Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has announced plans to establish a “cat island” in the Thousand Islands regency to manage the city’s stray cat population while also boosting tourism. The idea was inspired by Japan’s renowned cat islands.
“The concept of a cat island is not new; Japan has already implemented similar projects, and they have become popular tourist attractions,” Pramono stated at City Hall on Thursday, March 13. He also highlighted that the cat-loving community in Indonesia, particularly in Jakarta, is quite substantial.
“If we can bring this idea to life, the island could serve as a source of revenue for the Thousand Islands administration,” the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician added, as reported by tempo.co.
Pramono envisions the island as a center for cat rehabilitation, which would also feature a dedicated cat hospital.
Last week, Pramono was honored with an award from the Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI) for overseeing the sterilization of the most cats in one month, with 1,000 cats sterilized in February alone.
The governor aims to target a population of 21,000 stray cats this year through continued sterilization efforts.
Sonny Kastara Dhaniswara, a representative from the Jakarta cat lover community, who presented the MURI award to Pramono, expressed support for the “cat island” project, noting that it has long been a dream for the community.
“We have a vision, a dream, and an ambition that one day there will be an island in Indonesia that will serve as a cat rehabilitation center,” Sonny told reporters on Thursday. He is confident that the island would not only attract local visitors but also tourists from abroad.
Animal husbandry expert Ronny Rachman from IPB University in Bogor, West Java, previously noted that the growing stray cat population poses serious health risks. Cats can spread diseases such as rabies, toxoplasmosis, and other zoonotic diseases, including Covid-19. In Australia, feral cats have also become predators of native wildlife.
Ronny believes sterilization is one of the most effective methods for controlling the stray cat population. However, he stressed that it must be carried out regularly and consistently, with collaboration from veterinarians, animal lover communities, and government agencies.
“Cooperation between veterinarians and cat lover communities will play a significant role in the success of controlling the cat population, alongside the government’s support,” Ronny concluded.
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