Indonesia, Bengkulu: Boar hunting to be included in national tourism agenda

Antara 24 Feb 11;

Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - Wild boar hunting in Bengkulu province will become an item on the national tourism agenda and promotion program, local culture and tourism office spokesman Agus Sutianto said here on Thursday.

Agus said the boar hunting activity in the province has so far been a regular agenda with the financial support from regional development budget (APBD).

He added pointed out that if the boar hunting tradition was turned into a national tourism agenda, the spread of the disturbing pest's population would end.

According to Agus, the wild boar hunting tradition in Bengkulu was very unique and distinctive and therefore it could be offered to tourists.

For the local farmers, wild boars are exotic pests that can never be destroyed because of their rapid proliferation.

Therefore the wild boar hunting in the province has been a long lasting activity, and periodically the local people conducted it in the fields, bushes, and forests to destroy the pest.

With their beagle dogs, the hunters usually hunt the wild boars in traditional way with traditional weapons such as barbed spears, javelins, long machetes, and bows instead of using fire guns, toxic pest, and anesthetics.

"Such an activity can be made an national agenda to promote natural tourism and traditional sports because it is usually participated in by the members of Indonesian Boar Hunting Sport Association (PORBI)," Agus said.

He said the local people hunted the wild boars as part of of adrenaline sports and competition, and also as a means of social interaction among the individual community.

Agus added that each time the boar hunting sport was conducted, it was participated in by at least 2,000 people from different areas, and if such an activity was managed properly, it would have a positive impact on tourism in Bengkulu province.

Meanwhile, Bengkulu branch of Indonesian Boar Hunting Sport Association spokesman Chandra said the wild hunting activity was routinely conducted in a bid to reduce the population of wild boar pest.

Chandra said that the boar hunting sports in Bengkulu could attract tourists and therefore the tradition could be turned into an interesting tour package in the province.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli