Shining a spotlight on Indonesia’s forgotten species
Not all endangered species make the headlines, but three incredibly important animals need our attention – banteng, anoa, and babirusa.
These Indonesian species are facing a crisis, and Chester Zoo is working to protect them.
Action Indonesia Day, set for August 10, aims to raise awareness of these remarkable animals and the conservation work behind them. Although these species are critical to their ecosystems and acknowledged as important by the Indonesian government, they often fly under the radar in global conservation efforts.
We know a lot of people who visit the zoo don’t know that we care for banteng, anoa, and babirusa here, or even what these species are. It’s easy to look at a banteng and think: ‘that’s just a cow’, but they’re just as rare and just as vital to the biodiversity of their habitat as better-known species.
Amy Humphreys, Programme Coordinator IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group at Chester Zoo
Banteng, anoa, and babirusa are in desperate need of support. Fewer than 2,500 lowland anoa remain in the wild, with banteng populations dwindling to fewer than 3,000, and the babirusa facing an uncertain future with fewer than 10,000 left on the Indonesian islands.
“Action Indonesia Day is an opportunity to tell people about these species and celebrate what zoos and conservationists are doing to help the mission to save them,” Amy added.
Alongside raising awareness, Chester Zoo is playing a crucial role in conservation efforts. The zoo supports international breeding programmes and conducts important research, such as hormone testing on banteng and anoa dung samples to aid understanding of these species’ health and reproduction. Amy and her colleague, Corinne Bailey, also work on the ground in Indonesia to protect these animals' habitats, including camera trapping surveys to study populations and species-specific threats.
These animals are more than just zoo residents – they are vital to their ecosystems, acting as ‘ecosystem engineers’ that help maintain biodiversity. Unfortunately, threats like habitat loss, swine flu, and hybridisation with domesticated animals continue to put these species at risk.
Your support can help make a difference. Chester Zoo’s JustGiving campaign for Action Indonesia Day is raising funds to help field programmes in Indonesia, where £15 could fund one day of food and fuel for a ranger installing camera traps.
To donate or find out more about how you can support these species, click the links below.
JustGiving Campaign
About Action Indonesia
Let’s work together to protect these incredible animals before it’s too late.