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Malaysian Reserve
5 days ago
- General
- Malaysian Reserve
Three Generations Strong: Bali Zoo's Silvery Gibbon Legacy Grows
From Boris's journey back to the wild to the birth of baby Seruni, Bali Zoo leads efforts to conserve one of Indonesia's rarest primates. BALI, Indonesia, June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — In line with its mission Love. Conserve. Share., Bali Zoo shares a powerful story of hope in wildlife conservation. The silvery gibbon (Hylobates moloch), endemic to Indonesia and classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List, is not only surviving but thriving through dedicated conservation efforts. This year marks the first birthday of Seruni, a healthy female silvery gibbon born at Bali Zoo in 2024. She is the offspring of Boris's sister. Boris, a male silvery gibbon born at the zoo in 2010, was successfully released into the wild at Situ Patengan, West Java, in 2019. After spending one year at a rehabilitation center, Boris was deemed fit for release. The reintroduction was carried out in partnership with The Aspinall Foundation and Indonesian conservation authorities. 'To have bred an endangered animal, released it into the wild, and now welcome the next generation of its extended family is an extraordinary achievement,' said Emma Chandra, Public Relations at Bali Zoo. 'It shows that our long-term commitment to conservation is working.' Bali Zoo's silvery gibbon family now spans three generations, beginning with parents Koko and Minul (both born in 2000), who raised Boris along with four other offspring including Paris, Syahrini, Cincin, and Dahlia. The arrival of Seruni, born to Boris's sister signals not only successful breeding but also a sustained effort to protect one of Indonesia's most endangered primates. Over the past five years, Bali Zoo has recorded key breeding milestones, including: One silvery gibbon, Seruni (born in 2024) One male Sumatran orangutan (born in 2022) Two male Sumatran elephants (born in 2022 and 2023) Multiple births of Indonesia's endemic and exotic species from 2020 to 2025, including: Javan langur, Yellow-crested cockatoos, Papua wallabies, Timor deer and Spotted deer. Since 2019, Bali Zoo supports the Chainsaw Buyback Program in collaboration with Yayasan ASRI. This initiative helps former illegal loggers transition to sustainable livelihoods while protecting vital forest habitats, particularly for orangutans. About Bali Zoo Bali Zoo is home to over 600 animals and is dedicated to the conservation of Indonesia's endemic wildlife. Located in Gianyar. Bali. Click HERE for more images.
Hindustan Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
India's biodiversity is a strategic advantage
As India's geopolitical future sways with the swings of the global political pendulum, it is worth reflecting on the constant in the chaos, a North Star among spinning constellations. India's biodiversity can be that sanctuary, that bank which helps us remain aatmanirbhar (self- reliant). Natural wealth is immune to trade and tariff wars, a trump card in climate diplomacy. It is a sacred vault which can future-proof our ambitions to be an abundant society by 2047. India is one of very few countries with an unbroken culture of 5,000 years that is animated with the understanding that we are part of nature; that it is our privilege and duty to nurture and enrich all life on earth. That sacrality may be dimming in the face of a young population and polity demanding rapid, modern economic development. So, we must weave anew the stories, craft again the culture, the rituals, and behaviours that restore ecological belonging. Biodiversity is no longer a nice-to-have natural heritage. It could be a differentiator in the global arena, as scarcity mindsets take over with the climate crisis. If we act now, if we protect now, societal gains and economic rewards will accrue over time. Biodiversity markets are deepening, with a growing demand for high-quality carbon credits with biodiversity safeguards. There is a strong pushback from environmentalists. Yet, if done right, it could allow first mile communities to be rewarded for conservation practices, to improve their lives and livelihoods. The European Space Agency has launched a mission to map global biomass, penetrating dense forests to assess stored carbon. The Global Biodiversity Standard may push biodiversity monitoring further. This, in turn, will fuel the demand for verified ecosystem services provided by natural environments. The time is ripe to enhance our national, natural biodiversity. Luckily, despite more than three decades of fast-tracked development, inevitably swallowing up natural capital, India retains high biodiversity. The Forest Rights Act recognises the critical role of indigenous communities in conservation. Centuries of stewardship ensured that only four mammals — the Asiatic cheetah, the Javan rhinoceros, Sumatran rhino, and the banteng — have become extinct in India, though many are now endangered. India is still blessed with vast floral and faunal species. We boast 13% of global bird species, and part of the world's largest mangrove forest. Though nearly half our land is under cultivation, there is significant co-existence with wildlife; 300 species were documented just in the agricultural lands of the Ganga basin. Outside our forests, pastoral lands, tea and coffee plantations and even urban parks hold untold biodiversity. Protect our plants, and we protect critical water sources that are an insurance against disrupted monsoon patterns. Forests slow down water, and they do it for free. The cost of man-made infrastructure for the same service has been prohibitive and repetitive — a Sisyphean task. Protect our animals, and we protect pharmaceutical innovation and the health care of our citizens. The drugs of the future are waiting to be discovered in our biota. Much has been newly understood about zoopharmacognosy — how animals use plants as natural medicine. Most primates, big cats and even domesticated cattle and dogs still have the nutritional wisdom to seek out worm-destroying shrubs and grasses. We can learn much from the animal world about protecting human