Bali's turtle slaughtered as illicit trade continues

Bali's turtle slaughtered as illicit trade continues

JAKARTA (JP): An environmental group claimed the illicit trade
in endangered turtles remained robust despite numerous laws which
have been passed to fight the trade and protect turtles.

The government recently issued Regulation No. 7/1999, which is
meant to protect all turtle species. While Law No. 5/1990 on the
conservation of natural resources and the ecosystem states that
anyone trading in protected animals is subject to five years
imprisonment and a maximum fine of Rp 100 million.

Animal Conservation for Life (KSBK) said that from May to
August of this year, 9,000 turtles were traded in Benoa
Peninsula, Bali, which has become the main center of the turtle
business in Indonesia.

"Most of the turtles being traded are green turtles and a few
hawksbills," Rosek Nursaid, the director of KSBK, told The
Jakarta Post.

KSBK, which is based in Malang, East Java, in cooperation with
the World Society for the Protection of Animals, monitored the
turtle trade Bali from May to August.

Indonesia is home to six of the seven known turtle species n
the world: the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill
(Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley (Lepidochelys
olivacea), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), flatback (Natator
depressus) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas).

Rosek identified Bali as "the world's main center for the
turtle business", where thousands of turtles were slaughtered
each year despite the laws meant to protect them.

In response to the outcry raised by environmentalists, the
Bali provincial government issued a bylaw in the 1990s which set
the legal maximum number of turtles which could be captured per
year at 5,000. The bylaw also stated that turtles were only to be
captured for use in religious and cultural ceremonies.

To facilitate supervision of the bylaw, the provincial
government named Benoa in Badung regency as the only legal port
of entrance for captured turtles. The Badung regency government
set the quota for turtle consumption in 1996 at 3,000 turtles per
year, with only turtles less than 80 centimeters in curvae
carapace length (CCL) allowed to be consumed.

Larger turtles are considered sexually mature and capturing
them would endanger the species.

However, KSBK notes that most of the turtles on the market are
between 80cms and 90cms CCL.

"The trade in turtles above 80cms CCL is very dangerous
because it jeopardize the existence of the green turtle," Rosek
said.

Turtles between 80cms and 90cms CCL are sold for between Rp
400,000 and Rp 500,000, while smaller turtles sell for between Rp
150,000 and Rp 250,000.

The endangered turtles are sold for their meat in upscale
restaurants. Their shells are commonly used to make various
souvenirs, from necklaces, bracelets, rings, forks and key rings.

According to KSBK, turtles traded in Bali come from many
areas, including Aru, Southeast Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, Irian
Jaya, Madura, Timor and Flores.

Respected Hindu priest Ida Pedanda Gde Putra Bajing of
Denpasar was quoted by KSBK as saying that there is no religious
decree mandating the use of turtle meat in any religious rite.

Ida Pedanda suspects religion is being exploited to justify
the illegal trade in turtles. (pan)