This month, together with the
police, we managed to rescue two siamang gibbons (Symphalangus syndactylus) from a trader who was attempting to sell
them illegally on the black market. The trader was offering two gibbons for IDR7,000,000
(US$500) - via facebook. The gibbons are now safely in the Tegal Alur Rescue
Center, owned by the government.
According to the trader, the
gibbons were taken from the wild in Sumatra and sent to Java for sale on the black market.
The trader tried to conceal the
gibbons by placing one in a small box and the other in a bag when caught by the
police. He was about to deliver the gibbons to his buyer.
Scorpion investigation
director Marison Guciano said illegal wildlife trade is still rampant on
facebook. The lack of effective penalties is halting progress and does not
constitute a deterrent to errant traders. Buyers re-sell illegally endangered
species, creating a vicious cycle.
"Java is the largest
market in illegal wildlife trade, and we are going to break the chain of
illegal wildlife smuggling from Sumatra to Java by patrolling with authorities
at the port of Bakaheuni," Marison said.
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