Rare animals seized in raid

JAKARTA (JP): The Natural Resources Conservation Agency conducted a sweeping operation of rare animals displayed on Jl. Barito in South Jakarta on Sunday, but only managed to seize seven animals from dozens due to a minimal police presence.

"We had difficulty with this operation since we were only assisted by a few police officers," the agency's conservation chief for western region Yunus Makasuah said.

He stated that the operation was conducted carefully to avoid resistance from the traders.

Yunus said his men were attacked by traders and had suffered injuries when seizing rare animals during a previous operation in February.

"We didn't want our personnel to be attacked by the traders again," he claimed.

During Sunday's operation, the agency's special officials who were helped by several police officers from the Kebayoran Lama police subprecinct, seized seven animals, including a rare turtle and a white starling (see photo).

Besides the two rare animals, the officers also seized a lizard and a python.

Before conducting the operation, the agency officials identified dozens of animals that were offered by traders along Jl. Barito, including 50 turtles of four different species.

The traders also sold two owls, four black-headed parrots, several rare cockatoos, four wild ducks, two baby orangutans and three cuscus. (leo/jun)