Biodiversity Warriors Take Closer Look to Jakarta`s Biodiversity
21 September 2015 08:32 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - While other animal protection activists walked into the heart of forests and wilds, Biodiversity Warriors Community spends hours going along Ciliwung riverbank and performing observations between concrete buildings in Jakarta to record the biodiversity that the capital city has left.
“This bird is getting rare to be found in Jakarta,” Ahmad Baihaqi, or Abay, said about Raja-udang meninting (Alcedo meninting), a rare bird that is protected by law.
The bird population, Abay continued, is decreasing as more waters in Jakarta get polluted. Besides, despite of its important role in the ecosystem, Raja udang is a target of hunting.
“Bird is a bio-indicator animal, its presence indicates that an area has good ecosystem,” the Biology graduate said.
Their trip to Ciliwung last week also documented population of endemic species of salak (Salacca zalacca) that is called salak Condet. Salak Condet is a mascot of Jakarta that now faces extinction.
The community, which is part of Indonesia Biodiversity Foundation (KEHATI), is planning to make their documentation into a book. Last week’s trip was the community’s 29th routine that they call Capture Nature.
“We are planning to publish the book at the end of this year,” Abay said.
AISHA SHAIDRA
