Eighteen species of Asian raptor in peril

BANDUNG (JP): At least 18 species of Asian raptors are in danger and in the need of protection in the next three years, the second Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Symposium recommends.

The species are eagles and members of one of the top predator families, coordinator of the working group on Javanese eagle conservation M. Yayat Afianto, told a press conference on Friday.

Yayat was one of the Indonesian participants in the two-day symposium, which ended on Thursday.

"Seven of the 18 endangered species are found in Indonesia, four in Japan, four in India and three in Taiwan," M. Yayat said, adding that the Indonesian raptors which need protection include the Javan Hawk-eagle, Sulawesi Hawk-eagle, Spizaetus cirrhatus florensis, Javan Scops-owl, Wallace Hawk-eagle, All Indonesia Spizaetus genera and Brahminy kite.

Meanwhile, Indian raptors which need serious attention include the Vulture, Lesser Spotted-eagle, Lesser Fishing-eagle and Nicobar Serpent eagle, while endangered Taiwanese raptors are Mountain Hawk-eagle, Indian Black eagle and Lanyu Scops-owl.

The symposium also involved raptor lovers from Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Norway, the United States and Europe as well as members of Asian Raptor Research and Conservation.

Yayat said the activists could not state with exactitude the number of remaining Javanese eagles. "But we found recently that there are only about 300 Javanese eagles, while a Japanese friend said that there are now less than 100 Goshawks."

The symposium also recommended that the law be properly enforced against poachers and illegal traffickers. "Both the sellers and buyers of endangered species must be punished," Yayat said.

In Indonesia, illegal trafficking of endanger species involves military personnel and government officials, he said. (25/sur)