Taman Margasatwa Ragunan (TMR) or Ragunan Zoo celebrated 150 years on the 19th of August, 2014. TMR is one of Jakarta’s pride and joys, spread over a vast area measuring up to 120 Hectares, situated in Pasar Minggu, a region in South Jakarta. TMR is the second largest zoo in the world, as well as the third oldest.
One of the many ways of showing our appreciation can be done by recognizing Raden Saleh as the pioneer of TMR, whose origins spurred from his love of animals – he cared for them in the garden of his home in Cikini. The inauguration of Planten en Dierentuin on the 19th of September, 1864, marks the official beginning of TMR. Raden Saleh bequeathed up to 10 Hectares of land on Cikini Raya No. 73 to an organization of flora and fauna lovers called “Culture Vereniging Planten en Direntuin at Batavia”. This zoo was named “Planten en Direntuin”. In 1949 the name was changed to Kebun Binatang Cikini.
After Indonesia gained its independence and the City of Jakarta began to flourish, Kebun Binatang Cikini was thought unfit to accommodate animals, thus in 1964 they were moved to where TMR is today, in Ragunan, Pasar Minggu. Two years later on June 22nd, 1966, then Governor of DKI Jakarta Ali Sadikin formally opened what TMR is today.
When Kebun Binatang Cikini moved, the remaining collection of animals, comprised of more than 450 animals, was brought over to Ragunan. Ever since the zoo moved to Ragunan, TMR has focused its affairs on conservation be it through education, research, or through the construction of outdoor recreation, green open space (urban forest) and blue open space (water accumulation area). As of now TMR cares for 1,940 animals, from 4 classes and 220 species, and retains a collection of 19,229 different types of flora.
The Arsari Djojohadikusumo Foundation (YAD) actively supports the management of TMR, specifically after the Governor of Jakarta appointed Hashim Djojohadikusumo as the Chief of the Supervisory Board of TMR by ruling of SK no 737/2013 on May 7th, 2013. Through the Public Dialogue on October 8th, 2013, initiated by the Supervisory Board of TMR, TMR has begun preparing itself to become a world-class zoo. Thus, TMR has established a rest day on behalf of the animals, every Monday, and has made every necessary step towards keeping the health and safety of the animals. Furthermore, TMR has begun creating a Masterplan to be used as a guide in fulfilling TMR’s goals of becoming a world-class zoo.
As part of the celebration of 150 years of TMR, Hashim S. Djojohadikusumo and YAD contributed a bust of Raden Saleh, which was inaugurated on September 20th, 2014. The bust acts as a token of our appreciation, as we recognize the Raden Saleh’s contributions not only in the development of zoos in Indonesia, but also his contributions in painting as a world renowned artist. Let us reflect upon the Raden Saleh’s wishes so we may find our own way of loving and appreciating flora and fauna.