Govt Urged To Ban Animal Trading

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The non-governmental organization working on wildlife conservation, Scorpio, urges the government to prohibit protected wildlife trading.

"We ask the government to shut down illegal wildlife trades," Senior Investigator of Scorpio Marison Guciano said in a statement received by Antara here Tuesday.

According to Guciano, Scorpion which is active organization in the wildlife preservation in concerned with the endangered wildlife because they have been killed and captured for trading.

He said animals sold in two animal markets in Jakarta are mostly protected species.

"I saw these animals, especially birds, which huddled in small cages and dirty. It is a cruel act that must be stopped," Guciano said.

He explained the Scorpion investigator team has already six times surveyed the two animal markets in Jakarta.

Scorpion expected that the law enforcing officers can stop the illegal wildlife trading before the Indonesian people lose their valuable wildlife forever.

He pointed out, the valuable and protected wildlife traded in the markets, among others are gibbon, hawks, parrots, Bali starlings, and various types of chirping birds.

"We ask the Minister of Environment and Forestry and the staff members to save the wildlife. We also call on the Governor of Jakarta to help save the Indonesian wildlife by prohibiting the trade," he said.

Law No. 5 of 1990 on Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems states that every person is prohibited from catching protected animals. The offense is a criminal. (WDY)