Surabaya (Antara Bali) - Jusuf Kalla, in his capacity as Komodo ambassador, has urged the Surabaya administration authorities to act immediately to save the remaining Komodo dragons and other animals in the Surabaya Zoo.
"Don't bother about who (did it). When the number of animals is decreasing, the government must tackle it. It's time that (the zoo) be rehabilitated and promoted," he said here on Wednesday.
The government must pay attention to a series of animal deaths in the zoo, otherwise there would be no more animal left for the zoo's visitors to see, he said.
On Tuesday (Nov 8), a python snake and a female Komodo dragon were found dead in their cages in the zoo.
According to the data of the zoo's temporary management team, a total of 245 animals have died up to September 2011, a drop from 269 animals in 2010, and 319 in 2009.
On the controversy regarding the New7Wonders foundation following a statement made by Indonesian Ambassador to Switzerland Djoko Susilo, he said the statement was incorrect.
"The statement made by Ambassador Djoko Susilo is wrong, because the New7Wonders foundation is a foundation that accommodates awards for valuable sites," he said.
The participation of Komodo National Park in the New7Wonders race would not disadvantage Indonesia because Indonesia would not host the New7Wonders declaration event which would require a fee payment amounting 10 million US dollars, he said.(*)
