TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
In Pematang Siantar, a zoological renaissance
Pematang Siantar: Built by an animal lover from the Netherlands, the zoo opened in 1936 and remains the nationâs fourth oldest
Change Size
Pematang Siantar:: Built by an animal lover from the Netherlands, the zoo opened in 1936 and remains the nationâs fourth oldest. (JP/Kornelius Purba) (JP/Kornelius Purba)
P
span class="inline inline-center">Pematang Siantar: Built by an animal lover from the Netherlands, the zoo opened in 1936 and remains the nation's fourth oldest. (JP/Kornelius Purba)
Amid allegations of mistreatment, corruption and mistreatment of animals directed at the nation's zoos; one small town in Sumatra is showing how a well-managed animal park can grow.
Pematang Siantar Zoo is dwarfed by its rivals such as Ragunan in Jakarta. The zoo, located about 48 kilometers from Lake Toba, is surrounded by oil palm, tea and rubber plantations.
Mariono, a visitor, recently spent a public holiday vacationing with his family at the zoo. The 49-year-old was tirelessly going around, covering the zoo's area, which is greater than four hectares.
He said he was impressed by the zoo's collection, which he described as more complete than that of the Medan Zoo.
'The fauna here is widely diversified. We can watch them with satisfaction and increase our knowledge of the animal world,' said Mariono, an employee of state plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara IV Balimbingan in Simalungun regency.
The zoo is an attractive tourist destination. Built by an animal lover from the Netherlands, it opened in 1936. It is the fourth oldest zoo in Indonesia after those in Surabaya, East Java; Bukittinggi, West Sumatra; and Bandung, West Java.
When run by the Pematang Siantar city administration, the zoo failed to meet public expectations, with only a small number of animals, none of who were well-taken care of.
Management was taken over by entrepreneur and animal lover Rahmat Shah in 1996, who was given the go ahead to run the zoo for 30 years.
Rahmat, also a member of the North Sumatra Regional Representatives Council (DPD), said his takeover of Pematang Siantar had been prompted by a call of conscience.
When he first took over, the situation was grim. With determination and his staff's support, Rahmat said he could finally rebuild the park.
'I've built malls, though they virtually sell dreams and make some people intoxicated. That's why I've reconstructed this zoo out of the love of animals,' Rahmat said in a recent interview.
He says he spent Rp 10 billion to improve the zoo's facilities and fauna collection.
According to Rahmat, the zoo currently has 700 animals comprising 210 species, including lions, kangaroos, camels, komodo lizards, Sumatran tigers and bears ' making it the most complete in Sumatra.
The zoo has been making headway. Rahmat referred to a rising number of visitors, especially on religious holidays like Idul Fitri, Christmas and New Year, when guests might top 25,000.
(Courtesy of Wagino 20100516)
Tickets range from Rp 10,000 to Rp 15,000 on holidays ' expensive for a small city. Proceeds fund zoo operations, including food for animals. 'So far our investment hasn't been covered by ticket sales yet. No problem,' said Rahmat, the current chairman of the All-Indonesia Zoo Association (PKBSI).
He pointed to difficulties in operating a zoo owing to the need for patience and humane treatment of animals ' as well as expert staff.
'This zoo needs experts for a minimum of three years. It can't be left to civil servants to handle, which will result in a disorderly condition,' Rahmat said, criticizing the management of Medan Zoo, which is largely in the hands of civil servants.
Rahmat indicated his intention to take over Medan's 30-hectare zoo if given the OK by the municipal government. In Rahmat's view, the time has come to put things in order.
'The Medan Zoo should be totally overhauled to make it as attractive as that of Pematang Siantar. I've heard of many complaints about the situation of the Medan Zoo,' Rahmat said.
Rafriandi Nasution, the director of regional development company of the Medan city government that oversees Medan's zoo, confirmed Rahmat's request to take over the facility, saying that the mayor had not yet made a decision.
Zainal, another visitor, admitted that the animal collection of Medan Zoo, which has an area of 30 hectares, was not as complete as that of Pematang Siantar. 'We only have 169 animals, far less than the number owned by Pematang Siantar.'
