Balangan's Giant Squirrel Begins to Disappear

Paringin, S Kalimantan (AntaranewsKalsel) - A giant squirrel what Balangan, South Kalimantan, residents know as tangkarawak has now disappeared. 

"We do not know why the squirrel whose length can reach one meter disappear in the forest of this region," said Adie, an environmentalist in Panggung Village, South Paringin Sub-district, Balangan, on Tuesday. 

According to him, once a brownish-brown skinny squirrel was often seen jumping on the branches of a tree, and issued a distinctive voice. 

But since the last ten years, the greedy squirrels who fond of eating fruits are rarely seen, even harder to see the endemic species of Kalimantan. 

"Maybe because it is considered a pest as it likes to attack people's fruits, then the squirrel is much hunted, and the population becomes drastically decreased," he said. 

Whereas the animal culture enriches local biodiversity and can be promoted as an interesting tour because the animal is unique and rare and very exotic when it is published to tourists. 

Therefore, said Adie who is known as a member of Green Community Forum (FKH), his side tried to find the location of the forest that the animals still exist. 

One of the locations is Watangan forest, Panggung Village. And even if you want to watch it should come slowly and move stealthily. For the arrival of people, the animal will run away fast. 

But if you want to see closely, according to Adie, there is one of the residents who keep the animal in the Village of Wangkili, Awayan Sub-district. 

The resident, he told, accidentally found a child tangkarawak that fell from the tree and left by the mother. Because he felt sorry then he maintained it and now it has started big or half adult and placed in a big cage in front of the house. 

According to the story again, the animal who became a pet was once separated but then went back into the cage, because of not accustomed to feeding himself in the forest.