The Bird of Paradise - Yvonne Rennesia Gulo

The origin of Cendrawasih, Papua is blessed with not only beautiful scenery but also flora and fauna. One of the exquisite fauna, cendrawasih, is a symbol of beautiful portraiture. This bird is also given an appearance that will surprise other birds.

Cendrawasih can have a length of up to thirteen inches, a long beak size with sturdy legs, and feather beauty that extends from the beak to the wings and head. Cendrawasih Feathers have different colours throughout their bodies, including yellow, blue, green, and red. The beauty of this feather is found in the male species. The display is used to track the differences between males and females. Male will show beauty while flirting with the female. For the female, they appear to be a dull fur colour. This is for her children’s sake. It is a good method to protect her eggs from any predator.

However, there are also several male Cendrawasih that are lifelong soul mates with female Cendrawasih. There is an interesting thing about male Cendrawasih which only does monogamy, which is dull-coloured feathers such as female Cendrawasih. This amazing beautiful appearance is the main reason why Cendrawasih often becomes the target of the hunter. Even though the Indonesian Government has decided to prohibit the illegal trade of endangered animals. To carry out tradition and culture, the feather of Cendrawasih was modified into head ornaments or other needs for certain ceremonies.

Cendrawasih was used as a gift for the Kings in 1522 after the Europeans acknowledged the bird's existence. There are 41 Cendrawasih species in Indonesia, with 37 species living in Papua. The extinction was not only because of illegal hunting but also because of climate change. Climate change issues are affected around the world. It can make animals stressed and the environment. What we can do is spread this useful information about why we should bear in mind climate change. Also, we have to support our local zoos or conservation places where endangered animals live. By promoting them or donating. For everything that we do, we must realize the impact on others, not just only consider our own sake.