Five more species on export quota list

Five more species on export quota list

JAKARTA (JP): Five more Indonesian animal species have been
added to the export quota list set by the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna
(CITES), an official said yesterday.

The inclusion would be effective starting Sept. 20, head of
the city forestry office, Purwadi Mangunwardoyo, said.

The five species include four birds, Gelatik (Padada
Oryzipora), Pancawarna (Leionthrix argentaurius), Beo biasa
(Gracula Religiosa), Cucak rawa (Pycnonotus zeylanicus), and one
reptile, Labi-labi (Callagur borneonsis).

Purwadi said the five species were listed in Appendix II CITES
for the animal quota export list deliberated last June at the
Conference of the Parties X (COP X) CITES in Harare, Zimbabwe.

"The inclusion of the species in the export list is intended
to help preserve their existence," he told The Jakarta Post.

Under the quota list, any export distribution of the species
is subject to approval from the country of origin and the
countries of destination, he said, without giving details of the
total number of Indonesian animal species on the list.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Indonesia's
exports of living creatures reached US$7.62 million between
January and April this year.

"People involved in this export business must be aware of the
danger of animal extinction," he said.

Purwadi said that, in cooperation with the Nature Conservation
and Forest Management Directorate General, his office would
continue applying strict control over the distribution of the
animal species in the export quota.

"It's very important for the public to know about the quota
rules for animals, because people, especially businesspeople,
tend to export living creatures freely. They do not care about
the preservation as long as they make a lot of money," he said.

Nature conservation director Dwiatmo Siswomartono said earlier
there were still deeply embedded perceptions among Indonesians
that keeping endangered animals as pets carried prestige.

"The more protected an animal, the more they will strive to
get one for a pet," Dwiatmo said.

Purwadi admitted that the five species did not belonged to the
rare-animal classification and have not been listed as endangered
species in Indonesia.

"It's quite easy to find them in Indonesia, but in India,
Africa or other countries, those species are considered as
protected animals because their numbers are very small," he said.

Purwadi also said that his office is continuing its joint
operations against illegal animal market distribution with the
customs and excise directorate general and the flora-fauna
quarantine agency.

"Over the past eight months, we've already confiscated 109
protected animals, ranging from birds to mammals, in several
markets throughout the city," he said.

They were confiscated from several fauna markets, including
Pasar Pramuka, East Jakarta, and Pasar Barito, Kebayoran Baru,
South Jakarta, and from the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport,
which is known as a transit site for animal smuggling.

"The sellers of the protected animals, who were caught in the
operations, will be processed according to the existing law.
Their cases are currently being handled by the Jakarta Police,"
he said. (07)