Ragunan Zoo is undergoing a preparation for the 6th TAFISA World Sport for All Games which is conducted in the beginning of this October. TAFISA (The Association For International Sport for All) is the leading international sport for all organization. Ragunan Zoo is appointed as one of the venue for TAFISA Games 2016, where it will take place in front of the Management Office of Ragunan Zoo and around the Information Centre. “TAFISA is followed by participants from 74 countries from around the world, where one of the venues will be held in Ragunan Zoo. Thus, we need to tidy-up to participate in the success of this international-scale event.” said Dina Himawati, the director of Ragunan Zoo. “Ragunan Zoo is now undergoing the preparation by rearranging gardens, repainting pavements and ticket counters, and trimming trees to support this event” she added.
One of the highlight of TAFISA Games 2016 is the mascot for the event. The animal chosen as the mascot of this event is Siau Island Tarsier (Tarsius tumpara) which is an endemic primate of Siau Island, North Sulawesi. As a conservation agency, Ragunan Zoo has two Tarsius tumpara in the collection. Tarsius tumpara is predicted to be the centre of attention in this event as the participants will be able to see this rare species. “The enclosure of Tarsisus tumpara is located in the Schmutzer Primate Centre, Ragunan Zoo. TAFISA Games 2016 can be a means of promotion for us to introduce this beautiful species to the world” said Wahyudi Bambang as the public relation of Ragunan Zoo.
Tarsius tumpara is classified as critically endangered
Tarsius tumpara can only be found in the Siau Island, North Sulawesi, which makes this species an endemic primate of Sulawesi. This species is hard to find due to the threat of extinction. In 2009 it is reported that there are only 1,300 Tarsius tumpara left in the wild and keep decreasing drastically.