Her name is Melani, a Sumatran Tiger in KBS (Surabaya Zoo), Indonesia.
She is undernourished, you can see her skin clinging to her bones. At her age, a healthy feline should weighted at 100 kg, but Melani is 60 kg. Her days are spent laying helpless on the cage floor. Almost every food she consumed was eventually vomited a few moments later, and diarrhea is preying for her life. The only trace of her soul is her fierce eyes seeking for your help. Melani is not the only one. Last month, a male tiger Razak died after lungs disease due to tiny and unsanitary cage. Many are now concerned Melani will die soon, or she might face euthanasia. Ironically there are only 600 Sumatran tigers left in Sumatran forests.
In March 2012, the only giraffe in KBS died in her cage after her stomach was filled with plastic garbage. The giraffe and other animals in KBS do live under inhumane condition: tiny cage filled with garbage and inadequate sunlight. Some of them does not have shelter after their cage was leased as rooms for humans, and leafy trees to shade was occupied for witchcraft clinic.
The revised Indonesian penal code article 302 clearly indicates that animal owners are responsible for the welfare and safety of their animals, this includes giving a good care and feed them. Negligence for the animal’s wellbeing, and causing them to be ill and hurt are a violation of the code and punishable for 2-7 years prison and penalty up to 10 million rupiah.
While an ad hoc management team to rescue KBS has been appointed, the pictures and videos of Melani in terrible condition indicates the management is not doing enough. What happened to KBS management? Why many animals in still in poor condition? Internal conflicts within the organization could be the driving factor, but animal welfare should always be the main concern. Therefore we request Indonesian Minister of Forestry, Zulkifli Hasan to save the animals in KBS and have them nurtured as instructed in Indonesian penal code (KUHP) article 302 on animal welfare.
We ask you to join the petition to support the Minister of Forestry to act immediately and save the animals at the KBS zoo. Not only because they are endangered, but also because they are a living being like us that can feel pain and fear. Let’s speak up for those who cannot speak.
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