EAST BELITUNG – To preserve the population of Sambar Deer, PT Timah Tbk together with the South Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center transferred ten sires of Sambar Deer to a captive location at the Batu Besi Mine, Damar District, East Belitung Regency, Tuesday (1/3/2022).
Previously, PT Timah Tbk had a license for breeding Sambar and Deer from the Directorate General of Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to carry out breeding of sambar and deer in three locations, which is in Pangkalpinang, West Bangka and East Belitung.
As is known, the Sambar Deer (Rusa Unicolor) is one of the protected animals. The Sambar deer has the characteristic that its body is larger than other types of deer. The color of the fur is brown and some are gray or brown and red.
The Sambar Deer also has another characteristic, which is longhorns, but this horn is only owned by the male Sambar Deer.
To increase the type of wildlife population on Belitung Island, PT Timah Tbk conducts captive breeding of sambar deer in the area. In addition, captive sambar deer can also be a means of education for the community.
Later, PT Timah Tbk will cooperate with the Village-Owned Enterprises Sukamandi Sejahtera Bersama (SSB), Sukamandi Village, East Belitung Regency to manage the Sambar Deer breeding.
The Director of SSB Sukamandi Village, Tamzir said, in accordance with the joint commitment with PT Timah Tbk, they were given the trust by PT Timah Tbk to manage the captivity.
"Hopefully in the future, it will become a national asset that we will maintain and develop as much as possible," said Tamzir.
In the future, he said, this deer breeding area can be used as a pilot area that can be used as a tourist destination in East Belitung Regency.
Tamzir explained, to keep the deer they have received briefing and training from the South Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center and the East Belitung Environment Service to know the technical care for the deer.
"Currently it is not open to the public, but in the future, it is not impossible for it to be available to the public, of course in accordance with applicable regulations," he explained.
Meanwhile, the Head of the East Belitung Environment Agency, Novis Ezuar, said that this location was the first quarantine on Belitung Island for protected animals. He said that the captivity of the West Sumatran Deer on Belitung Island enriched the biodiversity on Belitung Island.
He considered that what PT Timah Tbk had done was very influential, to maintain biodiversity on Belitung Island.
"With the Sambar Deer in the Batu Besi captivity, it will provide education to the public about the Sambar Deer," he said.
In addition, it is hoped that it can provide education to students, especially students on Belitung Island. In the future, he hopes that this captivity can be opened for
general, but in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
"Hopefully this captivity can run well so that it can breed and produce more deer on Belitung Island," he said.
Meanwhile, the Head of the South Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Center Center through the Head of the Belitung Region XVIII Exitu Conservation Resort, Junaidi, appreciated the efforts that had been made by PT Timah Tbk in preserving the Sambar Deer in the form of ex-situ conservation through captive activities.
"It is hoped that the Sambar deer breeding will also be useful as a means of education for the surrounding community and encourage other companies to be able to contribute to wildlife conservation, especially in the Bangka Belitung Islands Province," he said.*
