On Monday (2/11/15) Scorpion Foundation sent a report to Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in North Sumatra province of Indonesia asking to control illegal wildlife in Medan. In the report Scorpion explained its finding of illegal sale of protected Nias parrot and a Mitred Leaf Monkey (Presbytis melalophos) which is listed by the International Union of Conservation (IUCN) as Endangered Species.
The Scorpion’s report based on its direct observation in Pasar Bintang, Jl. Dr. FL. Tobing in Medan on Sunday, 1st November 2015.
The Nias parrot was on sale at price IDR 1,200,000.00 (US$90.00) while the Mitred Leaf Monkey was on sale at price IDR 15,000,000 (US$1,100.00).
There are also hundreds of birds on sales with price ranging from IDR20,000.00 (US$1,4) to IDR2,000,000 (US$14.00) at Pasar Bintang on Sunday. Most of the birds are taken from the wild illegally, therefore, the sales of these birds are illegal. Scorpion asked BKSDA North Sumatra to take action against the illegal wildlife trade in Medan.
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About Mitred Leaf Monkey (From: www.ecologyasia.com/verts/mammals/mitred-leaf-monkey.htm)
The Mitred Leaf Monkey, or Sumatran Surili, inhabits a range of forested habitats including hill forest, lowland primary and secondary forest, and highly disturbed shrub forest on the island of Sumatra, in Indonesia.
The species feeds mainly on young leaves, but other vegetation may be consumed including flower, seeds and forest fruits.
Fur colour can be quite variable between different populations of this species, such that some populations, currently considered as subspecies, could be considered as separate species. IUCN recognise four subspecies.
The specimen illustrated here has distinctly bicoloured fur, with strong demarcation between medium grey fur on the back and sides of its body, and white fur on the chest and belly. This individual has a pronounced crest.
Though the distribution of this species is patchy, due to habitat loss and conversion of forest to plantations, its population density within remaining areas of Sumatra is quite high.
