ProFauna Urges Gov't to Reinforce Law Illegal Wildlife Trade

Malang, E Jav (Antara News) - A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), ProFauna, has urged the government to reinforce and uphold the Law on illegal wildlife trade as the activity is still getting out of hand. "The Law no.5/1999 has clearly stated a firm sanction for the violator. A trader, either seller or buyer (of illegal animal trade) could be liable to five-year prison sentence and Rp100 million worth of fine," Director of Profauna Indonesia Rosek Nursahid said here Monday. However, the trade of rare and protected animals was still rampant. But the law enforcement was still weak and the government should improve its supervision, Nursahid said. Data from ProFauna showed that around 91 protected animals of 21 species had been in the traditional market in 2012 period. The NGO found some trades of protected animals such as javanese lutung (Trachypithecus auratus), sloth (Nycticebus sp), black-capped lory (Lorius lory), eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus), sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), goffin cockatoo (Cacatua goffini), White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) and black eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis). Moreover, the trade of green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), otter civet (Cynogale bennettii), and hedgehog (Hystrix sp) were found by the NGO in some traditional bird and animal markets such as Malang bird market, Satria bird market of Denpasar, Bratang and Kupang bird market of Surabaya, Pramuka, Jatinegara and Barito bird market of Jakarta. Some traders also preferred to sell the animals in internet, Nursahid said. There were 303 animals of 27 species found by the NGO being traded online such as java mouse-deer (Tragulus javanicus), pangolin (Manis javanica), barking deer (Muntiacus mutjack), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), java black eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi), and palm cockatoo (Probosciger atterimus). (*) Reporting and editing by A.E.S. Wicaksono/O. Tamindael