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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 12:12 pm
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Results for wildlife crime (indonesia)
2 results foundAuthor: Shepherd, Chris R. Title: An Overview of the Regulation of the Freshwater Turtle and Tortoise Pet Trade in Jakarta, Indonesia Summary: Trade in wildlife is extensive in Asia, including a large number of species specifically traded live to supply the demand for pets. In an attempt to gain a greater insight into the drivers behind wildlife trade and to increase our understanding of how to regulate this trade, this survey provides an overview of the management and control of wildlife harvesting in Indonesia. Within Indonesia all commercial trade in wild animals is subject to a quota system, with no harvest or (domestic or international) trade allowed in any species without an allocated quota. Wildlife trade, whether legal or not, is performed openly; in general, regulatory law enforcement regarding wildlife protection and trade management is less than optimal. Indonesia is home to some 10 per cent of the world’s tortoise and freshwater turtle species. Persistent trade is one of the main threats to their survival, and large volumes can be observed in trade in Indonesia’s domestic markets, as well as being exported from Indonesia. This makes tortoises and freshwater turtles an appropriately indicative group to evaluate the management and control of wildlife harvesting and trade in Indonesia. To this end, two discrete, yet complementary datasets, have been analysed. The first dataset focuses on the quota-setting process, the requirement for non-detriment findings under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and regulations determining the legality of the trade and identifying gaps in the current trade-regulation system. The second dataset focuses on the trade in tortoises and freshwater turtles for pets in Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta, quantifying this trade, analyzing how the market affects different species in trade, and assessing the effectiveness of trade regulations. Annual reported imports of CITES-listed species to Indonesia range between 0-1050 turtles per year, averaging 230 turtles per year for the 2000-2004 period. Numbers of CITES-listed exotic species observed in trade at any moment often exceed the reported import figures of these species for several years. Although for meaningful quota-setting for CITES Appendix II-listed species, non-detriment findings are required to be carried out under Article IV of the Convention, this has not been done in detail for any of the Indonesian tortoises or freshwater turtles in trade. In 2004, harvest of selected species was allowed in 17/31 provinces throughout the country, with harvest often being permitted in one province but not in the adjacent provincial jurisdiction, with no apparent justification for the demarcation. Large regions of the country do not have harvest quota allotted to them, yet species distributed in these geographic areas do show up in trade. Although there are a number of regulations and guidelines in place to regulate the trade in tortoises and turtles, few of the collectors, middlemen, and traders (especially the smaller operators), abide by these rules. All of the allotted quotas for species traded as pets are divided between members of the Indonesian Reptile and Amphibian Trade Association (IRATA), almost all of whom are in the wholesale business. Hardly any of the retail pet dealers are members of IRATA, yet throughout Indonesia there are hundreds of specialized turtle sellers to supply domestic market demand. In 2004, TRAFFIC surveyed 20 pet retailers in the greater Jakarta area, and recorded stock volumes and turnover for 48 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises. Twenty-two indigenous species that were An overview observed (1884 individuals) came from all over the country, and included all six nationally protected species. Indigenous species recorded were especially common among the high stock–high turnover species group. Asking prices by dealers for individuals in this species group were lower than those in the other species groups. A total of 26 exotic species (1439 individuals) were recorded, including species from Madagascar, West Africa, North America and Japan: 18 of these are in one of the CITES Appendices. According to the Indonesian CITES Management Authority, the majority, if not all, of these were imported into Indonesia without proper permits. Furthermore, no import was ever reported in UNEP-WCMC CITES trade database. Exotic species were more expensive than indigenous species, and tended to fall in the high stock–low turnover species group. Species that cannot be traded legally (i.e. species that are protected and species listed in one of the CITES Appendices and that were illegally imported into Indonesia) were approximately twice as expensive as the ones that could be sold legally. Species that could be sold legally were frequently in the high stock–high turnover species group. CITES-listed species (indigenous and exotic) were more expensive than non- CITES listed species, but