Illegal animal trade thrives in Indonesia

BANDUNG, West Java: Indonesia, along with Brazil and the Congo, remains on top of the list of countries that tolerate illegal trade in protected species.

Hasudungan Pakpahan, director of the Konus conservation group, said on Sunday that Indonesia was known as a center of illegal trade in live animals, while the Congo was known for its ivory trade.

He said that animals indigenous to the country were smuggled out to Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan and Saudi Arabia before they were exported to European countries and the United States.

Endangered species illegally traded include orangutans and birds. -- JP