In Bali Barat National Park (Buleleng Regency), 12 Timor deer were released into the wild. According to the head of the division for species and genetic resources conservation of the Ministry of Environment, the release aims to restore the population within the species' natural range — outside of Papua, where the deer is not endemic.
"The native range of the Timor deer is Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, and West Nusa Tenggara. In Papua, this species is not endemic, and therefore its numbers are regulated by quotas," he explained.
The release was the result of cooperation between the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BKSDA), the park administration, and Bali Zoo, where the species is bred. Before being released, all animals underwent an adaptation period and a veterinary checkup. "The deer were under the supervision of zoo veterinarians. I personally checked their condition before the release," said BKSDA veterinarian Fitri Murjaningsih. According to her, observations confirmed that the animals were ready for independent life.
Six males and six females aged between four months and seven years were released into the wild. Since July 30, they had been kept in a temporary enclosure for adaptation.
The park covers an area of about 19,000 hectares. Supervision of the area is carried out by 33 rangers; however, according to Nuryadi, this is insufficient — support from the police and army is needed. Buleleng police chief Ida Bagus Widwan Sutadi confirmed the law enforcement's readiness to protect the wildlife: "We have already detained poachers hunting deer in the park, including in other regions, up to Banyuwangi and Sulawesi." According to him, the police have implemented a patrol system with QR codes to monitor the presence of officers at key locations: "We place codes in necessary places. Each patrol must scan the code on site — this is proof of inspection."
Bali Zoo representative Emma Chandra noted that this is the first time in history that Timor deer have been released into the wild on Bali: "We have about 70 individuals, and 12 of them have already been set free."
The Timor deer is listed as a protected species according to a ministry decree and is considered vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification. In addition to poaching, the species is affected by food shortages, habitat destruction, and natural predators.
The released animals are expected to adapt and join already existing wild deer groups in the park. They will be monitored for the next 1–3 months to ensure everything is going well.
Source: liputan6
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