Tackling Conservation the Indo Way (or how to make some money on the side)

In today’s on-line edition of Tempo, an interesting little story appeared which both amused and confused me at the same time…



Apparently, in an attempt to help save some of the species which are  at risk in Indonesia, there is a plan to rent them out in an attempt to have them reproduce and, theoretically be released back into the wild in greater numbers…

The story reads:

The government has yet to come up with a price list and species of animals that could be leased out. The lease will require a deposit as collateral. However, the government stressed that the animals to be leased out will not be newly captured animals. 

“There is no list of the animals, nor a price list. We suggest this first step to see whether the idea would be accepted,” Tonny Suhartono told Tempo yesterday. Suhartono is director of the Biodiversity Conservation Center.

Darori, Forest Protection and Natural Conservation director-general, had previously suggested that people should be allowed to care for protected animals. The idea came to him when he saw how an almost-extinct Jalak bird, native to Bali, was kept in a protected environment to allow it to reproduce.

However, a significant deposit, like Rp 1 billion, would be required to obtain the right to care for a tiger.

Now, correct me if I am wrong, the minimum investment for this Noah’s Ark adventure would be a deposit for two animals, in the case of tigers – two billion Rupiah (US $2.2 million) and then keep them for a couple of years until the cubs have been weaned, which would then presumably mean the cubs could be leased out…

What a wheeze, who needs to worry about collecting income taxes when this goldmine is sitting on the doorstep.

I better be very low key about this as the authorities would no doubt be chasing me for my deposit on the family of civet cats , known locally as “musang” who live in my roof. 



Ah, Indonesia, never a dull moment!