Each step took me through a macabre animal dungeon."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Surabaya Zoo in East Java, once the pride of Southeast Asia, has received worldwide attention after the deaths of a number of animals over the past several years.
The Daily Mail, on its website www.dailymail.co.uk, reported on December 26, 2013 that the Surabaya Zoo is "the worlds cruelest zoo", after journalist Richard Shears wrote of living conditions for the animals housed in that zoo.
But Surabaya Mayor Mayor Tri Rismaharini, better known as Risma, immediately denied the Daily Mails news story and said zoo conditions have improved since the city administration took over its management.
"I am sure the present condition of the zoo is much improved, because we have prepared a number of new concepts for its future development," the mayor said in Surabaya on Friday.
Risma noted that the negative picture was deliberately being promoted by certain persons who did not like the zoo being managed by the Surabaya city administration.
"I know who is behind all this, but please be assured that the condition of the zoo is much better now," Risma said, adding that the management of the zoo is now in the hands of the Regional Wildlife Park Company (PDTS).
Also, she promised to restore the glory of the 15-hectare zoo by equipping it with a sea world and other facilities to attract more visitors.
But the reality in the animal cages speaks louder than what the mayor says, as Shearss report in the Daily Mail is supported by pictures, showing animals being treated cruelly in the zoo.
The published pictures included an elephant having its feet shackled until it tore its flesh away, starving orangutans forced to eat plastic pen because there wasnt food to eat, hundreds of pelicans crammed into one cage with no space to move, and even a camel appearing withered from a lack of food.
"Surabaya Zoo has been branded the worst in the world, and when I walked through this animal torture ground I was left with no doubt that its reputation was well earned," Shears said.
He pointed out that at the Surabaya Zoo he could only shake his head in despair at the sight of more than 150 pelicans jammed into one cage, trying to share a small pool of water, yet so tightly packed together that the birds could not spread their wings, let alone fly.
"Each step took me through a macabre animal dungeon. While I saw dishes of chopped vegetables for the primates, the ribs of several large animals could be seen. One camel, in particular, appeared appallingly thin. A capuchin monkey I came across appeared to almost plead to be released," Shears noted.
"In another cage, a sad rhinoceros hornbill looks up at the blue sky, trying to take off from its perch, but there is no room to flap its wings," he went on.
A former member of the zoos temporary management team, Tony Sumampau, said over 50 animals, including an endangered Indonesian orangutan, three tigers, and dozens of Komodo dragons have died in the zoo, in addition to last years death of a giraffe with 20kg of plastic bags found in its stomach.
The zoo, which opened in 1916 during Dutch colonial rule, appears to have had little upkeep in the past 100 years. Instead, increasing numbers of animals have been packed into cages.
Earlier, a report by an independent team set up by Indonesias forestry ministry called for animals to be moved to other zoos, but nothing has been done.
Other zoos have refused to accept the animals because of their conditions and fear that many of them carry diseases.
Following a long-time dispute between two management groups, thousands of exotic animals, including endangered Sumatran tigers, are now languishing at the once renowned Surabaya zoo.
Therefore, British singer Morrissey, during his performance in Jakarta in May 2012, called on the Indonesian government to immediately shut down the zoo in Surabaya where thousands of animals have died or disappeared.
"Your ministry called for a change at the Surabaya Zoo, but no improvements have been made," the vegetarian and animal rights activist wrote in a letter.
"There can be no justification for seemingly endless debates and delays, while animals continue to suffer and die. Please take immediate action to close the Surabaya Zoo and transfer its animals to more suitable environments," he said.
Meanwhile, Jusuf Kalla, in his capacity as Komodo ambassador, urged Surabaya authorities to act immediately to save the remaining Komodo dragons and other animals in the Surabaya Zoo.
"Dont bother about who did it. When the number of animals is decreasing, the government must tackle this problem. Its time that the zoo be rehabilitated and promoted," he said.
He noted that the government must pay attention to a series of animal deaths in the zoo, otherwise there would be no animals left for the zoos visitors to see.
(T.O001/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
