Last giraffe in Surabaya zoo dies

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya | Fri, 03/02/2012 11:24 AM

Kliwon: A dead giraffe in Surabaya zoo. Antara/M Risyal Hidayat

The last giraffe in Surabaya zoo, Kliwon, died on Thursday evening due to unknown causes.

The 21-year-old giraffe had collapsed in his stall a day before. The giraffe keeper said that Kliwon had lost his appetite over the past few days.

Zoo management team chief Tony Sumampau said on Friday that he regretted the giraffe’s death, saying that the giraffe had already been treated by the zoo’s medical team.

The remains were undergoing an autopsy, he said. “Some of his organs will be sent to Airlangga University’s pathology department and some others will go to the East Java Police’s forensic department to determine the cause of death,” Tony told The Jakarta Post.

Tony added that the zoo would publish the results once the autopsy was completed.

Surabaya Police chief Sr. Comr. Tri Maryanto said that the police were ready to carry out a forensic test to establish whether or not the death was natural.

East Java wildlife conservation forum (Foksi) blamed the prolonged dispute over the management of the zoo for the death of the animal.

“This is outrageous, we should end this. We demand every party to reconcile for the sake of the animal welfare,” Foksi program manager Indra Harsaputra said on Thursday evening.

The dispute over the zoo’s management has long been an issue. The Surabaya administration claimed that it had the right to manage the 15-hectare zoo because it owned the land.

Meanwhile, the Forestry Ministry, through the Natural Resources Conservation Agency, appointed the Surabaya zoo management team to manage the zoo as the Surabaya administration was not licensed to act as in a management capacity. (swd)