"The planned arrival of the 20 Bali starlings is thanks to our cooperation with the Koelner zoo in Germany," Bradley T Gardner, the founder of the Begawan Foundation engaged in Bali starling preservation, said here on Saturday.
The starlings also known as Bali Mynah will arrive at Ngurah Raih airport in Bali on August 9 from Germany.
They will first be quarantined at Bali Bird Park for two weeks, and later moved to a breeding center belonging to Begawan Foundation at Sibang, Badung District, Bali Island.
"The 20 birds which have become Bali icon, comprise 10 female and 10 male," he said.
The arrival of the 20 Bali starlings will become a celebration for the success of the foundation which was established 12 years ago.
The European Union has trusted the foundation in the preservation of the endangered birds, he said.
Recently, three Bali Starlings were successfully returned to their habitat in the Bali Bird Park from Jurong Bird Park in Singapore.
"We made an effort to return the birds in order to protect the Balinese bird species from extinction," Widya Prajanthi, a spokesman of the Begawan Fundation, said in a press statement here on Tuesday.
Wildlife Reserve of Singapore helped the foundation in the effort to bring back the Bali Starlings to their habitat.
Before being released into the Bali Bird Park, the birds were quarantined at the bird breeding center of Sibang, Badung District, Bali Island, for adjustment.
The Bali Starling Conservation Project was Begawan Foundation`s first initiative, established in 1999 with the aim of saving the rare bird from the very real threat of extinction.
Famed for its beauty, the Balinese Starling was officially adopted as Bali province`s mascot in 1991.(*)
(f001/HAJM)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
