Basically, the smuggling of wildlife is something that often happens, even until recently. Some people are trying to seek to profit from this activity, even though they know that this is illegal. Fortunately, this time, Sorong Agricultural Quarantine thwarted wild animal smuggling in Papua.
I Wayan Kertanegara, Head of the Sorong Agricultural Quarantine, said they sniff out the perpetrator’s actions from internal information. They received this information from the Sorong Agricultural Quarantine Intelligence Team. After that, they immediately made arrests based on these suspicions.
Sorong Agricultural Quarantine
In the process of arresting wild animal smugglers in Papua, they obviously cannot work alone. That is why the Agricultural Quarantine of Sorong partnered with The West Papua Natural Resources Conservation Center or BBKSDA. They work together to thwart wildlife smuggling.
I Wayan explained, “with strong synergy, we hoped we could protect the animals and maintain ecosystem sustainability.”
The arrest of the animal smuggler occurred at KM Ciremai. The perpetrators intended to bring the animals to Jakarta in an illegal way. After receiving the information about the smuggling, BBKSDA and the Agricultural Quarantine of Sorong will immediately carry out more careful monitoring.
Basically, smuggling wild animals to Jakarta and other cities is not new to them. That is why they immediately knew how to thwart the smuggling process. When surveilling, they examine cargo carried by unscrupulous loading and unloading workers.
Certainly, the cargo belonged to the smugglers they suspected from the start. After checking the cargo, it turned out that the information was correct.
“It was true. There were around 244 wild animals that are situated abroad KM Ciremai,” I Wayan said to the media.
Fortunately, the authorities managed to thwart this illegal action which will harm the environment and disrupt the ecosystem. The BBKSDA of West Papua then secured these wild animals so that they could carry out further identification.
The Total of 244 Wildlife are Getting Secured by BBKSDA of West Papua
From this arrest, BBKSDA of West Papua secured 244 wild animals. At least there are around three kinds of protected animals that they managed to save: python, green monitor lizard, and Maluku monitor lizard. The total of those wild animals they are trying to smuggle is 108.
There are 42 green pythons (Morelia viridis), 50 green monitor lizards (Varanus prasinus), and 16 Maluku monitor lizards (Varanus indicus). BBKSDA of West Papua immediately protected the animals after they arrested the smugglers.
In addition, they also managed to secure seven kinds of unprotected animals. Those animals are Irian, jeweled, tree boas, and white-lipped pythons. Then there are also blue-tailed monitor lizards, blue-spotted tree monitor lizards, and cape flower monitor lizards in KM Ciremai.
The total of those animals is 136. For the type of snake, they try to smuggle one Irian python (apodora papuana) and one jewel python (morelia amethistina). Also, there are 56 tree boa constrictors (candoia carinata) and 17 white lip pythons (leiopython albertisii) in the crowd of those animals.
Then, for monitor lizards, they managed to find four blue-tailed monitor lizards (varanus doreanus). For blue-spotted tree monitor lizards (varanus macraei), they found 56 of them. As for the type of cape flower monitor lizard (varanus salvadori), there is one in those animals.
“All the unprotected animals are included in CITES Appendix II,” I Wayan explained.
Fortunately, Sorong Agricultural Quarantine thwarted wild animal smuggling in KM Ciremai. And thanks to assistance from BBKSDA, there was no significant damage to those animals. So, the sustainability of these animals can be maintained. The same goes for its ecosystem.
