13 Animals Left For Treatment By The Papua Regional Police's Criminal Investigation Unit Released To Their Original Habitat

13 animals entrusted to Papua Police Ditreskrimsus are released into the wild/Photo: Antara

JAYAPURA - A total of 13 endemic Papuan animals which are evidence of care custody from the Special Crime Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) of Papua Regional Police were released by the local Natural Resources Conservation Center (BBKSDA), Monday 11 July.

The Acting Head of the Papua BBKSDA Abdul Azis Bakry in Jayapura, Monday 11 July, said the two release locations for the 13 animals were the forest in the Cycloop Mountains nature reserve, Waena Village, Heram District, Jayapura City, and the Isyo Customary Forest in Rhepang Muaif Village, Nimboran District, Jayapura Regency.

The animals released in the Cycloop Mountains nature reserve are three king cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus), two black-headed musks (Lorius lory), two male and female brilliant toowa (Lophorina magnifica), and four small yellow birds of paradise (Paradisaea minor) male and female.

A total of two dead Twelve-wired bird-of-paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus) were released into the wild in Rhepang Muaif, Nimboran District, Jayapura Regency.

He explained that the selection of the two locations was based on the original habitat of the released Papuan endemic animal species.

He explained that the animals were previously deposited in the transit cage of the Waena Cenderawasih Campground since May 23, 2022 by the Papua Police Ditreskrimsus.

"So all of them have undergone a period of habituation to ensure their wild nature so that they can survive in nature," he said as quoted by Antara.

He appreciated the Papuan Police for being involved in efforts to preserve state-owned wildlife.

"So we appeal to all parties to stop illegal acts of endemic Papuan wildlife because the consequences are very large and of course need high costs," he said.

Acting Head of Technical Division of BBKSDA Papua Yulius Palita emphasized that all released animals in the forest around the Cycloop and Rhepang Muaif nature reserves are protected by law.

"All of them are registered in the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia Number: P.106 MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 as protected animals based on Law Number 5 of 1990 concerning KSDAHE," he said.