On Friday, April 26th, 2024, the participants of the De Britto International Youth Camp arrived at Gembira Loka Zoo with high spirits, ready to embrace the upcoming activities. The theme for the second day was “To Listen and To Find” which mainly focused on environment and waste management issues.
The second day’s program at Gembira Loka Zoo began with a presentation on liman fertilizer and the benefits of biopores. The liman fertilizers are derived from elephant feces, while biopores involve creating infiltration holes using PVC pipes.
“I am delighted because it’s not every day that we get to meet and educate students, especially those from abroad. The committee and guides are very enthusiastic about educating visitors on what Gembira Loka has to offer, particularly regarding the processing of lethong liman and learning about biopores. Not all zoos can independently process elephant dung or implement biopores,” said the Gembira Loka Zoo guide who accompanied the participants during the fertilizer processing.
After the presentation, the participants were taken on a tour of Gembira Loka Zoo to observe the resident animals. They put their knowledge into practice by processing the liman fertilizer and making biopores. The participants were instructed to place elephant dung, which had undergone several processing steps, into a grinder to produce finely sifted and smooth fertilizer. They also dug biopore holes. Each participant received a 2-meter-long PVC pipe, which they perforated using a drill. The perforated pipe was then buried in the ground and filled with organic waste.
“We at Gembira Loka express our sincere gratitude for the visit and the program organized by De Britto. Today, we conducted a practical session to witness the process of making lethong liman, specifically from elephant dung. We hope that our friends out there will continue to learn about caring for livestock waste, whether it’s elephant dung or waste from other animals. Perhaps we can organize similar activities in the future,” said Yusadiansah, the field coordinator and curator of the wildlife museum specializing in waste management.
The day’s activities at Gembira Loka Zoo concluded with a group photo session. Participants returned to Restoran Sekar Kedaton for dinner. After dinner, they closed the day with reflections and preparations for the social activities scheduled for the next day.
