Apart From Being Protected, The BKSDA Asks Maluku Residents Not To Disrupt Because Of Alami Controllers From Hama Tikus

The handover of pythons found on the road, from the Ambon City Fire Department, to the Maluku/ANTARA BKSDA

MALUKU - The Maluku Province Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) appealed to the public not to kill snakes. If possible, the snake should be handed over to the BKSDA. "If people find or catch snakes, rather than be killed, it is better to hand them over to us for us to release them in a forest located far from community activities and settlements," said Maluku BKSDA Forest Police (Polhut), Seto in Ambon, Antara, Tuesday, October 25. This reptile animal is protected based on the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number P.20/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/6/2018 concerning Protected Types of Plants and Animals as amended by the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number P.92/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/8/2018 concerning Amendments to the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number P.20/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/6/2018 concerning Protected Types of Plants and Animals. Seto said, in Maluku, one of the protected snakes is a green python with its spread in the Aru Islands, “ Not all snakes are protected, one of which is a green python that is protected by its spread in the Aru Islands,” he said. Seto added, while the python, not including protected animals, currently its protection status according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is threatened by hunting and changing habitat functions. "“Ular Sancakembang is temporarily threatened by hunting and changing habitat functions, such as changing forest areas into plantation or residential areas," said Seto. He continued, even though in Maluku only the green python was protected, he hoped that the community would still hand over any type of snake to the BKSDA if found. “The point is that instead of being killed, it's better to let them live, after all they also have benefits for the environment, for example as natural controllers of rat pests, etc.,” said Seto.