Yayasan Badak Indonesia or The Rhino Foundation of Indonesia is an amalgamation of two (2) foundation and one (1) program, namely Yayasan Mitra Rhino (YMR), Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary Foundation (YSRS) and the Indonesian Rhino Conservation Program (PKBI).
The institution who primarily responsible for the conservation of biodiversity and hence rhinoceros in Indonesia is the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation of the Ministry of Forestry Republic of Indonesia. Beside PHKA, there are some organizations who participate in rhinoceros conservation in Indonesia. They are Yayasan Mitra Rhino (YMR) dan Yayasan Suaka Rhino Sumatera (YSRS), and Program Konservasi Badak Indonesia (PKBI). YMR established in 1990 and had been active in vary rhino conservation activities. YMR cooperated with the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHKA, used to be PHPA) had published Guide Book of Strategy for Rhinoceros Conservation in Indonesia (Strategi Konservasi Badak Indonesia – SKBI) funded by Bank International Indonesia (BII) in 1993.
YMR works closely with the Government of Indonesia c.q. Dit. Gen. of PHKA – Ministry of Forestry, International Rhino Foundation (IRF), and Asian Rhino Specialist Group (AsRSG) conducted rhino conservation action funded by the UNDP titled “RAS G32 – Conservation Strategy for Rhinoceros in South East Asia (Indonesia and Malaysia)” in 1994 – 1998. After the RAS G-32 project had finished, YMR with the the Dit. Gen. of PHKA (used to PKA, Ministry of Forestry and Nursery – Dephutbun) continued the project with the establishment of Indonesian Rhino Conservation Program or Program Konservasi Badak Indonesia (PKBI. The Memorandum of Understanding signed in Jakarta on January 14th, 1998, and it’s extended October 2nd, 2003. The MOU finishes in December 2008. PKBI is like the RAS G32 project aimed to establish Rhino Protection Units in several national parks where Indonesian rhinos inhabit.
Yayasan Suaka Rhino Sumatera (YSRS) established in 1997 under cooperative agreement among the Dit. Gen. of PHPA – Ministry of Forestry, International Rhino Foundation, Taman Safari Indonesia (TSI), and Yayasan Mitra Rhino. The Foundation manages a Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary within the Way Kambas National Park, Lampung. Under agreement of the Board of Trustees and Executives of each foundations, the Directorate General of PHKA, and IRF as the major donor for both foundations, and considering to be more effective and efficient in rhinoceros conservation management in Indonesia, hence there’s a need to establish a non-profit organization solely dedicated to conserve Indonesian rhinos namely Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI) or Rhino Foundation of Indonesia (RFI).
Yayasan Mitra Rhino and Yayasan Suaka Rhino Sumatera through join meeting between the Board of Trustees and Executives of each foundation on August 24th, 2007, in Jakarta, decided to disperse and merged both foundations into Yayasan Badak Indonesia. Program Konservasi Badak Indonesia has received approval to merge into Yayasan Badak Indonesia from the signatories. The DG of PHKA Ministry of Forestry has given its approval through the letter of approval No. S.63/IV-KKH/2007 dated on January, 18th, 2007. Verbal approval was given by other signatories, the Board of Trustees of Yayasan Mitra Rhino and International Rhino Foundation.
On January 12, 2008, a ceremony at the Salak Hotel the Heritage, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, was held to amalgamate three rhino conservation organizations. These three organizations merged to form Yayasan Badak Indonesia (YABI). All the programs and assets of the former organizations have integrated into YABI, which is now the only non-profit organization in Indonesia solely dedicated to the conservation of the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
Terwujudnya kehidupan spesies/jenis badak Jawa dan badak Sumatera yang lestari dalam habitat yang aman secara berkelanjutan.
Melestarikan badak Jawa dan badak Sumatera melalui upaya perlindungan dan pemantauan terhadap populasi habitat, peningkatan pengembangbiakan, riset dan pengembangan, penyadartahuan dan peningkatan kepedulian masyarakat terhadap keberadaan dan perlunya usaha-usaha konservasi badak Jawa dan badak Sumatera , menjalin kerjasama para pemangku kepentingan dan penggalangan dana untuk keberlanjutan program dan kegiatan konservasi badak.
PENGAWAS:
1. Ir. Adi Susmianto, MSc (Ketua)
2. Tony Sumampau
3. Drs. Herry Djoko Susilo, MSc
PENGURUS:
1. Drs. Widodo S. Ramono, MM (Ketua)
2. Ir. M. Waladi Isnan(Sekretaris)
3. Shanty Maullydianthi, SE, MM (Bendahara)