Bali wildlife facilities face recurring animal-welfare concerns

Bali — A new investigation by the Bali Wildlife Protection Coalition has raised concerns about the welfare of animals used in Bali’s tourism sector. Based on field investigations carried out in 2017, 2023 and 2026, the report documents alleged exposure to dangerous conditions for commercial gain.

The investigation examined facilities housing or displaying wildlife, including zoos, tourist attractions and venues presenting themselves as conservation facilities. It covered elephants, dolphins, turtles, primates, birds, reptiles and bats, and assessed how animals were housed, handled and used in tourism activities.

Why the findings matter to visitors in Bali

For foreign visitors, the findings concern attractions where tourism involves direct contact with wildlife or animal-based entertainment. The report says some animals were kept in inadequate enclosures, with restricted movement and limited opportunities to display natural behavior. It also identified inadequate barriers at some facilities, allowing direct contact between animals and visitors and raising concerns about public safety.

Tornita Santara, a representative of the Bali Wildlife Protection Coalition, said the investigations identified recurring and systemic animal-welfare concerns at a number of wildlife-tourism facilities in Bali. The coalition said activities including handling, touching, feeding, bathing, riding and other forms of wildlife-based entertainment conflict with the objectives of genuine wildlife conservation.

The report refers to international animal-welfare standards stating that animals kept under human care should be able to express natural behavior and be protected from stress, fear and injury.

Sources

• The Jakarta Post — Indonesian news report
• The Animal Reader — wildlife-welfare report
• worldanimalprotection.org.nz