A report on Bali Zoo, Indonesia

[Guest guest]

Good to see Peter Dickinson expressing sadness at the plight of the

solitary Orang Utan in Bali. They should not be held captive alone, even

though they may be largely solitary in nature, for they are not solitary

throughout the year and do communicate with conspecific individuals vocally

and physically occasionally.

http://hubpages.com/hub/An-Honest-Report-on-Bali-Zoo An Honest Report on

Bali Zoo

 

By Peter Dickinson

Bali zoo http://bali-zoo.com is yet another Bali animal collection which

prices its gate in US dollars. Here it was $20 or 225,000 Indonesian Rupiah.

This is no small amount and I half expected to be ripped off.

 

I already knew a little of Bali Zoo having followed links in ZooNews

Digestand knew of its recent association with Peel Zoo in Australia.

 

On their website they claim to be the first and only zoo in Bali. Well they

may well have been the first but they are certainly not the only because

there is the Bali Bird Park and the Bali Safari and Marine Park amongst

others. I suppose it is the website designers perception of what is a zoo.

 

Just inside the entrance was the first of several clear perspex donation

collection boxes. This had a sign on it saying that it was a private zoo

employing 74 local people and was having a hard time since the Bali bombing.

Please donate.

Now I'm sorry but I have just paid $20 to get in! Whether the zoo is

private, commercial, national or blessed by Bindi Irwin I don't expect to be

asked for donations to something I have just paid to see. An accountable

charity perhaps but otherwise no....this is not a good idea. I can

appreciate their problems but either your entrance fee goes up to get the

cash or it comes down to get more visitors. I am sure that the price turns

people off. I saw people in heated discussion when I left. They were unsure

as to whether to pay to go in.

Offerings to Spirits on each and every cage The zoo itself (which also

operates as a night zoo) was a big surprise. Singapore has always been my

most 'beautiful' zoo but now Bali Zoo is a very close second. I am not

saying that it was all as spik and span as Singapore because Bali has some

really atrocious nasty muddy enclosures (there had been recent heavy rain).

No I am really referring to the ambience...the paths, the lush vegetation.

This was enhanced by no less than 8 species of iridescent butterflies, 4

species of lizard and several attractive birds which were flitting or

scurrying their way round the grounds. Progress through the collection is by

way of a one way path which allows enclosures, with strategic planting, to

make maximum use of the space available. The enclosures themselves are

interesting. There is nothing modern even though some are quite recently

built. I would describe the style as 'best of the zoo fifties'. Mind you

there is a mingling of the worst of the 1880's too. Some of the cages really

are just too small....even for a chicken...even if it is temporary. One

should not be allowed 360° access. It is stressful even, or especially to a

chicken.

A couple of the tiny bird cages In spite of my criticisms there is a very

strong feeling that the people who work here genuinely care. I was

particularily touched that offerings had been made to the spirits of each

and every cage in the collection...with each cage being looked on as a home.

These offerings of course being made twice every day. All the staff I met

were very nice, very friendly, almost insistent that I hold an Iguana or

Fruit Bat. The staff were multi tasking too which I believe is so important

in a small zoo. The girl who did the guest massage (yes really) also made

the trays for the spirit offerings. Whereas I don't like the touchy feely

encounters I am in favour of supervised controlled (and paid for) feeding

sessions to carnivores and similar. It is enriching because it is broken

down to uncertain times through the day....as long as they get a bone to

gnaw on later.

Path through the grounds There were a surprisingly large number of species

in the zoo. I didn't count them all and sadly there were a few singletons

amongst them. These included a magnificent male Sumatran Orangutan called

'Jackie'. Other noteworthy animals included Komodo Dragon, Javan Leopard

(including a black one), Agile Gibbon, Maroon Leaf Monkey, Ebony Leaf

Monkey, Bawean Deer, Timor Deer, Lesser Bird of Paradise, Dwarf and Single

and Double Wattled Cassowary, Sun Bear. There were Lions and Tigers (sadly

including the inevitable white one), a nice collection of Hornbills, Nilgai,

a single Pygmy Hippo and a good range of other species. There was, as

expected animal shows. Dress them up, give them a name 'encounters',

'experiences' or whatever. They are all the same. I don't like them (no, I

hate them) unless they are done well. Here they were educational. Yes, they

were factual and interesting but but. Why does everyone in the audience have

to get to hold a Salt Water Croc or pat a lion cub or whatever. It is as

unnecessary as it is stressful to the animals concerned. I am all for

limited contact but no, this was too much. I am almost 100% sure that if the

staff here were showed how to do a proper animal educational show then they

would leap through hoops of fire to learn. I only watched one of these

'shows' and even then did not stick it out to the end. There was another

taking place in the restaurant area later on. I don't know what species were

involved there. Sticking with the Education side the commentaries were in

English and Bahasa Indonesian. This was the same for the signage throughout

the collection. The signs were just long enough to read comfortably without

being boring. I would have preferred something a little more colourful and

attention grabbing. I was especially pleased that the locals, through the

local language, are catered for I know how much it pleases my wives when

they can read a sign in Thai or Tagalog. There was evidence of enrichment

here though I gauged it more on the 'interesting cage fixture' than

enrichment per se. I reckon that the implementation of a genuine enrichment

programme would be beneficial to the animals, fun for the keepers and of

interest to the visitors. The food on offer looked exceedingly good. Very

fresh. What about conservation? To be honest I don't know. There is nothing

on their website or in their brochure to suggest that they are a member of

SEAZA or WAZA or any such body. The Bali Zoo really needs to be to be taken

seriously and I am afraid that a close association with Peel Zoo (who few

have heard about, however noble) is just not going to cut the ice. Bali Zoo

needs to sit up and get noticed. Presently it looks better and has more to

offer in zoological terms than does Bali Safari and Marine Park. Okay they

are offering a similar package but it is not the same and I see no reason

why the two cannot exist alongside and happily cooperate. They should and

must if SEAZA itself is to be taken seriously. So, is Bali Zoo worth a

visit? Yes, most definitely. It is just the sort of zoo I would not mind

working at if I could get over my hang up over animal shows. The thing is I

don't want to get over my hang up, I think it is hanging correctly.