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)