Lampung deer near extinction<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Sambar deer (cervus unicolor), a protected rare species in
\nthe Way Kambas National Park in East Lampung, is under threat of
\nextinction due to rampant poaching that has allegedly involved
\nnot only hunters but also security personnel.<\/p>\n
Environmental activists say it would be very difficult for the
\nlocal administration in Lampung and the Natural Resources
\nConservation Agency (BKSDA) to save the rare species because of
\nthe rampant poaching.<\/p>\n
Ali Nurdin, a senior staff of the Rhino Protection Unit (RPU),
\nsaid the national park was home to a number of rare species such
\nas Sambar deer, rhinoceroses, Sumatran tigers and elephants but
\nthe population had dropped drastically because of poaching,
\nillegal logging and conversion of forest land into farmland and
\nplantations.<\/p>\n
\"It was very easy to find the Sambar in the national park last
\nyear but now it is very difficult because a bigger part of its
\npopulation has been intensively hunted,\" he said in a discussion
\non the rare species here on Friday.<\/p>\n
He said that the Sambar deer could be found only in a certain
\npart inside the national park that had not been reached by
\npoachers.<\/p>\n
\"The population of the protected species will be extinct in a
\nshort time unless poaching is controlled,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ali said his office together with the special forestry police
\nunit carried out an inquiry in the 125,000-hectare park and found
\nthat poaching involved not only the local people but also police
\nand military personnel.<\/p>\n
\"Most poachers who have been detained by the special forestry
\npolice unit are police and military personnel and businessmen
\nwhose hobby is hunting,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He asserted that the poachers had committed several violations
\nas they poached in protected forests and used their guns for
\npoaching, instead of for security and defense purposes.<\/p>\n
\"We want servicemen and policemen who are found guilty of
\npoaching not only to be dismissed from the service but also
\npunished as a lesson to the public,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added many local people enter the national park not only to
\nfarm or plant coffee trees but also to hunt for food.<\/p>\n
As Idul Fitri celebrations near, poaching has become a
\nseasonable job because poachers can sell deer meat for up to Rp
\n15,000 per kilogram.<\/p>\n
Watoni Noerdin, a senior staff member of the Legal Aid
\nInstitute (LBH) in the city, called on the forestry authorities
\nto impose the law impartially.<\/p>\n
\"The law must be imposed against all those caught red-handed
\nto hunt without a permit from the relevant authorities. Under the
\nreform era, all sides, including the police and military, are
\nequal in the face of the law,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lampung-deer-near-extinction-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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