22 April 2016
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
Scorpion
Foundation Congratulates Government Law Enforcement Agencies for Busting
Orangutan Skulls Trade in Singkawang
The
Non-Government Organisation, Scorpion Foundation congratulates the serious
action of government law enforcement agencies from the Ministry of Environment
and Forestry and the Indonesian Police Headquarters in busting trade of
orangutan skulls in Singkawang, West Kalimantan province of Indonesia.
The Law
Enforcement Directorate General of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and
the West Kalimantan Provincial Police worked together to arrest trader of orangutan
skulls and various accessories made of protected animal parts in Singkawang on
Thursday, 21 April 2016.
The
arrest of the trader and the confiscation of the accessories were made jointly by
the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Police after receiving written report from Scorpion Foundation which
sent report to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry on 29th of
March 2016.
The
Scorpion Report was based on its direct investigation in West Kalimantan in
March 2016. The Senior Investigator of Scorpion Foundation, Marison Guciano,
traveled from Kuching to Pontianak to monitor illegal wildlife trade in West
Kalimantan and in the Indonesia-Malaysia border. The report of Scorpion to the
Ministry of Environment and Forestry is based on the investigation during this
trip.
"When
I was traveling in West Kalimantan for wildlife trade monitoring, I found
various protected animal skulls and accessories made of protected animal parts
in a shop in Singkawang, West Kalimantan. Based on that findings, Scorpion
Foundation sent a report and photographs
to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry who later coordinated with police
to arrest the trader and confiscated all protected animal skulls and
accessories made of protected animal parts, “ said Marison Guciano, Senior
Investigator of Scorpion Foundation.
The
trader, AT, was arrested and taken to provincial police office for further
process.
The
skulls and the accessories made of protected animal parts which were
confiscated on Thursday (21 April 2016) included:
-3 Orangutan skulls
-2 Sun bear skulls
- 2 Hornbill beaks
- 2 Barking deer horns
- 1 Ape skull
- 1 piece of sun bear hand
- 1 canine tooth of sun bear
- 24 nails of sun bear
- 1 sheet of pangolin scales
- 1 stuffed pangolin cub
- 1 stuffed turtle
- 1 turtle carapace
-1 Large snail
-1 pearl
- 9 Sambar deer horns
-111 Porcupine quills
Director of Scorpion Foundation Gunung Gea said: “The increased attention for law enforcement recently is a good sign in line with the national policy of wildlife protection launched by President Joko Widodo in the mid of this month. With the increased law enforcement, and strong commitment from national government, Indonesia will be able to save our otherwise fast-disappearing wildlife.”
Skulls/parts of protected animal parts confiscated on Thursday, 21 April 2016.
(Photo: West Kalimantan Police)
