Perth Zoo receives Conservation Award for Bukit Tigapuluh Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Program

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, today welcomed the In-Situ Conservation Award received by Perth Zoo for its Bukit Tigapuluh Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Program in East Sumatra.

“This is a well deserved Award. Many Australian and Indonesian professionals have worked hard to bring this project to fruition,” said Ambassador Farmer.

Perth Zoo won this national award for its in-situ conservation work protecting some of the world’s most threatened species – in particular Sumatran Orang-utan – and their habitat in Sumatra.

“The Bukit Tigapuluh ecosystem is the world’s first re-introduction program of Sumatran orang-utan. The success of this project is proof of the environmental partnerships that have been created between Australian and Indonesian government and non-government agencies, as well as with the Frankfurt Zoological Society,” said Ambassador Farmer.

Ms Susan Hunt, Perth Zoo’s Chief Executive said “This is an on-going program to protect Indonesia’s only national park with a complete representation of Sumatran mega-fauna including the world’s most threatened Great Ape, the Sumatran Orang-utan, and the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger.”

Perth Zoo has been working in the Bukit Tigapuluh ecosystem since 2006 and has provided over A$500,000 for wildlife protection, infrastructure including wildlife protection posts and wildlife sanctuary facilities, education programs, research, and employment and training of local staff.

The Bukit Tigapuluh National Park is home to a Sumatran Orang-utan reintroduction program aimed at re-establishing a population of this threatened species in the wild. In a world first, a Perth Zoo-born orang-utan, Temara, was released into the park in November 2006 as part of the re-introduction program.

The prestigious In-Situ Conservation Award was announced by the Zoo and Aquarium Association at the 2010 awards ceremony in Victoria, Australia, last week.

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