Bandung, W Java (ANTARA) - Indonesian conservation authorities are preparing to relocate protected and endemic wildlife from the embattled Bandung Zoo to alternative sanctuaries across West Java as a management crisis continues to cloud the facility's future.
The West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) announced on Tuesday that the staged translocation of animals is now a primary option to ensure their health and welfare.
The move is a response to the lack of clarity regarding new management for the zoo, which has faced long-standing operational and legal challenges.
The Bandung Zoo is currently embroiled in a multi-layered crisis involving legal disputes over land, the revocation of its operating permit, and a severe decline in animal welfare.
Head of the Technical Department at BBKSDA West Java Andri Hansen Siregar stated that the priority is to rescue protected species by moving them to conservation centers that possess the specific expertise required for different types of wildlife.
The Forestry Ministry's Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation has already completed an inventory of potential host sites, including specialized centers for primates, large mammals, and carnivores.
"The institutions selected for this relocation have passed rigorous verification and assessments, holding high performance ratings for their management standards," Siregar emphasized.
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The Ministry of Forestry has formally approved the plan, and authorities are currently waiting for final technical instructions to begin field execution.
A significant portion of the relocation effort also involves addressing "loaned" animals currently housed at Bandung Zoo.
Several animals on site belong to other conservation agencies under cooperation agreements that expired in 2024.
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Siregar noted that these animals should have been returned to their original institutions already, making their immediate translocation a high priority to ensure legal and administrative compliance.
By moving these animals to verified and well-managed sanctuaries, the government aims to guarantee that their health and welfare are not compromised by the zoo's internal instability.