SEMARANG – Efforts to ensure the survival of the Javan Hawk-Eagle have entered an important stage. The Ministry of Forestry, together with conservation partners involved in the multi-stakeholder Lacak Jejak Elang Jawa collaboration, held a Public Consultation on the Development of the 2026–2036 Javan Hawk-Eagle Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (SRAK) for the central Java region.
The event, held at Hotel Padma Semarang on Friday (7/8/2026), served as a forum to gather input from various stakeholders in Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The input will contribute to the refinement of the 2026–2036 Javan Hawk-Eagle SRAK document, which is being prepared as a conservation guideline for the next decade.
The collaboration involves the Ministry of Forestry together with Burung Indonesia, RAIN, PILI Green Network, and PT Djarum. The forum also provided opportunities for participation from government institutions, universities, academics, researchers, civil society organizations, the private sector, communities, and the general public.
The public consultation for the central Java region is a continuation of the Javan Hawk-Eagle SRAK development process, following the public consultation for the western Java region previously held in Bandung.
Conservation Cannot Be Carried Out Alone
Professor of Biodiversity, Bird Ecology, and Nature Conservation at Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), Prof. Dr. Margareta Rahayuningsih, S.Si., M.Si., emphasized that the conservation of the Javan Hawk-Eagle requires the involvement of various stakeholders.
According to her, conservation efforts cannot rely solely on the government or conservation organizations. Universities, the business sector, communities, non-governmental organizations, and the media all have complementary roles in supporting the survival of the Javan Hawk-Eagle.
“Collaboration among the government, academics, communities, NGOs, the media, and the private sector within the hexahelix framework is highly necessary for the conservation of the Javan Hawk-Eagle,” Margareta said.
She emphasized that when Javan Hawk-Eagles live freely within natural ecosystems, responsibility for their survival cannot be placed on a single institution.
“When they are in natural ecosystems, this certainly becomes a responsibility shared by all of us,” she said.
Mount Ungaran as One of the Population Strongholds
The urgency of strengthening conservation efforts is also reflected in various records of Javan Hawk-Eagle presence in the Mount Ungaran area. Based on Margareta’s presentation, the presence of the Javan Hawk-Eagle in the area was first recorded in 1994 in Gonoharjo, Limbangan District.
Mount Ungaran later became one of the Javan Hawk-Eagle population strongholds on the island of Java. Monitoring conducted during the 2010–2026 period recorded a number of encounters with the species in various locations and habitat types across the Mount Ungaran area.
The data show that the Javan Hawk-Eagle is not found only in primary forest areas. Encounters have also been recorded in secondary forests, protected forests, pine forests, tea plantations, and areas that intersect with human activities.
Monitoring activities in Mount Ungaran used several data collection methods, including direct observation, community reports, and the use of camera traps during the 2022–2025 period. One of the camera trap locations was in Ngesrepbalong Village.
Developments in conservation technology have also become an important part of monitoring activities. In addition to camera traps, the methods being developed include bioacoustics and drones, as well as the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and remote sensing.
Universities Strengthen Conservation Efforts
Margareta stated that universities have broad opportunities to contribute to conservation efforts through their three main mandates: education, research, and community service.
In the context of Javan Hawk-Eagle conservation, research is needed to strengthen the knowledge base related to distribution, population, behavior, reproduction, habitat, competition, food sources, and genetic aspects.
At the same time, social aspects cannot be separated from the conservation agenda. The areas of study being developed include socio-cultural mapping, citizen science, ecotourism, ethnoscience, traditions, governance and policy, community economics, public policy, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and the potential for human-wildlife conflict.
UNNES also projects the continuation of its role in biodiversity conservation, including through areas covering various forest functions and conservation zones. The presentation mentioned areas reaching elevations of approximately 2,050 meters above sea level and a total area of around 5,500 hectares.
Toward a Decade-Long Conservation Guideline
The Public Consultation on the 2026–2036 Javan Hawk-Eagle SRAK serves as an important moment to ensure that conservation strategies do not remain merely as planning documents, but can be translated into concrete actions in the field.
Input from various stakeholders in Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta is expected to enrich strategies for habitat protection, population monitoring, research, strengthening community participation, the use of technology, and the development of collaborative conservation models.
The Javan Hawk-Eagle holds an important position in Indonesian conservation. The species, widely associated with the “Garuda,” was designated as a national symbol species through Presidential Decree No. 4 of 1993.
Therefore, the development of the 2026–2036 Javan Hawk-Eagle SRAK is not merely a process of preparing a planning document. The initiative also represents an effort to align the policies and actions of various stakeholders to ensure that the Javan Hawk-Eagle continues to survive in its natural habitat.
