Indonesian Parrots Being Smuggled to Philippines

LACK OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

The parrot smuggling to the Philippines breaks the CITES (Convention of
International on Trade in Endangered Species) agreements, ratified by Indonesia
in 1978. Most parrots are listed in Appendix II. Parrots in CITES Appendix II
are prohibited from international commercial trade unless they are captive bred
or permitted by the exporting country. In Indonesia the bird trade is controlled
by the catch quota. Parrots in the trade are not captive bred.

From the interviews with some animal traders in Cartimar market in Manila, the
Philippines, ProFauna uncovered that some of the birds smuggled from Indonesia
were intended for export to other countries and to be labelled as captive-bred.
It is therefore necessary for the Philippines authority to control and check the
parrot breeding centre and the source of parrots for export.

The illegal trade of protected parrots violates the Indonesian legislation of
the 1990 (a wildlife law concerning Natural Resources and the Ecosystems
Conservations). Accordingly, the perpetrators are liable to a maximum
five-year prison term and a maximum 100 million Rupiah fine. Unfortunately, the
Indonesian governments has not enforced the law because many protected parrot
are still being smuggled abroad and sold openly in Surabaya, East Java,
Indonesia.

At least once in every two weeks there is a freight vessel that dock at
Surabaya sea port, transporting illegal parrots. There are about 30 birds of
various species being smuggled to Surabaya per shipment. From the data
collected by ProFauna about animal markets in Java and Bali, the domestic trade
in parrots is still at a high level. The most wanted species is the black-capped
Lory (Lorius lory), the second is the sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua
galerita) and the third is the Eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus).

Tri Prayudhi, ProFauna’s Campaign Officer stated, ” The Navy of Indonesian
Armed Force (TNI) and the Indonesian Marine Police must improve the patrol of
marine boundaries between Indonesia and the Philippines seas and the route used
for wildlife smuggling from Indonesia to Philippines”. ProFauna strongly
recommends that both Indonesian and the Philippines governments implement and
enforce their wildlife laws.

In addition to the necessity of law enforcement to stop the illegal parrot
trade, ProFauna urges the Indonesian government to raise the status of white
Cockatoo (Cacatua alba), endemic species of Northern Maluku as Indonesian
protected species.

EDITOR’S NOTES:

 ProFauna launches PIRATED PARROTS report on the 22nd May 2008 in Jakarta,
Indonesia. The report is complemented with a 14-minute film (VCD/DVD) about the
Indonesian parrots being smuggled to the Philippines and to the Indonesian
domestic trade level. For further information, please contact Butet A.
Sitohang, International Communication Officer, mobile: +6281333899741 or email:
international@profauna.org

 ProFauna Indonesia (www.profauna.org) is a wildlife protection organization
in Indonesia, established in 1994. ProFauna becomes the largest wildlife
protection organization in Indonesia with 500,000 member and supporters. In
2002, ProFauna launched a report called Flying Without Wings about the illegal
parrot trade in Papua and North Maluku, Indonesia.

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