Poachers hunting for protected species in Indonesia

The Jakarta Post 23 Jan 08;

JAMBI: Uncontrolled poaching has been spreading to protected forests and national parks, threatening rare species, local experts say.

Technical coordinator of the Jambi center for natural resources conservation, Titin Heryatin, said poachers have been hunting for protected animals including Sumatran tigers, elephants, rhinos, crocodiles, snakes and forest goats.

Poachers have freely hunted protected species in protected forests and national parks since special forest police were allegedly involved in a poaching and rare species trade syndicate.

"Poachers have frequently worked at night and used sophisticated weapons to avoid police," she said here on Tuesday.

She said her office and police were also lacking personnel to improve surveillance and enforce the law.

The center has deployed only some 24 personnel to conduct surveillance over the 60,500 hectare-Bukit Duabelas National Park, 4.1 million-ha East Coast mangrove forest and the 120,000-ha Durian Luncuk natural reserve, she said.

"We are working to improve coordination between relevant authorities including the Forestry Ministry and the Environment Ministry, the police and local military to control the poaching," she said. --JP