POLICY

Minister: Indonesia retains sufficient habitat for growing wildlife populations
September 22, 2020

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JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - This year's World Rhino Day (Sep 22) is being commemorated for the first time in the midst of a global pandemic. At this time, however, the population of the Javan Rhinos - an IUCN-classified critically endangered species - continues to grow consistently in Indonesia. 

"The fact that key wildlife populations such as the Javan Rhino continue to grow in Indonesia proves that we still have sufficient habitat for such growth," Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya pointed out in a virtual policy discussion (Sep 21).

"Indonesia's strategy is clear. We will keep striving to ensure that our flagship species, including rhinos, do not face extinction by ensuring the growth of their populations in sufficient habitats," she explained. 

Minister Nurbaya emphasized the need for optimism in ensuring that populations of key wildlife species continue to grow within adequate habitats in existing landscapes.

"Indonesia continues to undertake whatever efforts are necessary to ensure the consistent growth of key wildlife populations, underpinned by the existence of remaining habitats," she added. 

Below are two screenshots of the ministry’s video traps showing evidence of the births of a pair of Javan rhinos in May and June this year in Ujung Kulon National Park, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.



Evidence based optimism

Minister Nurbaya stressed that it is far more important to take actions to ensure that populations of wildlife in Indonesia continue to grow, especially those of flagship species, rather than spreading pessimism by disregarding the hopes that can still be achieved with existing landscapes.

“Indonesia is the one country with a permanent moratorium in place on the development of primary forests and peatlands, thereby protecting substantial habitats for growing populations of key wildlife species. This is clear evidence of our good intentions and effective policies,” she asserted.

In early August last year, President Joko Widodo signed the permanent moratorium map covering an area of more than 66 million hectares, which is more than twice the size of the UK.

The scale of the moratorium map, according to Minister Nurbaya, guarantees that growing populations of key wildlife in the country will continue to have a safe home. 

“I would like to reaffirm that Indonesia still has adequate habitat stocks, especially those distributed within the permanent moratorium map, when we talk about growing wildlife populations. Most parts of the moratorium map continue to be effective as a source of growing wildlife populations,” said the minister.

She also underlined that forestry and palm oil concessions are also partly inhabited by thriving wildlife populations, thus providing more evidence of the level of their existing habitats.

At the end of the discussion, Minister Nurbaya reiterated that “Indonesia is talking about optimism for growing wildlife populations, backed by clear evidence and sufficient habitat stocks. Indonesia will continue to make sure that wildlife populations continue to grow and prosper, using all our powers."


TAGS: WILDLIFE , HABITAT , MORATORIUM

RELATED STORIES


POLICY

Minister: Indonesia retains sufficient habitat for growing wildlife populations
September 22, 2020

facebookfinal.png wafinal.png twitterfinal.png emailfinal.png

JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - This year's World Rhino Day (Sep 22) is being commemorated for the first time in the midst of a global pandemic. At this time, however, the population of the Javan Rhinos - an IUCN-classified critically endangered species - continues to grow consistently in Indonesia. 

"The fact that key wildlife populations such as the Javan Rhino continue to grow in Indonesia proves that we still have sufficient habitat for such growth," Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya pointed out in a virtual policy discussion (Sep 21).

"Indonesia's strategy is clear. We will keep striving to ensure that our flagship species, including rhinos, do not face extinction by ensuring the growth of their populations in sufficient habitats," she explained. 

Minister Nurbaya emphasized the need for optimism in ensuring that populations of key wildlife species continue to grow within adequate habitats in existing landscapes.

"Indonesia continues to undertake whatever efforts are necessary to ensure the consistent growth of key wildlife populations, underpinned by the existence of remaining habitats," she added. 

Below are two screenshots of the ministry’s video traps showing evidence of the births of a pair of Javan rhinos in May and June this year in Ujung Kulon National Park, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.



Evidence based optimism

Minister Nurbaya stressed that it is far more important to take actions to ensure that populations of wildlife in Indonesia continue to grow, especially those of flagship species, rather than spreading pessimism by disregarding the hopes that can still be achieved with existing landscapes.

“Indonesia is the one country with a permanent moratorium in place on the development of primary forests and peatlands, thereby protecting substantial habitats for growing populations of key wildlife species. This is clear evidence of our good intentions and effective policies,” she asserted.

In early August last year, President Joko Widodo signed the permanent moratorium map covering an area of more than 66 million hectares, which is more than twice the size of the UK.

The scale of the moratorium map, according to Minister Nurbaya, guarantees that growing populations of key wildlife in the country will continue to have a safe home. 

“I would like to reaffirm that Indonesia still has adequate habitat stocks, especially those distributed within the permanent moratorium map, when we talk about growing wildlife populations. Most parts of the moratorium map continue to be effective as a source of growing wildlife populations,” said the minister.

She also underlined that forestry and palm oil concessions are also partly inhabited by thriving wildlife populations, thus providing more evidence of the level of their existing habitats.

At the end of the discussion, Minister Nurbaya reiterated that “Indonesia is talking about optimism for growing wildlife populations, backed by clear evidence and sufficient habitat stocks. Indonesia will continue to make sure that wildlife populations continue to grow and prosper, using all our powers."


TAGS: WILDLIFE , HABITAT , MORATORIUM

RELATED STORIES