Agam Police and BKSDA West Sumatra Release Hundreds of Protected Birds into Conservation Forest

The Agam Police and the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) released 244 birds into a conservation forest in the district on Thursday. The birds were evidence in a case involving the possession and trade of protected wildlife.

Agam Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head, AKP Rinto Alwi, stated that the release was carried out in accordance with government regulations and a ruling from the Agam District Court, as the animals are protected living creatures.

The joint team from BKSDA West Sumatra and the Agam Police Criminal Investigation Unit previously apprehended a 47-year-old suspect, identified as KZ, in Ampek Nagari on 18 July 2026. The suspect was allegedly transporting 244 protected birds across provinces.

The seized birds included one gold oriole, three gold finches, five streak-headed mannikins, 188 white-eyes, 39 hummingbirds, and eight leafbirds. The suspect was transporting the birds in a minibus from West Pasaman to Lampung.

Following interrogation, the suspect admitted to purchasing the protected birds from an individual in Talu, Talamau District, West Pasaman, with the intention of selling them in Lampung. The suspect is currently undergoing further legal proceedings and faces charges under Article 40A Paragraph (1) Letter d in conjunction with Article 21 Paragraph (2) Letter a of Law No. 32 of 2024 concerning amendments to Law No. 5 of 1990 on Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.