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View all search resultsOver 700 animals at Bandung Zoo at risk of starvation amid legal dispute
Zoo spokesperson Sulhan Syafi'i said the remaining funds for animal feed will only last until Dec. 10, and so far the zoo has received no emergency assistance from either the Bandung administration or the central government.
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A Sumatran tapir calf stays close to its mother at Bandung Zoo in West Java. Born on Nov. 14, 2025, the male calf is the 11th Sumatran tapir birth at Bandung Zoo, making it the most successful conservation institution for breeding Sumatran tapirs in Southeast Asia. (Antara/Raisan Al Farisi)
M
ore than 700 animals at the Bandung Zoo in West Java are at risk of going hungry as the facility grapples with a severe financial crisis triggered by an unresolved legal battle between rival management groups.
Zoo spokesperson Sulhan Syafi'i said the remaining funds for animal feed will only last until Dec. 10, and so far the zoo has received no emergency assistance from either the Bandung administration or the central government.
“Salaries for our workers were still covered last month, but our animal-feed budget will only last until Dec. 10. We simply have no money left,” Sulhan said on Thursday as quoted by Kompas.com.
The Bandung administration ordered the zoo closed to visitors on Aug. 6 after two competing factions each claimed the legal right to operate the facility, whose land belongs to the local government. With the gates shut for the past four months, the zoo has had no ticket revenue, while daily operational costs continue, eventually plunging it into severe financial crisis.
Read also: Bandung Zoo welcomes birth of two binturong cubs
According to Sulhan, the zoo needs about Rp 415 million (US$25,000) per month to feed its animal population, which require 37 different types of food. Carnivores such as lions and tigers each consume around 6 kilograms of chicken and beef per day, while an elephant needs roughly 1.5 tonnes of grass and 1.1 tonnes of bananas every four days.
Operational expenses, including water, electricity and salaries for roughly 100 employees, add another Rp 800 million per month
