M

anagement at the Bali Marine and Safari Park has insisted that a plan to resettle several Komodo dragons from their original habitat in Flores to the nature reserve in Bali was initiated by the central government.

"We are just carry out orders. The policy came from the top," park head Hans Manangsang said Thursday.

The plan to relocate the endangered animals has been rejected by the East Nusa Tenggara administration and some environmentalists, with protests being held almost every day since the plan's announcement.

Recently, the Forestry Ministry issued a decree allowing the resettlement of 10 Komodo dragons from their habitat in Wae Wuul, West Manggarai, Flores, to the Bali park.

"Despite the decree being issued, we have not yet set up a special team to handle the relocation," said Manangsang. He strongly denied that the initiative was aimed at boosting business interests or Bali's profile and tourism industry.

"Our main objective is to protect and preserve Komodo dragons from natural and human threats that may lead them to extinction," he said.

The number of Komodo dragons in East Nusa Tenggara is beginning to drop as forest fires, global climate change and a lack of food resources begin to take toll, he said.

Human threats such as poaching have contributed to overall dwindling numbers of the ancient creatures.

"They will soon become predators to one another because there is no food around," Manangsang said.

He said the Bali Safari Park was a conservation area which could support the original habitat conditions of the creatures. In the park, many endangered animals are being treated and monitored to prevent them from dying out.

The park now has four Komodo dragons, one of which is pregnant.

"I don't know whether the egg is in good condition and will hatch perfectly," he said.

He said that a park in Bogor, West Java, has successfully bred the endangered Bali Starling back from near extinction. The number of these rare birds was dropping but now sits at around 90.

"We already returned the 90 Bali Starlings to their original habitat in West Bali National Park in Jembrana in 2007 and 2009. Previously, there were only five Bali Starlings left in the National Park," he said,

Environmental group Walhi's Bali office director, Agung Wardana, insisted that any plan to move the Komodos from their habitat was unacceptable.

"We strongly urge the central government to cancel the plan. Don't use conservation efforts to cover up business interests," he said.