Authorities Deny Trade In Illegal Animals at Jakarta Plant Show

Fidelis E Satriastanti Jakarta Globe 2 Aug 10;

Jakarta. Indonesian wildlife officials continue to insist that there was no illegal trading of endangered species at a recently concluded exhibition in Jakarta, despite photographic evidence and claims by conservationists to the contrary.

It is claimed ploughshare tortoises, some of the most endangered in the world, and the critically endangered radiated tortoises, both from Madagascar, were being sold openly at the annual Flora & Fauna expo.

The prices, as high as $1,700 each, highlighted concerns about the rampant and growing illegal pet trade.

Cages were also filled with rare Indian star tortoises, which are protected under the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species, and pig-nosed turtles, from Papua, selling for up to $500 each.

“We looked around the [expo] area on Friday night and on Monday morning for those turtles, but we found nothing,” Arief Toengkagie, head of the Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), said on Monday.

“We received the reports on Friday afternoon, but they didn’t state explicitly what kinds of turtles [were being sold]. It may have been the trade was legal.”

Arief added that this was the first time the BKSDA had received such reports from the expo.

“We’ve ordered all the participating vendors to hand in copies of their inventories, so if any of them were selling endangered species, we’ll be able to see from the lists,” he said, but he declined to speculate on the possibility that the lists might be fudged.

Arief also said there had been “four or five” BKSDA agents working undercover at the expo.

Meanwhile, Chris Shepherd, an official with TRAFFIC, a British-based international wildlife monitoring network, said it was most likely that the dealers left with their tortoises before the authorities arrived.

However, he lauded the authorities for sending a team down to the fair to ensure there was no illegal trading going on.

“We’ve never attended the fair before, but it was because people complained to us about the illegal species for sale that we went to see for ourselves,” Shepherd said.

“We saw many [illegally traded] tortoises and took many photographs,” he said, but noted that, “Indonesia has good legislation.”

Under the 1990 Law on Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation, those found to be trading in protected animals face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of Rp 100 million ($8,500).

Tortoises illegally on sale in Indonesia
TRAFFIC 1 Aug 10;

Jakarta, Indonesia, 1 August 2010—Ploughshares, the world’s rarest tortoise species have been observed openly for sale at an exposition in the centre of Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital.

Ploughshare Tortoises Astrochelys yniphora and other threatened reptile species were seen illegally on sale by TRAFFIC staff last week at the expo which ran from 2 July to 2 August.

In addition to Ploughshares, Radiated Tortoises Astrochelys radiata, Indian Star Tortoises Geochelone elegans and Pig-nose Turtles Carettochelys insculpta were also being offered for sale—none of which may be legally sold in Indonesia.

International trade in all these reptiles is also regulated under the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Ploughshare Tortoises and Radiated Tortoises are listed in Appendix I of the Convention, which means no international commercial trade is permitted.

“Indonesia has sufficient legislative tools at their disposal to combat the illegal trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles, but recent surveys and this expo demonstrate that the trade in endangered species continues,” said Chris Shepherd, Senior Programme Officer with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia

“Indonesia has been a positive supporter of the ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network, and should lead by example in the war against illegal wildlife trade by stamping out this sort of blatant trade.”

The Southeast Asian region has emerged as a major hub for illicit trade in threatened reptile species, including Indian Star Tortoises from South Asia and Ploughshare and Radiated Tortoises from Madagascar.

In the past two months, authorities in Malaysia have intercepted two shipments containing hundreds of Malagasy tortoises and other reptiles concealed in passengers’ luggage at Kuala Lumpur airport, while a recent TRAFFIC investigation found many illegally traded reptiles on sale in Bangkok’s Chatuchak market. A visit to Jakarta’s markets also found many Radiated Tortoises and other species prohibited from trade.

TRAFFIC urges the Indonesian government to close down Jakarta’s wildlife markets, which have long been centres of trade in illegal species, and a blemish to the country’s reputation.

“Dealers in the region know full well that it is illegal to trade in these animals, but do so with little fear of prosecution.” said Shepherd.

“It is now up to the authorities to change this.”