health. Biodiversity research also offers remediation against new pollutants. University of Wuhan researchers found that a sponge made of cotton and squid could absorb 99.9% of microplastics in water. Indian universities must urgently ramp up such research, leveraging the opportunity from fleeing global talent. If forests are a storehouse for genetic resources, new materials, and biomimicry-based innovations, trees also create microclimates that mitigate the impact of extreme heat; 2024 was the hottest year on record. Churu, Rajasthan recorded a maximum of 50.5°C. At those temperatures, people can die. We need shady cover more than ever. There is a price to be paid for inattention. Bees, essential for pollinating half of all food crops, are declining worldwide. Honeybee deaths have hit record highs, including in Punjab. Commercial beekeepers in the US have lost 60% of their colonies, valued conservatively at $139 million this year. We are entangled with nature even as we drive species extinction. For today's generations, we need to spell out that entanglement. Can we go beyond GDP to better account for our natural capital? Recently, the Indian Institute of Forest Management, in collaboration with the National Tiger Conservation Authority, conducted an economic valuation of India's tiger reserves, using Stanford University's open source InVest methodology. The study estimated that each of the 10 tiger reserves monitored generated about $1.2 billion to $4.0 billion in ecosystem services every year. Imagine what we will uncover about the inherent value of other ecological assets, by using indigenously refined models. When we do, it will be easier to make better development trade-offs. A highway through a forest? A mega dam across a life generating river? Let's consider smarter alternatives. Measuring biodiversity is only one way to enhance public appreciation of the ecological legacy we borrow from future generations. If we as shareholders are inspired to become trustees of India's natural capital, it will become a kamadhenu — a gift that keeps on giving. Rohini Nilekani, chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, is the author of Samaaj, Sarkaar Bazaar – A citizen first approach. The views expressed are personal
Gulf Today
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
French President Macron decorates Indonesia leader, announces cultural partnership
French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed Indonesia's leader with France's top award on Thursday, before announcing a new cultural partnership with Jakarta on a visit to the world's largest Buddhist temple. Macron's trip to Indonesia is the second stop of a three-nation, six-day tour of Southeast Asia that began with Vietnam and concludes in Singapore. After meeting for talks in the capital Jakarta, Macron and his counterpart Prabowo Subianto flew by helicopter on Thursday from Javan city Yogyakarta to a military academy in Magelang, a city in Central Java surrounded by mountains. The pair attended a military parade and Macron gave Prabowo the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest military or civil award. Emmanuel Macron (lower R) visits Borobudur Temple, the world's largest Buddhist monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Magelang. AFP Macron rode in a jeep driven by Prabowo with the pair welcomed by a marching band and hundreds of students waving Indonesian flags. Macron then visited Borobudur, a Buddhist temple built in the 9th century that is the world's largest, where the pair announced they were boosting cultural ties. Prabowo Subianto, Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron meet during a visit at Borobudur Temple. Reuters "In front of this temple, we are taking an important step by launching a new cultural partnership," said Macron. "The first pillar is heritage and museum cooperation. The second pillar is cultural and creative industries," he said. Macron said the basis of the new partnership would be cinema and fashion, as well as video games, design and gastronomy. The French leader will now depart for Singapore where he will deliver the opening address Friday at the Shangri-la Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum. On Wednesday, the pair called for progress on "mutual recognition" between Israel and the Palestinians at a key meeting next month as Macron brought the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation into his diplomatic efforts. "Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognises Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognise Israel and open the diplomatic relationship," said Prabowo. Indonesia has no formal ties with Israel and support for the Palestinian cause among Indonesians runs high. The nations also signed a series of agreements on cooperation in a range of fields including defence, trade, agriculture, disaster management, culture and transport. Agence France-Presse
Observer
29-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
Macron decorates Indonesia leader, announces cultural partnership
MAGELANG: French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed Indonesia's leader with France's top award on Thursday, before announcing a new cultural partnership with Jakarta on a visit to the world's largest Buddhist temple. Macron's trip to Indonesia is the second stop of a three-nation, six-day tour of Southeast Asia that began with Vietnam and concludes in Singapore. After meeting for talks in the capital Jakarta, Macron and his counterpart Prabowo Subianto flew by helicopter on Thursday from Javan city Yogyakarta to a military academy in Magelang, a city in Central Java surrounded by mountains. The pair attended a military parade and Macron gave Prabowo the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest military or civil award. Macron rode in a jeep driven by Prabowo with the pair welcomed by a marching band and hundreds of students waving Indonesian flags. Macron then visited Borobudur, a Buddhist temple built in the 9th century that is the world's largest, where the pair announced they were boosting cultural ties. "In front of this temple, we are taking an important step by launching a new cultural partnership," said