Maluku BKSDA Secures 55 Smuggled Sub-districts In Ship Engine Rooms

Dozens of Tanimbar cockatoos were found in the ship's masin room by the Maluku BKSDA. (ANTARA/Winda Herman)

AMBON - The Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) of Maluku Province has secured 55 Tanimbar (Cacatua Goffin) cockatoos smuggled in the engine room of the 104 Nusantara Belt Ship.

"The Maluku BKSDA Saumlaki Region III Team found dozens of protected wildlife while carrying out surveillance activities," said Maluku BKSDA Forest Police Seto, in Ambon, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 8.

The animal was entrusted by someone to the crew of the ship (ABK) on the pioneering ship at Saumlaki Port, Maluku.

"We have taken action against the crew member by making a statement as evidence for the next process," he said.

The perpetrator, according to him, had been handed over to the Resort Police (Polres) of Tanimbar Islands Regency (KKT).

He said that currently the animals had been secured at the Saumlaki Animal Conservation Station for further rehabilitation before being released into their habitat.

Seto emphasized that wildlife, especially protected types of endemic birds, cannot be found elsewhere, so it is an obligation to maintain the diversity of abundances of both plant and animal species in Indonesia.

He also hopes that people who find cases of animal smuggling will immediately be reported to the authorities, both BKSDA and the police.

"We are open to the public, if there is a handover of protected wildlife, we will accept it," he said.

Based on Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems, anyone who deliberately catches, injures, kills, stores, owns, maintains, transports, and trades protected animals alive; (Article 21 paragraph (2) letter a), is threatened with a maximum imprisonment of five years and a maximum fine of IDR 100 million (Article 40 paragraph (2)).