The Diverse Benefits from Masters of the Sky

Name: The Diverse Benefits from Masters of the Sky
Uploaded: 2019-11-29T03:53:48Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: The conservation of eagles is more than a mere wildlife rescue attempt. When they are flapping skyward, they often bring unexpected benefits to humans.

The conservation of eagles is more than a mere wildlife rescue attempt. When they are flapping skyward, they often bring unexpected benefits to humans.

CORNELIUS HELMY

· 5 minutes read

The noisy squeaks or marmots greeted Ahmad Nursobar, 26, as he reached the house of Jajang Cahyana, 31, in Sukaresmi village, Sukaresmi district, Garut, West Java, on Tuesday (19/11/2019). On that day, Nursobar was scheduled to collect marmots to feed eagles at the Kamojang Eagle Conservation Center (PKEK) in Samarang, Garut.

Nursobar is a volunteer for the PKEK, one of the eagle sanctuaries in Indonesia. Operating since 2014, the center has taken care of 239 eagles. A total of 46 have been released into the wild and 126 others are being cared for. However, 67 dead eagles have been recorded due to injuries and diseases. Every day, the eagles being treated need 80 marmots, which are raised by 70 breeders as partners.

After welcoming Nursobar, Jajang took his marmots one by one from a bamboo pen. They were 1.5 months old on average and weighed around 300 grams each. He charged Rp 9,000 for one marmot. From the sale of 56 marmots, Jajang received Rp 504,000.

However, 67 dead eagles have been recorded due to injuries and diseases.

Jajang, who also sells leather wallets and belts, has only for the last three months supplied marmots to the PKEK. He sells marmots every two weeks. “The money from marmots is spent on the cost of delivery of my second child. The leather business is dull,” he said.

Around 15 kilometers from Jajang’s house, at the foot of Mount Cikuray, marmots for the PKEK’s eagles also help Arip Maulani, 38, a resident of Sukamulya, Bayongbong, Garut, execute his noble undertaking. Through the Ibnu Hambali educational institute, Arip has the mission of saving the future of 22 primary to senior high school students by means of the Independent Student Movement program to prevent them from dropping out. One of the program’s applications is cattle breeding. Besides marmots, there are also rabbits and sheep.

Lately, the money from marmot sales has been appropriated for the cost of Ujang Gunawan, 19, to further his study at a state university in Bandung. Half of the monthly living cost of Rp 1 million of the farm worker’s child is financed with the marmot breeding fund.

“On the one hand, marmots and eagles help reduce the rate of school dropouts. On the other hand, a lot more eagles will hopefully be released, including those in Cikuray. When it becomes eagle habitat, denuded Cikuray will likely be green again so that farm workers here will face no more water shortages for crop cultivation,” said Arip.

Rehabilitation

PKEK operational manager Zaini Rakhman said the public involvement in the supply of eagle feed had made his center focus more on the rehabilitation of the birds.

19 eagles even suffer from permanent physical disability and are the least likely to be set free.

Nearly all the eagles of the PKEK are confiscated from people who own them illegally. Not only do they require physical rehabilitation, the eagles entering the center are also psychologically hurt. Such conditions make their rehabilitation longer. Some eagles have been nursed for 2 to 3 years. At present, 19 eagles even suffer from permanent physical disability and are the least likely to be set free.

A male crested serpent eagle named Kunyit, for instance, came from Sukabumi with a left leg joint defect. By those who previously kept this bird, Kunyit’s leg was frequently tied to prevent it from flying. As a result of this, Kunyit is unable to clutch its prey properly. When it arrived, its wild behavior had gone. Kunyit was already accustomed to feeding on the floor and not scared of being close to humans.

Nonetheless, there are those that have finally been successfully released. For example, a pair of Javan eagles called Ki Tarum and Nyi Santi were released at the Cisanti Site, Bandung regency, by President Joko Widodo.

The aim was to make the presence of eagles truly beneficial for humans and their surrounding environment.

Zaini mentioned the role of Javan eagles as an indicator of water resources because of their nesting activity upstream of rivers. “If Javan eagles are still found, it can be ascertained that water is still ideally available. Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) of Kamojang as a major supporter of the PKEK is well aware of this,” he said.

On several occasions, PGE president director Ali Mundakir referred to the very vital role of eagles in supporting the operational continuity of renewable geothermal energy. Like eagles, the utilization of geothermal energy needs ideal environmental support.

Today, PGE-Kamojang produces 235 megawatts, which can be consumed by 235,000 houses with a capacity of 1,000 watts.

The presence of eagles also benefits Ahmad Nur Fathurodin, 37, who owns a coffee shop typical of Garut. The resident of Sukakarya, Samarang, claimed that eight of his 24 prized coffee bean varieties had been found by eagles. “My guides for finding coffee plantations are the eagles flying over them. Eagles serve as an indicator of a healthy environment,” he said.

Amid the rapidly changing times, eagles cannot be left alone. The role of humans is required to guarantee their continued survival. Still, when eagles are allowed to reign over the sky, humans will enjoy the benefits they offer.

Editor:

Syahnan Rangkuti

Conservation eagle eagle rehabilitation kamojang eagle