragon genetic purification, the plan has triggered a controversy since July 2009.  
    "The planned transfer from Flores to Bali is aimed at genetic purification, not for other purpose," Darori, the forestry ministry's director general of forest protection and nature conservation, said recently.

         According to the forestry ministry, the plan is in line with the demand of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) which recommends a studbook system of genetic purification for endangered species.

         IUCN recommends a national studbook keeper on komodo dragons in Flores because the habitat of komodo dragons is not in Flores, which is not part of the Komodo National Park (TNK), East Nusa Tenggara.        
    According to Darori, 17 komodo dragons in Flores have started to enter human resettlement areas and they could threaten local residents and their own survival.

         "Komodo dragons are cannibals. If their food chain is cut off, they will eat each other. The forestry ministry is worried that komodo dragons in Flores will disappear naturally. Therefore, we plan to carry out an ex-situ conservation through a breeding program at Gianjar Safari Park in Bali," he said.

         He believed that the participation of the Gianjar Safari Park would help increase the number of komodo dragons within the next five years, which would be quite costly but the forestry ministry did not have to spend any money thanks to the Safari park's involvement.

         After they had bred and the population had grown large enough, the giant lizards would be returned to their original habitat in Flores, he promised.

         However, due to opposition from several parties, the forestry ministry has decided to postpone the transfer until the public gets a clearer understanding on the matter, according to Darori.

         Last July, some 30 students rallied in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, rejecting the plan to move the komodo dragons.

         Quoting the results of a research conducted by the Nature Resources Conservation Agency (BKSD), the students said the population of Komodo dragons at the Komodo national park had dwindled to 17, a condition that the species believed to be the remnants of animals living in Jurassic period was on the verge of extinction.

         "Why must the location be moved to Bali? Why aren't they bred at their habitat. As a rare animal, the Komodo dragons can only live at their habitat," Syaiful, the rally's coordinator, said.

         Activists from ProFauna in Bali have also protested the planned move. The coordinator for the Bali office of ProFauna, I Wayan Wiradnyana, said the ministry's reasoning for the relocation plan had not been thought out.

         The countrys leading environmental watchdog, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), also opposes the plan. Agung Wardhana, director of the Bali chapter of Walhi, argued that it would have negative environmental and social ramifications.

         Bali Governor I Made Mangku Pastika and the Bali Legislative Council have joined the growing chorus of protest against the Forestry Ministry's plan.

         Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa, the speaker of the council, recently denounced the plan to move the endangered lizards from Flores Island to Taman Safari Indonesia in Gianyar after meeting with dozens of demonstrators at his office in Denpasar recently.

         He said Bali's main draws were its unique culture and natural attractions, and that relocating animals from outside the province was not necessary.

         Tourism and Culture Minister Jero Wacik, however, explained in Denpasar, Bali, on Thursday (Aug. 13) that the purpose of a government plan to move 10 komodo dragons from their present habitat to Bali was not to create another tourist attraction on the resort island.

         The objective of the komodo dragon transfer to Bali is to protect the species from the threat of extinction, not to serve tourism or commercial purposes, according to Minister Wacik.

         Environmental Affairs Minister Rachmat Witoelar said on the same occasion the plan to move 10 komodo dragons to Bali was intended to enable them to breed in an environment where enough food for them was available.

         Both decisions taken by the forestry ministry, namely to postpone the transfer and to set up the team to study the move plan, are expected to ease the controversy regarding komodo dragons, believed to be among surviving prehistoric animals.

    (F001/A/HAJM/B003)