Park teaches students about wild animals

PASURUAN: As part of efforts to conserve the environment and ensure the survival of wild animals, the Indonesian Safari Park II in Pasuruan regency took hundreds of elementary students to Mount Arjuno for a training program.

At the event Monday, participants were introduced to protected and wild animals, such as orangutans, snakes, tigers and Javanese eagles.

Park general manager Michael Sumampau said the program would be sustainable and free of charge to all students.

"We hope they will become a generation that loves animals and is concerned about the environment," he said.

The recent forest fires that gutted Mt. Arjuno damaged hundreds of hectares of land and affected local residents as well as wild animals in the park.

"Besides donating seeds for a tree replanting program, we provide free education for elementary students playing a role in environmental conservation," he said. -JP