Padjadjaran University Collaborates with Udayana University to Care about Animal Conservation through the Wildlife Journalism Competition in Bali

BALI, 21 June 2024 - Wildlife Journalism Competition (WJC) 2024 which was initiated by the Center for Environmental Communication Studies, Padjadjaran University (Unpad) together with Garda Animalia, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) which is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), held a workshop at Udayana University (Unud) in the Unud Library Building, Denpasar, on Thursday 20 June 2024. The theme was "Negative Human and Animal Interactions from an Environmental Journalism Point of View".

This event was opened by the Deputy Dean III of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Udayana University, Dr. I Made Anom Wiranata, S.IP. M. A. "We must develop the spirit of environmental conservation and must exist within ourselves, within all of our friends. "This WJC is very good for animal life in Bali and generally in Indonesia," said Anom.

The workshop presented a number of experts consisting of, Head of the Bali BKSDA Administrative Subdivision, Kadek Andina Widiastuti, S.Hut., M.Si., Senior Technical Advisor-Surveillance Risk Analysis Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAO ECTAD) Indonesia Ali Rizqi Arasyi, Pertamina NRE Government Relations Analyst Arief Mulizar, and Unpad Environmental Communication Study Center Researcher Herlina Agustin.

In the material entitled "Efforts to Mitigate Negative Interactions with Wild Animals in Bali Province", Head of the Bali BKSDA Administration Sub-Division, Kadek Andina Widiastuti, S.Hut., M.Si. presents data on trends in negative interactions between animals and humans in the area. He also mentioned various challenges to wildlife conservation in Bali. "We have never been involved in discussions regarding the construction of hotels or villas, but suddenly there is a hotel, a villa has been built. We even got to the reporting section that there were animals entering the hotel, animals entering the villa area. "In fact, we take care of things like that, even though the place is the animal's home," said Andina.

She gave the example of the conflict experienced by Macaca fascicularis (long-tailed monkeys) which was triggered by the conversion of land that was supposed to be a place for Macaca to live, but instead a hotel or villa was built.

Senior Technical Advisor Surveillance Risk Analysis, FAO ECTAD Indonesia, Ali Rizqi Arasyi said that the island of Bali is an area that must pay attention to zoonotic threats. Ali said that zoonoses occur due to transmission from animals to humans, or vice versa. "Therefore, animal conflict cannot be underestimated, this is an important aspect to pay attention to and be aware of together. "The One Health concept, which states that there is a close connection between humans, wildlife and the environment in terms of health, is a solution to the threat of zoonoses," he said.

There was also a presentation regarding the role of energy companies in conservation by Pertamina NRE Government Relations Analyst Arief Mulizar Pertamina. A presentation regarding the role of media and environmental journalists in conservation was also explained by WJC 2024 Project Officer Herlina Agustin.

The event was also filled with material provision with the theme "Wildlife Conservation Journalism Practices" given by representatives of Garda Animalia, Mochamad Saifudin and Prema Ananda. This activity is a series of events that opened at Unpad on May 22 2024 and will be held in two other cities, namely Ambon and Pontianak. Previously, similar events had been held in Medan, Surabaya and Pekanbaru. WJC 2024 is the largest journalistic competition in Indonesia which provides young journalists with the opportunity to raise the issue of wildlife conservation, through various competitions, namely feature articles, photo stories and documentaries.