Trapped Leopard to be Released into Nusakambangan Island
28 September 2013 11:18 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A leopard (Panthera pardus melas) was found trapped in one of boar traps in Kuta Agung village, Dayeuhluhur District, Cilacap. An Indonesian wildlife conservation team planned to release the leopard into the wilderness of Nusakambangan Island.
"We are planning to release the leopard in Nusakambangan island," said the Head of Natural Resources Conservation Agency in Central Java, Christanto, on Friday, September 27.
According to him, 18 leopards currently inhabit the Nusakambangan island, which is still used as a penitentiary by the Indonesian authorities. The island, said Christanto, will be a safe haven for the released leopard, since the island has plenty of food sources. However, he admitted that there were some problems during the capture. A government official of an environmental agency in Cilacap Regency, and some officials in Serulingmas Zoo, wanted to possess the trapped leopard.
"I refused them, let the leopard lives in its own habitation, they are an endangered animal and must be protected at all cause," said Christanto, adding that he was already disappointed by the Surabaya zoo's negligence to treat its animals collections properly. The leopard will be observed for a week before finally released to Nusakambangan.
ARIS ANDRIANTO