Volunteer in Bali’s Besikalung Wildlife Sanctuary

Our Besikalung Wildlife Sanctuary is a haven for endangered birds and animals within the forest, on the slopes of Mt. Batukaru in central Bali. All over Indonesia birds and animals are under threat from poachers and illegal wildlife traders – the country has the world’s second-highest number of threatened birds. Our sanctuary, which is home to Leaf monkeys, macaques, and birds, takes in part of Bali’s largest remaining forest, and spans an area covering 5km in radius from the island’s famous Besikalung Temple.

We established the sanctuary in early 2011, after a request from local community groups who had heard about our work to save the Bali starling, one of world’s most endangered birds, and our Bali Bird Sanctuary on Nusa Penida. Five nearby villages and nine cooperative farmers’ groups have joined the project, and introduced traditional regulations ensuring the safety of wildlife within this protected zone. It is first wildlife sanctuary in Bali instigated by private enterprise. We have released dozens of birds into the sanctuary including white vented mynahs and Peaceful doves, we have planted trees, and are monitoring the condition of the forest – which borders UNESCO World Heritage protected rice terraces.

We are protecting the environment and we have released dozens of birds into the sanctuary, including white vented mynahs and Peaceful doves; we have planted trees and are monitoring the condition of the forest – which borders UNESCO World Heritage protected rice terraces. We hope community support for the sanctuary, which is relatively new, will grow and we can expand its boundaries to cover a larger area. Eventually we hope the entire province of Bali can be declared a sanctuary for Indonesia’s birds and animals.

Hundreds of people from all over the world, and across Indonesia, come to volunteer with us each year. Some stay for a few days, some a few weeks, while others work with us for months at a time. Volunteering with Friends of the National Parks Foundation is an adventure of a lifetime. It is a chance to work alongside local Indonesians at our project sites, learn about local culture, and take part in grassroots community development and conservation efforts to save Indonesia’s endangered species.