Deer slaughter continues in Aceh
Deer slaughter continues in Aceh
By Syahruddin Hamzah
BANDA ACEH (Antara): Poachers are setting fires to hunt and
kill the Timor deer (Cervus timorensis), a protected species, in
Cut Nyak Dhien forest park in Mount Seulawah and the Jantho
nature reserve in West Aceh.
Much of the quarry ends up in the kitchens of local eateries.
The head of Aceh's natural resources conservation center,
Bambang Suprayogi, said recently that these practices may have
been going on for a long time.
"Allegedly, illegal hunters deliberately set forest areas on
fire year in, year out to enable them to kill deer easily," he
said.
These hunters, made up of poor farmers and some Armed Forces
members, kill deer for their profit.
Venison obtained from these deer can be easily found, for
example, at a traditional market in Saree, Seulimuem district. It
is also available in Jantho, the capital of Aceh Besar, about 60
kilometers east of Banda Aceh, according to Bambang.
Even though venison dishes are sold at the relatively high
price of Rp 5,000 (62.5 U.S. cents), compared to the same dish
made of beef or water buffalo costing between Rp 3,000 and Rp
3,500, it is very popular among the Acehnese.
Saree, about 70 kilometers southeast of Banda Aceh, is
located near Mount Seulawah, on the highway connecting Banda Aceh
and Medan. It is a transit point for vehicles traveling between
Aceh and North Sumatra.
"Please drop in, sir. We serve specially cooked venison. Fried
or roast venison is also available," said a member of staff at a
restaurant to visiting members of the Indonesian Association of
Journalists.
He also openly offered the guests the chance to buy fresh
venison at Rp 17,000 per kilogram, as do many farmers-turned-
poachers in the Aceh Besar forest.
"If you want to buy it, I can get it from my house, some 200
meters from here," he added.
A source said that every week at least three to four deer
weighing between 100 kg and 150 kg per head from Aceh Besar
forest are killed to meet local demand for venison.
Although Aceh's natural resources conservation center has
never conducted a survey on the population of deer in the
province, it can be safely said that in the last 10 years the
population of this protected animal has been much reduced.
Untamed deer used to roam Cut Nyak Dhien forest park and
Jantho nature reserve.
"Ten years ago, at almost any time, we could see groups of
wild deer coming down to residential areas, especially in the
rainy season. Today, such sightings are history," said a
community elder, Mohamad Anzib.
Law No. 5/1990 on natural resources conservation stipulates
that anybody who deliberately hurts or kills a protected animal
is subject to a maximum 10-year jail term or Rp 200 million fine.
However, nobody has been sentenced or fined pursuant to this
law for illegally killing deer in this area. Hence, the
'massacre' continues unabated.
Bambang said that although his office had tried to prevent the
illegal hunting of deer in Aceh Besar through counseling in
cooperation with relevant government agencies, local people
cannot be persuaded to give up killing the animal because it is
so profitable.