Thirty Percent of Flora and Fauna Extinct
Wednesday, 08 November, 2006 | 16:25 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Rachmat Witoelar, the Environment Minister, has said that more than 30 percent of Indonesia’s flora and fauna is extinct.

Rachmat also said many flora and fauna are threatened with extinction.

“Such as Bali mynahs, elephants and tigers,” he Rachmat at the celebration of Flora and Fauna Care Day 2006 at the Vice President’s office, Jakarta, yesterday (7/11).

Rachmat said the extinction of animals and plants indigenous to Indonesia was caused by human acts that ruin the environment.

For example excessive forest exploitation, forest fires, illegal logging and illegal hunting.

Up until July 2006, 59.3 million hectares out of 127 million hectares of land have been recorded to have been severely damaged.

According to Rachmat, barren land causes a decline in the flora and fauna population and ecosystem damage.

In addition, forest damage causes a decrease in superior agricultural varieties including rice.

Therefore, he called on regional leaders to also protect flora and fauna from extinction.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, on the occasion said that there should be love among humans, plants and animals.

“They need each other,” said the Vice President.

He also asked members of the general public to get involved in conserving the forests.

During the celebration, the government bestowed Satyalencana Pembangunan awards on six Kalpataru grantees who have been active in preserving environment in the last ten years.

Among them are I Wayan Widistra from Bali, Sunu from East Java, and Purwanto from Central Java.

First-day covers of Flora and fauna stamp series with the pictures of four new species from Papua were also launched at the event.

SUTARTO