Night Operations At Sorong Port Failed To Smuggle Papuan Endemic Animals

A kasturi bird was successfully thwarted by Southwest Papua BBKSDA on the KM Dobonsolo ship at Sorong Public Port, Southwest Papua, Wednesday (8/10/2025). BETWEEN/HO-Humas BBKSDA Southwest Papua.

The Center for Natural Resources Conservation (BBKSDA) of Southwest Papua thwarted an attempt to smuggle eight black-headed kasturi birds (Lorius lory) on the KM Dobonsolo ship that was docked at Sorong Public Port on Wednesday night.

Head of BBKSDA Southwest Papua Genman Suhefti Hasibuan explained that the disclosure began with routine inspections on the 3rd deck of the ship at around 19.00 WIT.

During the examination, the team found an unusually hidden black-headed kasturi bird.

"After further sweeping in the same area, we found seven other. A total of eight heads, one of whom is already dead," Genman said by telephone in Sorong, Antara, Thursday, October 9.

All birds were then secured and taken to the Southwest Papua BBKSDA Office for further data and care. Genman explained that the black head cassuri is an endemic Papuan animal that is widely spread in the Papua region and is categorized as an animal protected by law.

"These animals are suspected to be smuggled outside Papua to be sold or maintained by certain parties outside the region," he said.

KM Dobonsolo is known to continue shipping from Sorong to Bau-Bau, Makassar, Surabaya, and ends in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta.

Meski berhasil mengamankan burung-burung tersebut, Genman mengakui hingga kini belum ada pelaku yang tertangkap karena tidak ada penumpang yang mengaku sebagai pemilik.

“Kami berharap praktik penyelundupan seperti ini segera dihentikan. Jika dibiarkan, populasi satwa endemik Papua seperti kasturi kepala hitam bisa terancam punah,” ujarnya menegaskan.

Although he managed to secure the birds, Genman admitted that until now no perpetrator has been caught because no passenger has claimed to be the owner.

"We hope that this smuggling practice will be stopped immediately. If left unchecked, the endemic Papuan animal population such as the black head kasturi could be threatened with extinction," he asserted.