Driven by curiosity about the meaning of “exploitation,” two students of the Faculty of Law at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FH UGM), Afriza Nandira and Adita Putri Hapsari, together with three students from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM, namely Hermawan Bagaskara Dewa, Odam Asdi Artosa, and Shifa Asma Ahsanitaqwim, conducted a study entitled “Protection of the Rights of Circus Animals in Central Java Province: A Socio-Legal Approach.” Circuses that use animals as attractions to draw audiences have become a subject of controversy. From a juridical perspective, there is currently no national regulation prohibiting the use of animals in circus performances. Nevertheless, segments of society oppose the use of animals for circus entertainment.
At the international level, many countries have prohibited circus performances involving animal attractions. This is reflected in the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW), which opposes the exploitation of animals for circus performances. “According to the international community, animals used in circuses no longer display natural behavior. Their habitats have also been altered, particularly dolphins,” Adita explained when asked about the rationale behind such prohibitions. Unfortunately, the convention has not yet been ratified by Indonesia.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as one of the societal elements examined in the research, also generally oppose the existence of circus animals. Such animals are considered to have been exploited by circus organizers. Nonetheless, circus performances continue to operate in Indonesia because, normatively, there is no explicit prohibition. The government, represented in this study by the Central Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam / BKSDA), tends to support the existence of circuses, considering that circus operators are also categorized as conservation institutions.
“Circus organizers must qualify as conservation institutions. Therefore, indirectly, circus operators are considered legally recognized because they are conservation institutions and are deemed capable of properly caring for the animals,” Adita explained.
The second-year student further added that periodic monitoring and evaluation are conducted by the BKSDA. This mechanism is intended to safeguard the rights of circus animals, despite the absence of specific regulations governing the matter. Indonesia still relies on Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Natural Resources and its implementing regulations. “Every year, and even every quarter, the BKSDA conducts evaluations. For example, if deficiencies are identified in the assessment criteria during inspections, and such deficiencies are not remedied by the following year, sanctions may be imposed, including the revocation of business permits,” Adita added.
Nevertheless, legal loopholes and multiple interpretations still exist within the regulation of circus animals, particularly regarding the prohibited meaning of “exploitation.” Therefore, the government is expected to formulate more stringent regulations in the future, especially concerning conservation institutions themselves. “Conservation institutions, in preparing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for animal care and circus performances, should involve other relevant stakeholders such as veterinary medical teams, activists, biologists, and other related parties,” emphasized Afriza Nandira, commonly known as Zaza, when discussing the findings of the Student Creativity Program in Socio-Humanities Research (PKM-PSH) funded by the Directorate General of Higher Education. (Lita)
