DENPASAR - Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) condemned the sale of baby long-tailed monkeys or macaca fascicularis at the Satria Bird Market, Denpasar, Bali.
Femke den Haas, one of the founders of JAAN, explained that in Bali there are still many sellers of baby long-tailed monkeys at the Satria Bird Market, Denpasar.
"There are at least two stalls selling long-tailed monkeys in the market. Most of these monkeys are very young," said Femke in a written statement, Friday, September 24.
From the confession of a trader, Femke said that these monkeys are imported almost every month from Sumatra. Of course, this is illegal, because it is forbidden to introduce rabies-transmitting animals (HPR) into the island of Bali.
This refers to the Decree of the Minister of Agriculture No. 1696/2008, regarding the prohibition of importing dogs, cats, monkeys and the like into Bali.
In addition, the sale of primates in the bird market has the potential to violate Article 302 of the Criminal Code concerning animal abuse, Law Number 18 of 2009 concerning Livestock and Animal Health and Government Regulation Number 95 of 2012 concerning Veterinary Public Health and Animal Welfare.
"Then the method of obtaining and transporting these monkeys also violates the Minister of Forestry Regulation No. P-63/Menhut-II/2013, concerning procedures for collecting wild plant and animal specimens," he added.
Femke said that the sale of baby monkeys in the bird market was still rampant, presumably due to the large number of enthusiasts. Most of the buyers are sorry tourists until they finally buy.
However, the problem after growing up, this monkey then becomes a serious thing because it is getting fierce and wild.
According to Femke, this method is wrong because buying monkeys from traders in the market will only perpetuate the wildlife trade, according to the principle of supply and demand. Including making monkeys as social media content, because the spread of influencers doing this, also triggers the high purchase of these monkey babies.
"Long-tailed monkeys live in solid groups and families. To get a baby or a baby monkey usually the hunters will kill the mother. Of course this is very cruel and against animal welfare and even government regulations," he said.
JAAN continued, Femke had saved many monkeys from reports from residents and government confiscations until there was no more space.
"At our animal rehabilitation facility in Sumatra recently there were around 36 baby monkeys that were successfully confiscated by the authorities. All of the babies were rescued on their way to Java and Bali," he said.
But unfortunately until now the reports and complaints to related parties have not received a response. Even though the Balinese Hindu community really respects these long-tailed monkeys.
"Such as in Sangeh, Monkey Forest, Uluwatu, Alas Kedaton and Pura Pulaki. But sadly there is still the practice of trading and keeping these monkeys in Bali. We hope that the Bali government through the Livestock Service, Denpasar City Government and of course the Denpasar Quarantine Hall can stop trading long-tailed monkeys in the bird market," he said.
Femke said the long-tailed macaque or macaca fascicularis is a very social primate species, living in groups and intelligent. They are not worthy to be kept as pets.
According to him, kept monkeys can increase the risk of disease transmission from animals to humans and vice versa or zoonoses. For example, TB disease, rabies and other viruses.
In addition, such as the alleged emergence of the SarsCov-2 virus or COVID-19 which is now spreading throughout the world from a live animal market in Wuhan, China in 2019.
Then the stress and trauma of animal conditions can result in bite attacks on humans. In addition, the practice of trading in long-tailed monkeys clearly violates the principles of animal welfare.
"Long-tailed monkeys in Indonesia are still not protected despite the fact that according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, the status of the Macaca species in nature has been raised to a vulnerable level," said Femke.
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