Walkot Ema Sumarna Affirms Bandung Zoo Will Not Be Functional

Collection of animals at the Bandung Zoo (Bandung Zooological Garden), Jalan Tamansari, Bandung City. (ANTARA/HO Bandung City Government)

BANDUNG - Plh. Mayor of Bandung Ema Sumarna emphasized that the Bandung Zoo will remain in its current place, namely on Jalan Tamansari, and the land will not be converted, after the city government secures the land assets.

"There is no function transfer. We make sure the zoo land remains a conservation area (a zoo)," Ema said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, July 24.

According to him, the city government will ensure that the Bandung Zoo continues to operate, even though it will enter the sealing process, if after the last warning letter was sent to the manager, it would not be heeded.

"I underline that, of course, what is meant by security is land assets, not zoo operations. Because the Bandung Zoo will continue to operate," said Ema.

If the Bandung Zoo land sealing process is carried out, the Bandung City Government will cooperate with the Indonesian Zoo Association (PKBSI) to ensure the survival of the animals in the zoo.

Based on data from the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), the total number of animals in the Bandung Zoo is 664 which are divided into 123 types.

Walkot Bandung explained that the last warning letter sent by the Bandung City Government (Pemkot) to the zoo manager was to demand land related rights used by the zoo manager, not the facilities.

"The local government has never claimed to own or have a zoo. What the local government owns is the land, this must be understood properly. So what we secure is land. If the Bandung Zoo belongs to the foundation," he said.