TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Member of the expert team at Bandung Zoo, Jatna Supriatna, stated that the number of animal collections in the zoo needs to be increased. Furthermore, he suggested that the animals should be specifically native to Indonesia to create an ecosystem. "We don't need animals from abroad, as we can read about them in books or see them on television," he said when met in Bandung on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
According to the conservation professor from the University of Indonesia (UI), Indonesia has a large number of animal species. He determined that the Bandung Zoo has the potential to introduce local wildlife to visitors, setting it apart from other zoos. "So that people know and love Indonesian wildlife," he said.
Jatna stated that zoos, as ex situ wildlife conservation institutions or outside their natural habitats, also function as educational places for many people. "The zoo has now changed, no longer just a place for us to see animals, but to learn about wildlife," he said.
In addition, the new management of Bandung Zoo needs to revamp the cramped enclosures because the public does not want to see animals suffering in captivity. According to Jatna, the expert team is responsible for providing input and guidance on what can and cannot be done to manage Bandung Zoo.
Currently, the process of auctioning a new operator for the Bandung Zoo area, who will be responsible for a 26-year utilization cooperation scheme, is still ongoing. Five applicants are competing, namely Taman Safari Indonesia, Faunaland, Gembira Loka Zoo, PT Diandra, and Pejaten Shelter. "Later, the selection will not only be based on good financial matters, but also their experience," said Jatna.
Member of the Regional Asset Utilization Cooperation Task Force, Ade Rahmayadi, explained that the auction committee clarified the legal basis, the new Bandung Zoo operator's fixed contributions to the regional fund, rights and obligations, auction schedule, stages, what participants need to prepare, and the assessment process. According to Ade, the Bandung City Government's cooperation with the new operator involves the land and buildings of Bandung Zoo, while the animals belong to the state.
According to Ade, the new operator will be required to pay a fixed contribution to the Bandung City Government amounting to Rp138,091,954,887 over 26 years, as well as a 10.96 percent annual profit share. In the first year from 2026, the contribution is pegged at Rp4.3 billion. The figure increases each year. For example, it was Rp4,370,663,333 in 2027 and eventually reached Rp6,463,100,835 in 2051.
According to the auction schedule, after the explanation of the tender, the next stage is the submission of bidding documents from May 18 to 21, 2026. Then, on May 22, the opening of bidding documents, qualification review, and the tender will take place. On May 25, the proposal and determination of the tender winner are scheduled. The agreement will be signed with the Bandung City Government on May 29.
According to Ade, if the auction fails, the tender will be repeated based on the previous stages and auction time. "In the regulation related to the follow-up of a failed tender, namely re-tender, direct selection, and direct appointment, after several stages have been carried out," he said. The technical and financial requirements are the same as in the initial auction process.
Read: Taman Safari Joins Auction to Manage Bandung Zoo
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