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For over two decades, Indonesia-based BEGAWAN has been working to reverse the population decline of the Bali Starling. Previous efforts to reintroduce captive-bred mynas have been hampered by poaching and the lack of engagement and involvement of the local community to protect the species. In 2017, BEGAWAN started a community-based conservation programme as a way to find success in their conservation efforts by fostering a greater sense of accountability for the safety of the birds within the local community. Villagers are provided with the opportunity to undergo training to breed the birds for release and to be responsible for their safety back in the wild through monitoring and village-level law enforcement.
Along with the community-based programme, BEGAWAN operates the Breeding and Release Centre in Banjar Begawan, one of the districts in the village. Mandai Nature has been rendering support for the development and maintenance of the centre, animal husbandry and veterinary care, community outreach and education efforts and materials.
The community breeding and soft release programme was piloted with Melinggih Kelod village. Local community and government representatives have been involved in measures such as endorsing a local law, or “awik awik” to prohibit hunting of protected wildlife in the area – the Bali Starling included.
Since then, a group of community breeders have also successfully bred chicks, leading to the formation of the “Madhusuara Breeders Association Melinggih Kelod”. There are 41 Bali Starlings at their breeding site and in 2021, three pairs were released within the community compounds, and are being monitored routinely. A flock of Bali Starlings are expected to be released to facilitate more productive breeding in the wild.
To inspire and nurture future generations of conservationists, BEGAWAN runs a 10-week programme in local schools on the importance of conserving their native bird. The programme has since reached over 2,000 students across seven villages, cultivating a growing interest amongst the students and the formation of a group of Bali Starling Eco-warriors in Melinggih. A Learning Centre has also been established to provide a space for students to learn about wildlife and environmental conservation through regular after-school activities.
Through the culmination of efforts across these initiatives, BEGAWAN hopes to reach their goal of repopulating the Bali Starlings in the wild.
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Established in 1999, BEGAWAN runs community-based projects focusing on education and conservation. The foundation also contributes to the local community – especially children in Bali, Indonesia in areas such as education, health and the environment. The BEGAWAN team works with adults to raise awareness of environmental threats to the environment and endangered birds through the Bali Starling Project – the foundation’s first initiative.