there was no relation between stock availability / turnover and CITES-listing. Apparently, for retailers, CITES-listed species were not more difficult to obtain than non-CITES listed species, nor was it difficult to sell them. There are no significant price differences between globally threatened and non-threatened species. All species in the low stock–high turnover species group are classified as Threatened under the IUCN Red List, suggesting that although retailers had a low stock of threatened turtles and tortoises they had no difficulties in selling them. Extrapolating from the data collected, the total annual retail value of tortoises and freshwater turtles sold in the greater Jakarta area ranges between USD 135,000 and USD 350,000, of which the illegal component amounts to some USD 90,000-220,000 in value. Details: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 2007. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2013 at: www.traffic.org/species-reports/traffic_species_reptiles12.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Indonesia URL: Shelf Number: 128058 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeTurtles and TortoisesWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Indonesia)Wildlife Management |
Author: Burgess, Elizabeth A. Title: Assessing The Trade In Pig-Nosed Turtles Carettochelys insculpta in Papua, Indonesia Summary: The Pig-nosed Turtle Carettochelys insculpta, also known as the Fly River or Pitted-Shell Turtle, is a taxonomically distinct, large freshwater chelonian restricted to the river systems of northern Australia and southern New Guinea (divided politically between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Papua Province, Indonesia). The high international demand for Pignosed Turtles in the exotic pet trade, food market and traditional medicine practices has driven the intensified exploitation of this species in Papua. Despite being afforded legal protection in Indonesia and being listed in Appendix II of CITES, the Pig-nosed Turtle is increasingly being targeted in the province of Papua, Indonesia for international wildlife trade. This study highlights an urgent need for the existing laws and regulations concerning Pig-nosed Turtle trade to be rigorously enforced to curtail the illegal harvest and trade. Surveys on the trade of Pig-nosed Turtles throughout the Indonesian province of Papua were carried out in November and December 2010 to coincide with the Pig-nosed Turtle nesting season (September to February). Pig-nosed Turtles were primarily collected by Papuan villagers who source eggs of this species by excavating nests on the banks of rivers and swamps. Predominant collection areas lie in the Asmat region of Papua, although more expansive collection areas also exist further east and north of Merauke near the PNG border. Village collectors sell the wild harvested Pig-nosed Turtle eggs directly to traders operating in villages (typically non-Papuan immigrant traders settled in the region). There was also a growing trend towards incubating the collected eggs in ex-situ hatcheries located within Papuan villages, which was favourable among local collectors and traders because live hatchling turtles can command a higher price than eggs. Pignosed Turtles from Papua are traded as live pets, for meat consumption as well as for medicinal purposes. One respondent reported a company in Jayapura that purchases hatchling Pig-nosed Turtles for drying and then grinding into a powder for export to China, and resale in the traditional medicine trade. Local Papuans realize that the natural resources around them have a high value to outsiders, and what previously was opportunistic hunting for daily needs has become a large-scale exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles. Turtle traders have also significantly influenced remote communities in Papua by bringing in and bartering with modern commodities (such as outboard boat motors) and provisions (such as useful equipment, supplies, fuel and foodstuffs). This survey found that local people were actively encouraged by immigrant traders to harvest and independently incubate eggs for trade, and that immigrant traders often organized and co-ordinated egg-collecting trips further upriver using motorboats. Improved transportation (e.g., motorboats and access to fuel) in the region have increased the accessibility of more remote river systems, and thereby expanded the harvest potential of Pig-nosed Turtles in Papua. Turtle buyers offering trade in rural communities, combined with a recent shift to a cash economy (cf. subsistence economy), has created strong incentives for local Papuans to trade in Pig-nosed Turtle eggs and hatchlings. Eggs and hatchlings of Pig-nosed Turtles are smuggled from remote source villages (via boat or small aircraft) to centralized trade hubs within Papua, including the towns of Agats, Merauke, Timika and Jayapura. From Papua, turtles were typically smuggled westward into major domestic trade destinations in Indonesia, including Jakarta, Surabaya and Probolinggo in Java, Makassar (Ujung Pandang) in south Sulawesi, and Denpasar in Bali. This survey also found that Pig-nosed Turtles could be bought through a