Cikananga Wildlife Center

Since 2001 the Cikananga Wildlife Center is located on the island of Java, 180 km South of Jakarta, which is a global hotspot for illegal trade. The Cikananga Wildlife Rescue Center was one of the first NGOs managing rescue operations in Indonesia. Cikananga provides facilities and manpower to rehabilitate confiscated wildlife, coming from confiscations executed by the Indonesian Forestry Department, help them to regain their natural behavior and strength, and tries to release them back to their natural habitat.

After that, a network of eight Wildlife Rescue centers was established in Indonesia in the early years of 2000, and Cikananga was one of them. This was part of the implementation of CITES, which states that each signatory country has the commitment to establish animal rescue centers (Resol. Conf. 9.10).

Next to the Cikananga Wildlife Rescue Center, Cikananga started in 2008 with the breeding of Black-winged Myna (Acridotheres melanopterus) with 21 founding birds. The Cikananga Conservation Breeding Center (CCBC) was officially established in 2010. Throughout the years the breeding has expanded and started to breed also with other endangered and critically endangered species endemic to Indonesia, today 5 bird species the Javan Warty Pig.

The Cikananga Rescue Center and Cikananga Conservation Breeding Center together formed the foundation; Yayasan Cikananga Konservasi Terpadu (YCKT), which was officially established on the 30th of March 2010. Currently, in total Cikananga houses over 550 animals in the rescue and breeding center and has become one of the largest centers in Indonesia dedicating its efforts to captive breeding and reintroduction, animal welfare, and conservation of Indonesian wildlife and its habitat.

Additionally, at the beginning of 2020, Cikananga in cooperation with Wanicare started the Sustainability Farming Program. This program focuses on food production for the animals in the center. Furthermore, the program also recycles all our organic waste, producing compost, which is used to improve our soils. Once established, PPBC focuses on education and the program will be used as a model farm, to help local farmers transition to regenerative agriculture practices and conduct habitat restoration.

Java is the center of decreased biodiversity since it is the most densely populated island of Indonesia, where human population growth in the last decades has led to high deforestation rates to create space for housing and agriculture. Within this landscape, Cikananga and Wanicare aim to protect and conserve nature on a daily basis.

The Wanicare Foundation supports since 2009 the Cikananga Wildlife Rescue Center with its main activities, including providing housing and taking care of confiscated wild animals. In Cikananga all kinds of different animal species reside, ranging from crocodiles, hornbills, leopards, bears, primates, and many others. They all come from the illegal wildlife trade or have lost their habitat due to deforestation. Many animals are endangered, and come in neglected condition to Cikananga after seizure and require immediate medical attention. Ultimately the goal is to release them back into the wild when possible, or otherwise provide them a safe and healthy life in captivity.

Wanicare supports with hands-on help for continuous improvement of the circumstances for the confiscated animals and release- and protection programs. Also, a volunteer & internship program has been active since 2010 and together with sponsors from around the globe. It contributes to the operations in and around Cikananga.

The Cikananga Wildlife Center is one of the few multi-species centers in Indonesia, which results in lots of variety in species, but it makes the work also challenging as it is impossible to start release programs for all species in Cikananga. Therefore Cikananga works together with specialized rehabilitation & release centers, to which Cikananga translocates animals to.

For Javan species or for species for which no other programs are available, or for which these specialized programs are full Cikananga in cooperation Wanicare started its own release programs. This includes release and conservation programs for raptors, otters, Javan leopards, and other species.

Running a rescue center with hundreds of animals requires a lot: Manpower, food, enclosures, logistics, a 15-hectare park, and medical care facilities. Quite uniquely we welcome all wildlife species at the center, which requires specialized knowledge, care, and facilities. Outside of the daily operations Cikananga and Wanicare are also involved in rescue operations, conservation projects, and education programs. With all these activities going on, there is a staff of over 30 persons at the various programs.

This can only be realized with the support of many individuals and funds from around the globe. If you consider supporting a hands-on organization, and therefore helping the animals Cikananga, please don't hesitate to donate.

If you consider supporting us but first want to learn more about our conservation, animal rescue, and education work in Indonesia, we are very pleased to share more backgrounds.

For more information, don't hesitate to contact us through Get in Touch or Donate to help the animals at Cikananga.