0 FNPF releases more Bali starlings into the wild

The Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF) released six more Bali starlings into the wild in Nusa Lembongan, one of three small islands off the coast of Bali that for years have assisted the foundation in protecting endangered birds. So far, the foundation has released a total of 74 Bali starlings and overseen a growth in its population in the wild to at least 105 birds. The release took place on Thursday at the courtyard of Puaji temple in Jungutbatu village and was attended by around 80 villagers and activists, including FNPF’s founder Bayu Wirayudha, Lembongan customary village chief I Wayan Dunglep, and Nusa Penida Police chief Comr. 

I Wayan Sarjana. Two huge Kepuh trees (Sterculia foetida) stand in the courtyard, their branches full of wild birds that kept chirping as the temple priest officiated over a modest ritual to announce the starling release to the deities. “As the birds soared to freedom into the ancient trees, I think we all felt our hearts soar a little, too. It was an honor to see Bali’s iconic bird fly off to live in freedom and safety in the wild,” FNPF’s Alan El-Kadhi said. The birds will be closely monitored by FNPF staff and villagers for the next month, the most crucial time for them to adapt to survival in the wild. 

But from FNPF’s previous experience of rehabilitating and releasing Bali starlings on the neighboring Nusa Penida island, they were confident that the birds would survive and quickly join the existing population. FNPF scored a big success in 2006 when all the villages on the three islands — Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, agreed to incorporate wild bird protection into their respective awig-awig (customary law) which for Balinese holds more sway than state laws. In return, FNPF runs community development programs that bring commercial, educational and cultural wellbeing to the islanders. 

The Bali starlings FNPF released in Nusa Penida have spread across the island, with a few crossing onto Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan. Thursday’s release of six Bali starlings aimed at increasing the genetic diversity of those on Nusa Lembongan. The birds were provided by Soehana Oetojo, who has reared over 850 Bali starlings in captivity at his center in Bandung, West Java. A strong supporter of FNPF, Soehana personally attended the release. Nusa Penida Police chief Comr. Sarjana asked the community leaders to continue to encourage local people to protect the birds. 

He recounted how in early in 2012 the local villagers informed him that the Begawan Foundation, another NGO working on Bali starlings, had taken four baby wild Bali starlings from their nests on Nusa Penida and relocated them to their bird breeding facility in Ubud. Sarjana launched an investigation that saw him spending 10 days in Ubud before he managed to meet the foundation’s executive. He gave the executive a simple option of bringing the birds back to Nusa Penida or facing a criminal investigation. In early April, Begawan Foundation returned five Bali starlings to Nusa Penida. Unfortunately, according to FNPF, these were not the original wild Bali starlings taken by Begawan Foundation. “I encourage you to report to me if there is anything like that happening in the near future and I will make sure I take action. We have a regulation for this and I will enforce it,” Sarjana said.

source : bali daily