Maleo birds face extinction

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: The population of maleo birds in Indonesia's easternmost province of Irian Jaya has been dwindling apparently because of poaching and forest concessionaire activity, a study said.

Head of the Irian Jaya Forestry Service Sudjud was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday the government and the public should make efforts to protect the birds, one of the rare bird species inhabiting the province's mainland.

A joint study conducted by Cendrawasih University's School of Agriculture and the Irian Jaya Forestry Service showed maleo birds live in the regencies of Sorong, Manokwari, Fakfak, Yapen Waropen, Merauke and Jayapura.

To conserve the maleo birds, the university has been breeding dozens of the rare species since 1995.

Maleo birds consist of white and red species. Their eggs are four times bigger than chicken eggs.

According to the result of a study conducted by the World Wide Fund for the Nature (WWF) representative office in Irian Jaya, maleo birds lay eggs once or twice a year.