President Jokowi Applauds Big Number of Bird Breeding in Indonesia
President Jokowi deliver prize to the winner of 2018 Presidents Cup in Bird Singing Festival and Exhibition at Bogor Botanical Garden, Sunday (11/3). (Photo by: BPMI)
President Joko Jokowi Widodo appreciated the big number of bird breeding in various regions in Indonesia. According to the President, bird breeding does not only provide space for bird enthusiasts, but can also prevent birds from extinction.
“(At the festival), there are breeding for magpies, hummingbirds, starlings. Take Bali Starling bird, for example, few years ago it was endangered but now after theyve been bred, the number has significantly increased,” the President said at the 2018 Presidents Cup in Bird Singing Festival and Exhibition held at the Bogor Botanical Garden, Sunday (11/3).
President Jokowi added that Indonesia boasts a very high diversity of birds in the world. Based on data from Burung Indonesia (2017), the number of bird species in Indonesia is recorded at 1,769 species and among those species, 531 species are protected, including eagle, bali starling, ivory hornbill, cassowary, java tit, straw-headed bulbul, and more.
In addition, the President added, Indonesia also has the highest number of endemic birds in the world – types of bird that cannot be found in other countries in the world and 372 species of endemic birds have been recorded. “This is a great blessing God has given us. Therefore, I really appreciate the abundance of bird breeding in many regions today,” the President added.
In terms of environmental aspect, President Jokowi said bird breeding and singing contest is a positive cultural event as well as an activity that brings economical values.
Bird breeding business also stimulates economic growth. There are businesses for bird cages, bird feed, medicines. Everything is growing. Now the turnover is Rp1, 7 trillion per year,” the President continued.
For the record, types of bird that bred in Indonesia are recorded at 51 species. For birds chirping, only about 9 species that have been bred: red thrush (Zoothera citrina), lovebird (Agapornis sp.), straw-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus), stone magpie (Copsychus malabaricus), oriental magpie (Copsychus saularis), bar-winged prinia (Prinia familiaris), greater green leafbird (Chloropsis sonneratii), and canary (Canarium xp).
The total number of animal breeders in Indonesia is 1,018 units and 428 of them are bird breeders. As for the requirements of breeding permits, 10 percent of the animal must be released into the wild.
President Jokowi also took part in this festival and the stone magpie owned by the President gets the number 36 and lost in the contest.
The festival itself was attended by about 4,000 birds from 700 owners. There are 18 types of birds contesting at the festival, such as stone magpie, straw-headed bulbul, ninja hummingbird, bar-winged prinia, and so on.
“I lost. It means the jury is fair. I want to buy the champion bird, but the owner says it is not sold,” the President said.
“I enjoy the sound. But what I remember most is in the Botanical Garden Palace now has more and more birds. Now there are finches, starlings, and other birds. There are also small birds. Prinia are often seen in the morning, ” President Jokowi concluded. (BPMI/EN) (STU/EP/Naster)
