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