growing online marketplace, with sellers located in Indonesia as well as in the United States and the United Kingdom. Along this international trade chain, the value of Pig-nosed Turtles increased exponentially: hatchlings were generally sold in Papuan villages for USD 0.56-1.33 each; in domestic trade hubs such as Jakarta and Surabaya for USD 3.30-8.33 each; and on international markets for USD 39-56 each. Thirty-two seizures of Pig-nosed Turtles, between 2003 and 2012, were compiled in this study, including more than 81,689 individual turtles. Most seizures (75% of reported cases) occurred early in the calendar year (i.e., between January-March) towards the end of the nesting season for Pig-nosed Turtles, suggesting that traders are moving shipments as soon as the turtles are hatched. Available seizure data suggests that Pig-nosed Turtles are being traded in large quantities, with consignments averaging 2817 ± 3701 turtles per seizure. Highlighting the enormity of this illegal trade was one seizure that rescued 12 247 Pig-nosed Turtles in Timika, Papua en route to Jakarta. Most enforcement actions and confiscations occurred at points of export from Indonesia, with little documented enforcement at the source of eggs collection. Undoubtedly, the swamps and river systems where turtles are sourced are vast and the villages involved in the trade are remote, making enforcement efforts for Pig-nosed Turtle trade geographically challenging. Nonetheless, the lack of enforcement, and potential corruption, at the source of trade means that the exploitation of wild Pig-nosed Turtles populations proceeds unhindered. All of the egg collections and ex-situ hatchery operations observed during this survey were illegal, relying on wild harvested eggs for commercial sale. An apparent problem for addressing trade issues in Papuan villages is that many local people are confused by the concept of 'captive breeding' and are freely collecting eggs without remorse. Inadequate enforcement of Indonesia's legislation to protect Pig-nosed Turtles from wild harvest in Papua is a major factor contributing to the excessive exploitation. Anecdotal information implies that while there have not been any quotas issued for taking Pig-nosed Turtles or their eggs from the wild, there are a few traders licensed to breed and export Pig-nosed Turtle in Indonesia. How they would have acquired breeding stock is not clear. Yet, according to the CITES Trade Database (WCMC), Indonesia has only ever legally exported one shipment of 57 Pig-nosed Turtles for the purpose of trade in 2006 to the US (these animals were declared as being Farmed). It is suspected that illegal smuggling is an easier and cost-cutting option, and therefore the preferred route for traders. The trade threat to Pig-nosed Turtles is further compounded by the high mortality rate reported in smuggling operations, with available data from reported seizures showing that on average 18% of turtles die in a shipment. Turtles that are found alive by authorities in confiscated shipments are held in a temporary holding facilities or rescue centres. Surviving confiscated turtles were sometimes repatriated back into the wild in Papua by Indonesian Customs and local government BKSDA officials - often with financial aid from industries within Papua. The environmental risks and financial costs associated with maintaining, translocating and reintroducing seized Pig-nosed Turtles are substantial, particularly for cases where turtles are seized outside of Papua and/or large numbers of turtles are involved. Results of this study have shown that the exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles in Papua, Indonesia has reached a level that requires immediate action. High international demand for Pig-nosed Turtles, combined with an organised and influential global wildlife trade network within Indonesia, unregulated harvesting of eggs, an increased potential to collect eggs in previously inaccessible swamp habitat in Papua (i.e., using motorboats, improved regional infrastructure), growing socio-economic incentives for rural Papuans to harvest turtles for income and a lack of enforcement at the source of wild harvests, are contributing to unprecedented levels of exploitation of Pig-nosed Turtles throughout its Papuan range. Unless actions are taken to mitigate the high demands of consumer nations and to fully enforce the legal protection of Pig-nosed Turtles within Indonesia, the current unabated harvest regimes observed in rivers throughout Papua will lead to significant population declines of Pig-nosed Turtles (see Eisemberg et al., 2011). For the effective protection of the Pignosed Turtle in Papua, Details: Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.: TRAFFIC, 2014. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2014 at: http://www.traffic.org/home/2014/10/4/intensive-collection-threatens-peculiar-pig-nosed-turtle-in.html Year: 2014 Country: Indonesia URL: http://www.traffic.org/home/2014/10/4/intensive-collection-threatens-peculiar-pig-nosed-turtle-in.html Shelf Number: 133748 Keywords: Illegal Wildlife TradeNatural ResourcesTurtlesWildlife ConservationWildlife Crime (Indonesia)Wildlife EnforcementWildlife Smuggling |