Press Release: ProFauna Urges the Government to Ban Television Shows Exploiting Wildlife
(01/13/2012) ProFauna Indonesia, an organisation working for the protection of wildlife and their habitats, visited the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) and urged the government agency to ban the television shows exploiting wildlife. In the meeting held on 13th January 2012, ProFauna reported the organisation's findings gathered from the public complaints about some "reality" shows violating the principles wildlife conservation.
ProFauna enlisted some shows exploiting wildlife according to one of the following categories: containing animal cruelties and against animal welfare principles, violating the Indonesian Wildlife Act Number 5 year 1990 concerning the Conservation of the Natural Resources and Ecosystems, and containing manipulation.
Based on the categories, the national television shows which were obviously exploiting wildlife included: Petualangan Panji (Adventures of Panji) and Steve Ewon Sang Pemburu (Steve Ewon the Hunter). Both shows which are aired on Global TV station violate the animal welfare principles and cause suffering to the wild animals. In most episodes, the presenters of both shows perform the captures of wildlife which are protected by the 1990 Wildlife Act. According to the Act, it is illegal to capture, kill, buy, and keep the protected wildlife.
Moreover, ProFauna strongly suspects that there is manipulation in both shows. Instead of running into the animals, the encountered wildlife are allegedly prepared by the crews and released to the sets, which are logically far from the natural habitats of the wild animals.
Irma Hermawati, ProFauna Indonesia's advocate who met with KPI stated, "Petualangan Panji and Steve Ewon violate wildlife conservation and animal welfare. They can be an adverse impact to the conservation." The manipulation in the shows is also categorised as public lie. Therefore, ProFauna urged the government to ban those shows.
Hermawati added, "ProFauna strongly recommends other television stations not to air such shows". According to ProFauna's records, other programs exploiting wildlife include Gadis Petualang (The Adventurous Girl) aired on Global TV, Ekstrim Kuliner (Extreme Cuisine) aired on Global TV, Berburu (Hunting) aired on Trans7, Mancing Mania (Fishing Mania) aired on Trans7, and Jejak Petualang Survival (Survival Adventures) aired on Trans7.
ProFauna Indonesia with its volunteers all over Indonesia and overseas invite the public to boycott the shows by not watching them because they are contrary to wildlife conservation and against animal welfare.
For further information, please contact:
Swasti Prawidya Mukti
(International Affairs Officer, ProFauna Indonesia)
Email: international@profauna.net