BANDUNG - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) revoked the permit of the conservation agency Yayasan Margasatwa Tamansari (YMT) which manages the Bandung Zoo as a step to save animals and arrange the management of the area.
Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Satyawan Pudiyatmokomengatakan, the revocation of the permit is so that the state can ensure that all animals are still protected.
"The state must not allow animals to become victims of administrative issues. We revoked this permit to ensure that animals in the Bandung Zoo are protected and not abandoned," he said as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, February 5.
The Ministry of Social Affairs will be responsible for the care and rescue of all animals for a maximum of three months in the future until a new manager is appointed who is considered professional and meets animal welfare standards.
"Bandung Zoo is the pride of West Java people, especially the City of Bandung. The animals in it are a trust that we must protect together," he said.
The government also emphasized the presence of the state in maintaining regional assets and saving animals through securing the Regional Property (BMD) of the Bandung Zoo, following the evacuation of YMT activities and the revocation of the conservation agency's permit by the Minister of Forestry.
The Mayor of Bandung Muhammad Farhan said that the security of the Bandung Zoo area was to manage the assets owned by the region and ensure the safety of all animals.
"Bandung Zoo is the land owned by the City Government of Bandung which serves as a public green open space with a protection function. The state must be present to maintain this asset and ensure that the animals in it are protected," he said.
He explained that the handling of the Bandung Zoo was jointly carried out by the central government through the Ministry of Finance, the West Java Provincial Government through the Forestry Service, and the Bandung City Government so that the transition period would run safely and under control.
He emphasized that the authority over animals, especially protected animals, is in the Ministry of Finance, while the Bandung City Government supports rescue and treatment efforts according to welfare standards.
"Animals should not be victims of administrative or institutional conflicts. What we are doing today is to ensure that they are safe, cared for, and not abandoned," he said.
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