South Kalimantan BKSDA Reminds Heavy Sanctions For Animal Provincial Sellers To Be Protected

BANJARMASIN - The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of South Kalimantan Province reminded of legal sanctions for souvenir sellers made of protected animals.

This warning was conveyed after the disclosure of a trade case of 1,930 protected wildlife parts in Banjar Regency.

"We urge the public not to trade souvenir products from protected wildlife parts. Biodiversity is the deposit of our children and grandchildren, let's take care of it together," said South Kalimantan BKSDA Head Agus Ngurah Krisna in Banjarmasin, Antara, Sunday, November 2.

Agus explained that sanctions for perpetrators of illegal hunting and utilization of protected animals are regulated in Law Number 32 of 2024 concerning Amendments to Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems (KSDAHE).

"Saving, possessing, maintaining, transporting, and/or trading protected animals and their parts in a state of death carries a minimum prison sentence of two years and a maximum of ten years, as well as a fine of at least Rp. 100 million and a maximum of Rp. 3 billion," said Agus.

Previously, the South Kalimantan BKSDA together with the Banjar Police revealed the trade in the body of protected wildlife at a souvenir shop owned by HA in Martapura, Banjar Regency. From that location, officers found 1,930 parts of protected animals, including deer and deer skulls, horned horned birds, rare bird feathers, and cigarette handles and pipes from the animal's horn.

Agus added that the evidence could be destroyed or deposited in research institutions and the zoology museum as a means of education or research, but had to wait for a court decision.

Banjar Police Chief AKBP Fadli said the disclosure of this case began with a public report which was then followed up with the South Kalimantan BKSDA. Based on the results of the investigation, the shop owner admitted that all the items belonged to him and had been trading them since 2023, by buying from someone with the initials A from Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency.

For his actions, HA was charged with Article 40A paragraph (1) letter f in conjunction with Article 21 paragraph (2) letter c of Law Number 32 of 2024 concerning KSDAHE and Article 480 of the Criminal Code concerning detention. Currently, the suspect is undergoing house detention from September 17 to November 15, 2025.

The Banjar Police and the South Kalimantan BKSDA emphasized their commitment to take firm action against illegal wildlife trade practices in order to preserve nature and prevent the extinction of Kalimantan endemic species.