The Zoo Consultant

From outside, Wisnu Wardana's animal clinic in Cileungsi, West Java, seems nothing special. This white-walled clinic with windows covered in wildlife conservation stickers stands between an empty office and a restaurant. Three weeks ago, wearing blue scrubs, the 55-year-old doctor welcomed Tempo with a friendly smile. There was no nurse on duty.

The inside of the clinic was clean and comfortable. There were only two rooms-a waiting room and an examination room-each measuring about three-by-four-meters. The walls were painted white, the floor covered with white ceramic tiles. There was a steel table in the examination room to look the animals over. A desk in one corner was covered with photos of Wisnu treating elephants in Sumatra and Africa. "I founded this clinic to cover my daily expenses," he said, adding that his veterinary practice had only been open for two years.

August 26, 2014