24 June 1999


The Conservation project commenced at Begawan Giri Estate with two breeding pairs imported from the UK to be housed in purpose-built breeding enclosures. The foundation took a professional approach to its breeding and conservation project, providing excellent facilities to improve breeding success.

By November 2005, the captive population had increased from 4 to 97 birds. Several exchanges were undertaken to increase the bloodlines of the breeding birds.

The birds and their enclosures were relocated from Begawan Giri Estate to a newly established bird sanctuary in Nusa Penida, a small island south east of mainland Bali.

July 2006  
25 microchipped birds were released into the wild, in a ceremony attended by local villagers and government officials, following a blessing from the local Mangku, which ensured that the birds were released into the care of the gods.

December 2006 
12 more birds were released, to be joined by the offspring from the first release. A small flock was created!

April 2007 
President of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and First Lady Kristiani Herawati released 12 more birds during a ceremony to launch the ferry service between Nusa Penida and the Bali mainland.

August 2007  
Nusa Penida was announced suitable for further release by Indonesian Forestry Minister M. S. Kaban and Dr. Ir. Tonny Suhartono, the Director-General for Forestry Preservation and Nature Conservation.

During 2006 and 2007, a total of 65 birds were released from the Begawan’s captive breeding enclosures. Since the initial release, by 2021, approximately 180 birds have been sighted and counted on both Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan.

August 2010
The remaining captive birds and their enclosures were relocated to Sibang, a village near Ubud, and a new breeding program was launched.

They arrived in Sibang under official government escort from Nusa Penida.

23 Bali Starlings were donated to the foundation’s breeding program in 2011. Three birds were donated by Jurong Bird Park, and a further 20 from members of the European Endangered Species Program. These contributions meant that new genetic lines would be introduced from the imported birds.

November 2012
Begawan released four pairs of Bali Starlings at Green School, Bali in a ceremony involving students, teachers, and government officials. Two young students, wearing blue Bali Starling eye masks, were selected to be part of the official release team.

Wise words came from Tamen Sitorus, head of the Natural Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in Denpasar, “Besides breeding, we should also focus on preserving their habitat and empower surrounding local communities to minimize threats against the birds.”

June 2014
Dr. Jane Goodall, well known primatologist and climate advocate, participated in the release of two Bali Starlings. Her words, “I am so very glad you are doing what you are doing – it is so important,” echo our own feelings, with our goal to breed Bali Starlings for release back into a natural habitat.

August  2014
Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and his wife Madam Yoo (Ban) Soon , visited Bali, opening the UNAOC (United Nations Alliance of Civilizations). They visited the Foundation’s Breeding and Release Center and released two male Bali Starlings, hoping that these would breed with the two females already out in the wild.

Begawan took part in a multi-day international workshop on Bali Myna (Bali Starling) hosted by Bali Safari & Marine Park, alongside other influential conservation actors and organizations from around the world.

April 2015
Begawan Foundation was awarded a Tri Hita Karana Nugraha Award, being recognised as pioneers in the task of saving the critically endangered Bali Starling over the past 16 years, and demonstrating that it is possible for a private organisation to establish a reintroduction program.

May 2018
Founders, Debora and Bradley T. Gardner, Ngakan Putu Riadi from the Breeding Division at the Gianyar District’s Agriculture Office, Dewa Made Rupa from the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency’s (BKSDA Gianyar Conservation Head Zone II, and I Nyoman Suwardana, Melinggih Kelod Village Head, officially opened the new Breeding and Release Centre at Begawan, Melinggih Kelod.

October2018
20 birds were released by the foundation. There have been innumerable sightings of birds from a variety of sources. One pair, with its aggressive territorial behavior, has remained at the breeding site and forced other pairs to leave. The pair, however, has produced more than 13 chicks in 2021.

April 2021
A breeding pair was released in a family compound in Begawan, and settled in a resident’s rice field near Banjar Bayad. The male bird vanished at the end of the month, most likely eaten by a predatory snake, leaving behind a female on egg. The female bird and her wild-born chick were relocated to the Breeding Centre, where she was re-paired with a new male bird and re-released.

June 2021
The single female bird and her new partner were released back into the wild in Banjar Bayad, where they had previously settled. Currently, the pair remains in the fields of Banjar Bayad, with their activities reported by the landowner to the foundation’s staff. This new pair has since fledged one chick.

A further pair was released in Begawan. By the end of the month, this pair had settled back at the site of their initial release in Begawan. After the male was killed in a fight onsite with a chicken, a new partner was provided for the male, and this pair has produced one live chick.

September 2021
A pair were released in Pengaji, Melinggih Kelod Village, Payangan. Unfortunately, the female bird of this pair vanished in late September soon after the release. The male was captured and returned to the Breeding Centre.

November 2021
Begawan currently has 14 young wild-born birds. Six of these are now ready to be released in Banjar Bayad as a flock in 2022. Staff erected a portable enclosure at the proposed flock release site for pre-release habituation and adaptation.

Early in the year, Basebali joined Begawan’s Bali Starling Foster Parent Program in Yehembang Kauh Village, Jembrana. Thirty-five people, from government officials to community groups, attended the session and signed an agreement for bird protection in the village. Begawan equipped the Basebali team with training for Bali Starling conservation program and loaned a pair of Bali Starlings and an enclosure in which to house the birds.

After releasing six young Bali Starlings as a flock in April in Banjar Bayad, the Begawan team has monitored the flock regularly. In July, another pair was released in Banjar Begawan before settling in the nearest nest box we installed in the rice field.

As of September, we have installed five habituation enclosures in Banjar Tebekauh and Banjar Bayad to prepare for the next releases. At the beginning of November, Begawan released one pair of Bali Starlings from the habituation enclosure in the compound of the Kelian Tebekauh. This release was followed by another flock release of four young Starlings in Banjar Banjar Bayad several days later.

November 25th, 2022 will go down as a momentous day for Begawan to step towards safeguarding the Bali Starlings by releasing a pair of these critically endangered birds into the wilds in an area we call Top Corner, Br. Bayad. 
With the release of these two Bali Starlings, Begawan have reached a significant milestone, having already released 20 of these endangered birds in 2022. 

Begawan started the year 2023 by releasing a pair of Bali Starlings into the garden of Pak Dogy, whose family lives in a local compound in Begawan, on March 16th, 2023. We are proud to take this crucial step towards their preservation and to continue Begawan work in protecting and increasing the number of Bali Starlings in the wild.

After releasing a pair of Bali Starling on March 16th, 2023, within a neighbourhood family compound, we embarked on a comprehensive conservation journey. This involved bird observation, site preparation for release, habituation activities, vigilant monitoring, and ultimately, on September 21, 2023, Begawan successfully released new pair of Bali starlings in the wild in Banjar Paneca, north of Ubud.

The lengthy process was essential to ensure the birds’ successful transition into the wild. This meticulous approach allowed us to observe and monitor their behavior, facilitate their acclimatization to their natural environment, and make certain that they were fully prepared for life in the wild.