Jakarta, Jan 28 (Antara) - Indonesia is cooperating with various global zoo institutions and organizations in a bid to safeguard its endangered species, which are on the brink of extinction.
Poaching is the main threat to endangered animals as they become the target of clandestine hunters who are keen to tap into their commercial value by processing them into various products such as handicrafts, food, and traditional medicine.
For instance, in a recent case in East Java, an individual with the initials AA was taken to court on Monday on charges of collecting and stocking up dried body parts of endangered animals.
"The suspect secretly sold protected animals in dry form as raw materials for the production of handicraft goods, food items, and traditional medicine," Prosecutor Sumantri stated at the Surabaya District Court on Monday.
Another case of poaching of rare species also took place at the Lore Lindu National Park (LLNP) in Central Sulawesi, which is home to several endangered species such as the hog deer (Babyroussa), dwarf buffalo (Bubalus quarleis) locally known as anoa, and other protected animals.
Sudayatna, head of LLNP, remarked that several endangered species in Central Sulawesi province are facing a threat from hunters as they have commercial value and end up as food items.
"These animals are the mountain dwarf buffalo (Bubalus quarlesi), lowland dwarf buffalo (Bubalus depressicornis), hog deer (Babyrousa babyrussa), tarsier (Tarsius tarsier and Tarsius pumilus), and maleo bird (Macrocephalon maleon)," he noted recently.
He said the population of these animals is decreasing, and it is feared that they could become extinct if constantly hunted by people.
According to Secretary General of Natural Resources and Ecosystems Conservation (KSDAE) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Novianto Bambang, poaching is one of the serious threats pushing Indonesian endangered species to the brink of extinction.
"There is a downward trend in the population of endangered animals in Indonesia due to their dwindling habitats and illegal hunting," Novianto stated at a workshop on Global Species Management Planning (GSMP) at the Royal Taman Safari Garden, Cisarua, Bogor District, West Java, on Monday (Jan. 25).
Indonesia is considered as a country having a high extinction threat to its rare species and genetics, including three endangered animals, such as the hog deer, Javanese bull (Bos javanicus), and anoa.
"Javanese bulls in East Java are often hunted by the local people since the residents fear that they will destroy their plantations around the national park. In the meantime, Anoa was poached for its meat," Novianto revealed.
He affirmed that the government was planning to increase the population of endangered species by 25 percent, including that of the Javanese bull, hog deer, and anoa.
"We will implement the program in stages, and the three species will be given priority. The efforts include increasing the population of elephants, Sumatran tigers, proboscis monkeys, Javanese eagles, and tapirs. There are 25 endangered species whose population would be increased by 25 percent.
He emphasized that important efforts to save these species from extinction in Indonesia must be continued, and such species must be granted protected status under law. The efforts to protect endangered species must be made systematically, both within and outside their habitats.
Efforts outside their habitats are being made through breeding --- particularly for species given priority --- at conservation institutions and zoological gardens. Thereafter, they will be released into their habitats.
"The efforts to conserve the Javanese bull, hog deer, and anoa have involved the Indonesian Zoos Association (PKBSI) in cooperation with other countries through the Global Species Management Planning (GSMP) and the associations of the European and North American Zoos as well as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)," he remarked.
Secretary General of the PKBSI Tony Sumampau shed light on the 62 botanical gardens in Indonesia, 56 of which have been incorporated as members of the zoo association. Of the aforementioned figure, only 11 botanical gardens have been successful in conserving the three endangered species.
"Five botanical gardens are involved in the conservation of the Javanese bull, three botanical gardens are preserving the hog deer, and three others are conserving anoa, in addition to four national parks and five conservation offices," he revealed.
Thus, global cooperation to conserve the animals is of paramount importance.
"We are targeting to increase the population of all three endangered Indonesian species by 10 percent within a period of five years," Secretary General of Natural Resources and Ecosystems Conservation Novianto Bambang stated.
He said the government had set a target to increase the population of three of the 25 endangered species of hog deer, Javanese bull, and anoa by 10 percent in the next five years.
The conservation of the three endemic species is being carried out globally by involving several zoos from numerous countries: the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA); the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), North America; the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC); the Asian Wild Cattle IUCN SSC Specialist Group (AWCSG); and the Wild Pig IUCN SSC Specialist Group (WPSG).
"Indonesia cannot work alone, and we are part of a global society. Conservation is carried out through mutual learning gained from those who are successful in ex-situ conservation," Novianto explained.
According to Novianto, the Indonesian endemic wildlife population is declining. Currently, there are only some 1.5 thousand Javanese bulls, and they can be mostly found in the Ujung Kulon National Park in Banten Province. The anoa population is only about 700, spread across South and North Sulawesi, as well as hog deer, which numbers at 700.
***4***(A014/INE)EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 28-01-2016 13:12: |
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