Police get animal award

Police get animal award

JAKARTA: Five police officers were give awards on Monday for
their efforts in fighting against the trade of and ownership of
endangered animals.

The policemen were Bali police chief Insp. Gen. Made Mangku
Pastika, Lampung police chief Insp. Gen. MD Primanto, Yogyakarta
police chief Insp. Gen. Sudirman, Bali water police director Adj.
Sr. Comr. Agus Sutikno, and Jakarta police detective chief for
the environment Achmad Haidar.

The awards were given by the director of the Swiss-based
Gibbon Foundation Willie Smits and chairman of ProFauna Indonesia
Rosek Nursahid on Monday in Kuta, Bali.

Illegal trade in endangered animals in the country was
estimated to reach about Rp 100 billion (US$11.765 million)
annually.

Due to the illegal trade of endangered animals, several
animals are close to extinction such as the orangutan (pongo
pygmaeus), the yellow-headed cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea), and
the spooky cockatoo (Cacatua molucensis). --JP