Rare animal trade foiled

Rare animal trade foiled

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration announced on Friday that
it had confiscated 114 rare animals last year that were about to
be traded on the black market.

Head of City Environmental Impact Management Agency
Aboejoewono Aboeprajitno said on Friday that the animals were
often found secluded at the rear of the city-owned markets.

He claimed that popular locations included markets in Pramuka
and Jatinegara in East Jakarta, Barito and Blok M in South
Jakarta, and along Jl. Cempaka Baru of Kemayoran, Central Jakarta
and Jl. Raya Cipondoh of Tangerang, west of Jakarta.

Most of these endangered species were rare birds, such as
parrots, eagles and cockatoos. They also included gibbons,
crocodiles and giant clams. Most of them have now been placed at
Ragunan zoo in South Jakarta or Safari park in Cisarua, West
Java.

Prices of these rare animals range between Rp 900,000 (about
US$94.73) and Rp 7 million.

The trading of protected animals is forbidden under Law No.
5/1990 on natural resources and ecosystem conservation, and Law
No. 16/1992 on fish, animal and plant quarantine.

Any violator of the laws can be sentenced to a maximum of
three years in prison and a fine of Rp 150 million.(07)