Turtles, a macaque and other wild animals are still being kept in poor conditions at a tourist facility in Bali that presents itself as being involved in conservation, according to a new investigation.
The recent visit to Bali Fantasi Benoa Bay was carried out at the request of World Animal Protection Australia. Conservation photojournalist Aaron Gekokski returned to see whether conditions had changed and to document Johnny, a macaque kept at the facility.
But Johnny was not the only concern.
Gekokski reported seeing turtles kept in shallow, dirty and crowded concrete pools and tanks, only a short distance from the ocean. Rare birds, reptiles and a civet were also seen in bare enclosures.
Johnny was described as visibly thin. Footage from the visit shows him pacing repeatedly inside a small cage and biting the wire.
Concerns were raised years ago
The problems reported at Bali Fantasi Benoa Bay are not new.
World Animal Protection assessed the facility in 2017 and again in 2023. On both occasions, it gave Bali Fantasi an animal welfare score of only 2 out of 10, which it classified as “severely inadequate”.
During its 2023 investigation, World Animal Protection counted around 40 turtles at the facility, including critically endangered hawksbill turtles and endangered green turtles.
Investigators found large turtles kept together in small tanks. One enclosure of around 20 square metres held 17 turtles, according to the organisation.
Still connected to conservation
Despite these concerns, Bali Fantasi continues to be officially connected to turtle conservation. The website of Bali’s conservation authority, BKSDA Bali, currently lists Bali Fantasi Benoa Bay as a partner turtle conservation group.
Bali attracts millions of tourists each year, and wildlife experiences are a part of the island’s tourism industry.
World Animal Protection’s 2023 investigation looked at 34 wildlife tourism venues across Bali and Lombok. More than 1,300 wild animals were being used at the attractions it assessed.
