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.