Smuggling Attempt Fails: 1,088 Songbirds Returned to Natural Habitat in Labuan Bajo
The Large Office for Conservation of Natural Resources (BBKSDA) of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) released 1,088 songbirds into the Nggorang Bowosie Protected Forest area, Komodo Subdistrict, Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, on Saturday (9/5/2026). The thousands of birds were previously secured from a smuggling attempt to Java island.
“This release aims to save all the secured individuals, increase the population in the wild, and provide education to raise public awareness,” said the Head of BBKSDA NTT, Adhi Nurul Hadi, on Saturday night.
The released birds consisted of 1,000 pleci or Zosterops chloris birds, 34 Flores kancilan (Pachycephala nudigula) birds, and 54 decu belang (Saxicola caprata) birds.
The release process involved several agencies, including Lanal Labuan Bajo, the Multipurpose Wae Kelambu Port Security Implementation Unit (KPPP), West Manggarai Police Resort, Class II Labuan Bajo Harbourmaster and Port Authority Office (KSOP), and the NTT Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Office.
The thousands of birds were secured by a joint team at the Class III Labuan Bajo Pelindo Multipurpose Port on Friday (8/5/2026). The birds were transported using an expedition truck on the Flores-Java route without official documents.
Officers from the Labuan Bajo Natural Resources Conservation Resort, BBKSDA NTT, confirmed that all three types of birds are not protected species. However, the transportation of wild animals still requires a Domestic Plant and Wild Animal Transport Certificate (SATS-DN) in accordance with applicable regulations.
Adhi explained that the rule refers to Article 63 of Government Regulation No. 8 of 1999 on the Utilisation of Wild Plants and Animals, as well as Ministry of Environment and Forestry Regulation No. 18 of 2024.
“For violations of transporting wild plants and animals without transport documents, whether protected or not, they are confiscated for the state,” Adhi clarified.
In addition, the transportation of animal species must be accompanied by a health certificate as regulated in Law No. 21 of 2019 on Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine.
Previously reported, the Special Team (Timsus) of Lanal Labuan Bajo, together with West Manggarai Police Resort and BBKSDA Labuan Bajo, foiled the smuggling of 1,000 songbirds at the Class III Labuan Bajo Pelindo Multipurpose Port on Friday (8/5/2026).
There were three types of songbirds intended to be smuggled: pleci (Zosterops), samyong (Pachycephala nudigula), and decu belang (Saxicola caprata). The thousands of birds were transported using an expedition truck with licence plate L 9304 GA on the Flores-Java route.
“The Timsus found around 1,000 songbirds packed in dozens of boxes without adequate ventilation,” said the Commander of Lanal Labuan Bajo, Lieutenant Colonel (N) Aan Harminanto, during a press conference at the Lanal Labuan Bajo headquarters on Friday (8/5/2026).
Aan revealed that initial checks showed the bird shipment was not accompanied by official documents.