BKSDA Hopes Customary Rules Can Prevent Turtle Smuggling To Bali

BALI - Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) hopes that customary regulations can prevent the smuggling of turtles to Bali.

"There is already Bhisama or customary rules regarding the use of turtles as upakara or religious means. If consumption is strictly prohibited in the regulation," said Head of the Bali BKSDA Agus Budi Santosa in Bali, Antara, Thursday, May 18.

He said the customary rules made together with Hindu religious figures had been socialized to traditional villages.

Specifically for the removal of the Jembrana Police which was released into the waters of the Banyuwedang Sea, Buleleng Regency, he said, the smallest is estimated to be 20 to 30 years old.

Of the 18 tails, according to him, one male and the rest female who after the ultrasound are not in a condition of laying eggs.

He suspects that the turtles do not come from Bali because for the last four years there have been no types of green turtles that have landed and laid eggs in Bali.

"It is possible that from East Java, because the large habitat of green turtles is in the waters of the region. That is also what makes the smuggling of turtles to Bali, the dominant type of green turtle," he said.

In terms of guarding to prevent the smuggling of turtles or other animals, his party has established checkpoints at ports and airports.

He also hopes that the green turtle that will be released will return to Banyuwedang Beach to lay eggs.

When released before going to the sea, the turtle naturally activates a type of memory in his brain. Where did he be released, this animal will return when it's time to lay eggs," he said.

According to him, green turtles can produce 60 to 100 eggs, but less than one percent of what works until adults.

Meanwhile, Jembrana Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner (AKBP) I Dewa Gde Juliana said shortly after thwarting the smuggling of the turtle, his party prioritized saving the protected animals.

"We are coordinating with the BKSDA, which immediately brought the turtles to Banyuwedang where JSI has rescue facilities," he said.

In this case, the police arrested two perpetrators, one of whom was on the Bali Police Wanted List (DPO) for the same case.

Juliana said the perpetrator MT (50) from Banyubiru Village, Negara District, had been included in the Bali Police DPO since August 2022. "So he will be processed in two cases, namely what we revealed and the case at the Regional Police," he said.

Previously, the Jembrana Police Criminal Investigation Unit together with the Traffic Unit arrested SK (23) who brought 18 green turtles in a pick-up car that he caught.

"We received information that a car was transporting turtles. We followed the car and stopped at Sudirman Post, Negara City," said Juliana.

During the arrest, he continued, MT, who was escorting a Toyota Fortuner, fled towards Denpasar, but was arrested by the Mendoyo Police.

"We are still developing this case, where did the turtle come from, including who bought it in Denpasar. For the time being, MT admitted that it only brought it to Denpasar, after being picked up by the customer," he said.

These two perpetrators were charged with Article 40 paragraph (2) junto Article 21 paragraph (2) letter a of Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystems junto Article 55 of the Criminal Code.