BKSDA Releases 150 Maluku Endemic Animals

BKSDA releases 150 animals endemic to Maluku (doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Maluku Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) has released 150 endemic species of birds and reptiles in the forest area of Aru Islands Regency, Maluku Province. Some of them include protected and endangered animals.

According to the Head of the Maluku BKSDA Danny Pattipeilohy, endemic wildlife has been released into the forest on Wokam Island, Aru Islands District, Aru Islands. The released animals included 47 birds and 103 reptiles.

Birds released on Wokam Island include seven parrot parrots (Eclectus roratus), 39 chef's cockatoos (Cacatua Galerita), and one king cockatoo (Probosciger atterimus).

The reptiles returned to the wild include 30 green pythons (Morelia viridis), two gem pythons (Morelia amethistina), 64 aru lizards (Varanus beccarii), six Maluku lizards (Varanus indicus), and one Panama lizard (Tiliqua gigas). .

According to Danny, among the endemic animals released into the forests of the Aru Islands, there are wild animals found by officers during patrols and wild animals that were handed over to the community hall.

Before being released into the wild, he explained, the animals underwent a quarantine and rehabilitation process at the Passi Transit Cage in Ambon City and the Masihulan Animal Rehabilitation Center (PRS) on Seram Island.

"Quarantine and rehabilitation activities are carried out to determine the health condition of the animal, and the process of restoring the natural nature of the animal," he said.

Wokam Island's customary forest was chosen as the release location because its condition is still maintained and the people living in the surrounding area are not used to hunting animals.

Danny also explained that the re-release of wild animals to their natural habitats in nature is part of efforts to preserve endemic animal populations while maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.