Macron. "The first pillar is heritage and museum cooperation. The second pillar is cultural and creative industries," he said. Macron said the basis of the new partnership would be cinema and fashion, as well as video games, design and gastronomy. The French leader will now depart for Singapore where he will deliver the opening address on Friday at the Shangri-la Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum. France and Indonesia called on Wednesday for progress on "mutual recognition" between Israel and the Palestinians at a key meeting next month as Emmanuel Macron visited Jakarta, bringing the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation into his diplomatic efforts. It came as Paris and Jakarta signed a series of cooperation agreements, with Macron seeking to deepen trade and defence ties with Southeast Asia's largest economy on a three-country tour promoting France as a balancing power between the United States and China. Speaking next to his French counterpart, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto made a rare pledge to recognise Israel if it allowed for a Palestinian state. Indonesia has no formal ties with Israel and support for the Palestinian cause runs high there. "Indonesia sees that the two-state solution and the freedom of Palestine is the only way to achieve the true peace," Prabowo told a news conference. "We must acknowledge and guarantee Israel's rights as a sovereign country that must be paid attention to and guaranteed safety. Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognises Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognise Israel and open the diplomatic relationship." Macron said Paris hopes to "trigger a movement of recognition for a Palestinian state under certain conditions", including the demilitarisation of Hamas and recognition of Israel's right to exist and protect itself. "This is the only way and your president this morning made a very important speech," he said of Prabowo's remarks. The nations signed a series of memoranda of understanding on cooperation in a range of fields including defence, trade, agriculture, disaster management culture and transport. The French president was later scheduled to meet investors and students, and attend a state dinner. In the face of US President Donald Trump's tariffs and Washington's economic confrontation with China, Macron was seeking to turn his "third way" position into contracts for French companies, particularly in defence, energy and critical minerals. French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Indonesia signed a letter of intent for future purchases of more Rafale jets from French company Dassault Aviation, without specifying figures or a timeline. Indonesia also pledged to buy light frigates and Scorpene submarines, as well as Caesar howitzers and ammunition from French-German defence group KNDS, the minister wrote on X. French mining giant Eramet also signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia's new sovereign wealth funds Danantara and the Indonesian Investment Authority "to explore the establishment of a strategic investment platform in the nickel sector", the mining firm said in a statement. In Vietnam on Tuesday, Macron presented France as a "power of peace and balance", committed to an international order "based on law".
The Star
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
French President Macron decorates Indonesia leader, announces cultural partnership
France's President Emmanuel Macron (right) and Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto (left) inspect the honour guard during a visit at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java on May 29, 2025. - Photo: AFP MAGELANG, (Indonesia): French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed Indonesia's leader with France's top award on Thursday (May 29), before announcing a new cultural partnership with Jakarta on a visit to the world's largest Buddhist temple. Macron's trip to Indonesia is the second stop of a three-nation, six-day tour of Southeast Asia that began with Vietnam and concludes in Singapore. After meeting for talks in the capital Jakarta, Macron and his counterpart Prabowo Subianto flew by helicopter on Thursday from Javan city Yogyakarta to a military academy in Magelang, a city in Central Java surrounded by mountains. The pair attended a military parade and Macron gave Prabowo the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France's highest military or civil award. Prabowo is an ex-general accused of rights abuses under dictator Suharto's rule in the late 1990s. He was discharged from the military over his role in the abductions of democracy activists but denied the allegations and was never charged. Macron rode in a jeep driven by Prabowo with the pair welcomed by a marching band and hundreds of students waving Indonesian flags. Macron then visited Borobudur, a Buddhist temple built in the 9th century that is the world's largest, where the pair announced they were boosting cultural ties. "In front of this temple, we are taking an important step by launching a new cultural partnership," said Macron. "The first pillar is heritage and museum cooperation. The second pillar is cultural and creative industries," he said. Macron said the basis of the new partnership would be cinema and fashion, as well as video games, design and gastronomy. The French leader will now depart for Singapore where he will deliver the opening address Friday at the Shangri-la Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum. On Wednesday, the pair called for progress on "mutual recognition" between Israel and the Palestinians at a key meeting next month as Macron brought the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation into his diplomatic efforts. "Indonesia has stated that once Israel recognises Palestine, Indonesia is ready to recognise Israel and open the diplomatic relationship," said Prabowo. Indonesia has no formal ties with Israel and support for the Palestinian cause among Indonesians runs high. The nations also signed a series of agreements on cooperation in a range of fields including defence, trade, agriculture, disaster management, culture and transport. - AFP
