NEW BALI STARLING BLOOD LINE TO BE RELEASED INTO ISLAND BIRD SANCTUARY

Media Alert – 27 December 2013

A PAIR of critically endangered Bali starlings (Jalak Bali), from the West Bali National Park, will be set free on Friends of the National Parks Foundation’s (FNPF) bird sanctuary on Nusa Penida island on 31 December 2013.

“Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Zulkifli Hasan, will release the birds in a special ceremony near our conservation center at 10am on Monday,” says FNPF Founder and CEO Dr I Gede Nyoman Bayu Wirayudha. “We’re very excited – these birds will bring a new blood line to the more than 100 Bali starlings already living in the wild within island sanctuary.”

FNPF is an Indonesian nonprofit working to protect wildlife and its habitat, at the same time as supporting local communities.

“FNPF has been providing technical support and advice to West Bali National Park for its Bali starling conservation program for more than 10 years. It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to introduce into our sanctuary a new bloodline from the leading government institution working to save this precious endemic bird,” says Dr Wirayudha.

The two Bali starlings that will be released on Monday, have been given in exchange for starlings from FNPF’s breeding collection on Nusa Penida.

The sanctuary, the only one of its kind in Indonesia, provides an unofficial haven for endangered birds. Within the sanctuary, just off the coast of mainland Bali, FNPF rehabilitates and releases ex-captive birds, is involved in reforestation and community development.

The project has the backing of the islands’ 46 villages. Indonesia has the world’s second-highest number of endangered birds, and the Bali starlings is one of world’s most endangered birds.

This is the second time a Minister of Forestry has released birds on behalf of FNPF. In 2009, Indonesia’s then Minister of Forestry visited Nusa Penida to release two Bali starlings.

The sanctuary also has the backing of the Bali Bureau of Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), which recently sponsored the installation of four bird nest boxes into trees on the island, as well donating seeds and polybags for FNPF’s nursery.

FNPF’s conservation projects, which respect the interdependence of wildlife, habitat and local people, are designed to be holistic, sustainable and have been internationally recognized by organizations such as the Whitley Fund for Nature, and the Rainforest Action Network.

FNPF relies solely on the generous support of our donors and volunteers to continue its work. To make a donation visit our website at www.fnpf.org. FNPF thanks its donors, such as the Humane Society International (Australia), who have supported its work on Nusa Penida.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact email info@fnpf.org or phone +62 361 977 978

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