Petungsewu Wildlife Education Center: Malang, East Java

A simple slogan on a wooden sign greets anyone coming to Petungsewu Wildlife Education Center in Malang regency, East Java. The center’s project manager Sri Wahyuni said the slogan — Tak Kenal Maka Tak Sayang, which translates to if you don’t know about it you can’t love it — targets the younger generation, many of whom remain unaware of the country’s rich flora and fauna.

He said this generation’s lack of knowledge in this area meant “their love of nature or of the country’s wild species is not strong”.

Sri runs the education center which is located in Petungsewu village in Dau district and said,”this country’s rich native (biodiversity) can only be compared with Brazil and Zaire”.

She said the center had been inspired by the archipelago’s native heritage and its aim was to serve as an information education center on wildlife preservation and its habitat.

The center is built on a one hectare site at the foot of Mount Kawi, some 10 km west of Malang city and educational experiences there blend adventure, games and recreation to introduce environment issues to visitors.

Activities include camping, cycling, trekking and various outbound adventures and visiting students are encouraged to directly learn new things they rarely have the opportunity to experience in school.

They can learn more about environmental issues, like forest and river ecosystems, they can partake in birdwatching or they can analyze vegetations and observe insects.

Another program includes education on river ecosystems, erosion and sources of energy.

Educational films take in wildlife preservation and animal welfare as well as issues surrounding the illegal trade of endangered species.

The center’s surrounds boast some 80 different bird species and visitors can use a special telescope to see the birds along tracks through villages, plantations, forests and along a river to its waterfall.

This trip can stretch either 2.5 km or 10 km and visitors are invited to take a close look at all the wildlife along the way.

“By engaging visitors and children in games and other recreational or adventure activities, they can directly learn about wildlife preservation issues without (the formality of a school lecture),” Sri said.

And if visitors want to learn more about nature conservation issues they can stay for up to three days.

The center is the country’s only informational education center on wildlife and habitat preservation and includes a accommodation for up to 143 people.

“This sort of education program on nature conservation and wildlife preservation will increase children’s understanding of their school subjects,” said Bibin Bintariadi, a 42-year-old resident of Singosari in Malang regency who took his wife and two children to the center.

He said he believed children would understand their school subjects better by experiencing first hand wildlife issues covered by the center.

The move to teach visitors to love the country’s natural heritage and wildlife is encompassed by the center’s catering services where food on the menu is natural, meat free and without seasonings like MSG.

“All food here is natural and safe,” Sri said.

The center is also located alongside Petungsewu Animal Rescue Center, where confiscated animals are quarantined before being released back to their natural habitat.

Sri Wahyuni said visitors to his center indirectly assisted the animal rescue center because monies raised by his center would be channeled to animal rescue activities.

“Apart from improving students’ achievements at school, we hope the center can encourage … (an) appreciation of nature and God’s creations,” Sri said.

“A love of nature and our wildlife will also improve the younger generation’s care for and love for each other,” said Rosek Nursahid of ProFauna International, the main umbrella organization of both centers.

Wahyoe Boediwardhana