TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The problem continues to haunt Bandung Zoo. This time, it is the recurring crisis of providing food for the animals. The issue is not new—it first surfaced during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the zoo lost its main source of income as ticket sales came to a halt, leaving management struggling to cover feeding costs.
The current problem was revealed by the Coordinator of Bandung Zoo's Transition Management, Rochman Suryaman. He stated that the Ministry of Forestry has been regularly providing animal feed only until May 5, 2026, which is today. "We don't know what will happen after the 5th of May," he said when met at Bandung Zoo on Monday, May 4, 2026.
According to Rochman, about 80% of the animal feed at Bandung Zoo has to be purchased daily from several suppliers, such as fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. There are some exceptions for certain types of feed that can last for three to seven days, such as bananas, sweet potatoes, and elephant grass.
"We can only provide food for the animals when there is feed available. If there is no feed, we don't know what steps to take," said Rochman. It was previously reported that the cost of feeding the 700-animal collection at Bandung Zoo for one month is around Rp400 million.
The West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA Jawa Barat) also stated that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Forestry and the Mayor of Bandung will end on May 5, 2026. The agreement was made after Bandung Zoo, managed by Yayasan Margasatwa Tamansari, experienced internal conflict, leading the Ministry of Forestry to revoke its management permit on February 3, 2026.
The revocation of the permit forced the legendary tourist spot to close on February 5, 2026. During the period without management, the Ministry of Forestry agreed to cover the feeding costs, while the Bandung City Government paid the salaries of over 100 employees at Bandung Zoo every month.
The management of Bandung Zoo is being auctioned by the Bandung City Government. If May 5 passes and Bandung Zoo still does not have a new manager, the Ministry of Forestry, through BBKSDA Jawa Barat, plans to translocate a total of 711 animals in stages to conservation and rehabilitation centers as well as wildlife rescue centers.
The translocation will prioritize protected and endemic animals to ensure their well-being.
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