Legal Process of Surabaya "Death" Zoo Case Begins by Fardah

Jakarta (Antara) - The Surabaya Zoo tragedy has dragged on too long, making the zoo notorious internationally for its cruelty, having been labeled as the "zoo of death" after thousands of animals perished over the past few years. The latest tragedy was when a 1.5 year old lion, Michael, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on January 7. The African lion died when its head got caught in a cable inside its cage, triggering condemnations not only in Indonesia but also worldwide. Following the incident, the Surabaya city administration decided to report the case immediately to the police, stated the secretary of the Surabaya municipality administration, Hendro Gunawan recently. Some animal advocates in the city have also demanded that the local police immediately investigate the case. Police have expressed regret that the zoo management did not report the case as soon as they discovered the dead animal. Moreover, when the police arrived, the lion's cage had already been cleaned, he pointed out. "We will question some members of the zoo management again, as we want to investigate the case thoroughly," Head of the crime investigation of the Surabaya's resort police command, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Farman, informed newsmen in Surabaya, East Java Province. According to him, the police believed that the Surabaya Zoo's internal investigation procedure and autopsy on the animal violated Law number 5 of 1990 on conservation of natural resources and ecosystems. "We think they have violated the regulation. Based on the law, only PPNS (civil servant investigator), BKSDA (natural resource conservation agency) and the police have the authority to do that," he added. The Surabaya city police began investigating the case by summoning some of the zoo's management board members for questioning. The Forestry Ministry has also assigned an investigative team to probe into the death of Michael. "We are cooperating with the police investigators to shed further light on the case," the ministry's Head of Investigation Sub-Directorate Area I Suharyono stated in Surabaya recently. On January 21, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono summoned East Java Governor Soekarwo and Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini to discuss the Surabaya Zoo (KBS) problem. During the meeting, Yudhoyono stated that he had received plenty of reports from the public about the poor conditions in which animals at the zoo were kept. "They reminded me that the deaths in Surabaya Zoo had become the focus of the international community and feared that such an issue would give outsiders the impression that we don't care about our zoos," he noted. Yudhoyono expressed hope that the zoo problem will be resolved immediately. "The point here is that there is a problem. Let's find solutions and then explain to the people. There is always a way out." The meeting was also attended by Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan and Environmental Affairs Minister Balthasar Kambuaya. A day earlier (Jan. 20), Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini reported the alleged mismanagement and graft in the Surabaya Zoo leading to the disappearance or death of around 420 rare animals, to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). "We still need a zoo," the mayor asserted while reporting the case to the KPK in Jakarta, in response to a call to close down the zoo. Among the animals that had gone missing from the Surabaya Zoo, were two Komodo dragons and 50 Bali starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) birds, she pointed out. When the Surabaya authorities announced that it was taking over the management of the zoo from the temporary management team set up by the forestry ministry, a hippopotamus was found missing from the zoo, the mayor added. The mayor planned to meet Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan to discuss potential improvements in management and conservation efforts in the zoo. When visiting Lampung, Sumatra, on January 8, the forestry minister stated that certain parties were seeking to change the Surabaya Zoo (KBS) into a shopping mall. "The KBS is strategically located in the city center and enjoys a high real estate value. Certain parties are seeking to close the KBS and set up a shopping mall there," he claimed. The zoo was previously managed by a team established by the Forestry Ministry following reports on the mistreatment of the animals in 2010. The zoo has now been handed over to the Surabaya city administration. A number of endangered animals were reported to have died mysteriously in the zoo over the past few months. In November 2013, a 22-year old jaguar died. Later, a giraffe was found dead with about 20 plastic wares in its stomach. East Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) had conducted an investigation, which found that negligent keepers were to blame for most of the deaths of the animals that included Sumatran tigers, Orangutans, Komodo Dragons, lions and crocodiles. The Surabaya Zoo located in East Java was the biggest in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia with no less than 3.5 thousand animals from across 400 species of mammals, birds and reptiles. The zoo was formally opened on August 31, 1916, during the Dutch colonial era, when a group of animal lovers came together and decided to open a zoological garden. The Surabaya Zoo (KBS) used to be a favorite recreational place among Surabaya residents. Students often hung out there and appreciated the zoo's beautiful nature and wildlife. The 96-year-old zoo was once applauded as a conservation center with the best animal collection in Southeast Asia. But over the past several years, the zoo has turned into a "place of horror" or "death camp" for the exotic and rare animals kept there as around 2 thousand animals have reportedly perished mostly due to alleged negligence. Following a long-time dispute between the zoo's two management teams, some 479 animals died in 2006 and 258 animals in 2007. In 2008, the number of animal deaths increased to 364 and in 2009 it dropped to 321. In 2010, there were 162 deaths up to September. In 2011, four giant lizard Komodo dragons died and three went missing from the zoo. Currently, 84 animals are sick and in critical conditions in the zoo. To help save the remaining animals, a peaceful public campaign and prayer service dubbed "Surabaya Zoo Animal Welfare Action" will be organized in Surabaya Zoo on Thursday (Jan.30) morning by Conservation and Environmental Education 4 Life (Cee4life), and the Center for Orangutan Protection (COP) with support from an organization called With Compassion & Soul. Director of Cee4life Sybelle Foxcroft has written letters to Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini expressing concern over the tragic condition of the zoo's animals. In her open letter dated January 10, Sybelle wrote, among other things: "Mayor Rismaharini, we know that you have done so much good for the City of Surabaya, but now, you do not seem to care for the precious lives of the animals of Surabaya Zoo. They are protected species, some critically endangered, vitally important creatures on earth. If you are wondering why some care so much about animals, let me explain. Some people think animals are a lower life form, and place an animal's life as not important enough to be humane to. Science has proven that animals certainly do have emotions, they feel pain, and they feel everything that their nervous systems are capable of. If you hit a tiger, it feels the pain. If you tie an elephant up, it is in great despair. The same goes for all creatures. Imagine what the Surabaya Zoo animals might be feeling. A simple example of why some people care so much about animals is to simply imagine that there are none. Imagine a day that you do not see even a bird in the sky or fish in the sea. We must care. We must be humane." (*)