Jakarta
09 April 2002
Indonesia is ranked the third richest country in the world in terms of
bio-diversity and it is home to dozens of endangered species. Aside from
environmental hazards, illegal trade is threatening the survival of many of
the animals. Efforts to stop the illegal trade in wildlife are being hampered
by government and military officials who keep endangered species at home as
status symbols.
The office of the Forestry Police on the outskirts of the Indonesian
capital Jakarta houses not alleged criminals, but victims of the country's
illegal wildlife trade.
It is here that dozens of crocodiles, turtles, gibbons, orangutans,
parrots, cockatoos, eagles and other animals that have been confiscated by
authorities are kept until they can be reintegrated into the wild.
Stretching over thousands of kilometers, the Indonesian archipelago is rich
with wildlife. Almost 300,000 different animal species make their homes here,
17 percent of all the world's animals. There are 36 species of primates alone.
But conservationists say Indonesia is also the largest exporter of wildlife
in the world. A Jakarta-based organization, Animal Conservation for Life, says
90 percent of animals sold in world markets have been poached from the wild.
They do not come from captive breeding programs, as many traders claim.
People flood to Jakarta's animal markets because it is considered
prestigious to own an exotic bird or endangered animal, says Hardi Bakiantoro
from Animal Conservation for Life.
"The buyers of orangutans and turtles and other protected animals usually
they are the rich men who understand law and are educated," he said. "They
really know the animal is protected. They know it trespasses the law. But
usually they have something like prestige."
One of Indonesia's best-known animals is the orangutan, whose name in
Indonesian means "forest person." With big brown eyes and an affectionate,
docile nature, it is the orangutans' human qualities that attract poachers and
help put it high on the list of endangered species.
"Many people have them as a kind of replacement for human babies," said
Willie Smits of the Balikpapan Orangutan Survival Foundation. "There are quite
a few families where we've found orangutans that were shaven bald, wearing
rings, sleeping with the owners in their bed," Mr. Smits said. " And that's
really more like a replacement actually. A couple of times we confiscated
orangutans where we had to physically pull them from the breasts of women who
were feeding them with her own milk."
The trade in endangered species is big business. The price of a primate
purchased for the equivalent of five dollars on Indonesia's outer islands
climbs to $500 by the time traders bring it to Jakarta. It can reach $10,000
if the animal is exported to Japan or Taiwan, and $30,000 if it is sent to the
United States or Europe.
Many of the people who own endangered species are extremely powerful. For a
time, a tiger patrolled the front yard of a house belonging to the daughter of
Indonesia's former President Suharto.
Officials from the Forestry Police say top military officials and even the
governor of Jakarta also keep endangered species in their homes.
That makes stopping the illegal wildlife trade dangerous business. Yunus
Makasau is with the Forestry Police. Officer Makasau once had his arm broken
trying to protect endangered animals, and counts himself lucky. It could have
been much worse.
He said he has almost died a couple of times trying to protect these
animals, because some of the people who have them are from the military. They
have weapons. And if that's the case, there's not much he can do.
Officer Makasau says there are signs the conservationist's efforts are
having an effect. The police now publicize the raids they carry out on homes
and businesses to confiscate endangered species, which prompts others to hand
over wildlife voluntarily. There are also programs to reintegrate confiscated
animals, such as orangutans, back into the wild. But conservationists say more
must be done to stop the illegal wildlife trade.
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