- English
- Bahasa Indonesia
ProFauna Indonesia Set Off For Mount Merapi To Evacuate Animals
Submitted by ProFauna Admin on Sat, 04/01/2006 - 11:00
On Sunday, 30th April 2006, ProFauna Indonesia's team sets off for Yogyakarta (Central Java) to coordinate an evacuation of live stocks and domestic animals which are seriously threatened by Mount Merapi eruption. The Directorate of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation has raised the alert level from II to III on 12th April. The authority estimated that the volcano would most likely erupt soon. The eruption would not only affect humans but also the animals living around Mount Merapi. It is estimated up to 3000 cows would be threatened by the eruption if not evacuated. There are some endemic wild species such as long tailed monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) that would also be affected by this natural disaster.
Dr. Luki Kusuma Wardhani is leading ProFauna Indonesia and Indonesian Society for Animal Welfare (ISAW) team, to coordinate and assist the Dept of Livestock in evacuating the animals. The team consisted of 10 members of ProFauna Yogyakarta and 10 from ProFauna's headquarter in Malang. The team would be providing medical, veterinary treatment and food for the animals.
According to Dr Luki Wardhani, the director of ISAW, "The evacuation of the animals is very important to the livelihood of the local farmers and the villagers whose lives are affected by the disaster. If we are able to rescue their cattle, it would greatly help the community". Animals, which are neglected, would easily susceptible to diseases, which could infect human.
The team plan to tag the animals and evacuate them to safer areas. Whilst in the refuge, the animals would receive medical attention from the team. The Dept of Livestock would provide some veterinary staff to help.
In 2005, ProFauna Indonesia team went to rescue thousands of domestic animals of tsunami victims in Aceh, North Sumatra, including some wild animals in a mini zoo, which were rescued and evacuated.
For further information, please contact:
Swasti Prawidya Mukti
(International Affairs Officer, ProFauna Indonesia)
Email: international@profauna.net