Indonesia

TEMPO Interactive, Yogyakarta: Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengku Buwono X is scheduled to release a Javan Hawk-Eagle at the Southern foot of Mt. Merapi. The release is expected to raise the population of the rare species in post-eruption area around Mt. Merapi.

Prior to the release, the four-year-old male hawk-eagle has undergone rehabilitation at the Wildlife Rescue Centre (WRC) in Yogyakarta for two years. Khusnun Imron, a Bantul student, gave the hawk to the Yogyakarta WRC in June 24, 2011. Khusnun said he was concerned about the endangered species being traded freely—the hawk-eagle is the country’s national symbol. Therefore, Khusnun handed the bird over to the Yogyakarta WRC for rehabilitation so that it could be released back into the wild.

Yogyakarta WRC animal management division director Dian Tresno Wikanthi said the hawk-eagle was in poor condition when it was taken in by the WRC. Its claws and beak were too long, which indicated that the animal had been chained to a metal bar that prevented the bird from wetting its claws and beak as it would have in the wild. “When it was given to us, the hawk-eagle couldn’t fly,” said Dian.

By Heru CN
Tempo Interactive
19 February 2013