Close Illegal Falconry!
- crested serpent eagle from falconry
Falconry issue is became the hottest issue in few months ago. WCU identified at least 3 falconry groups declared their group and activity in Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta. Instead, BKSDA DIY already issued MoU for a falconry group in Yogyakarta. The group claimed that raptor release program, rehabilitation center, and increasing population are their contribution to reduce raptor threat. But, Suaka Elang and RAIN described that the release program of falconry group is not following the protocol and procedure. In Jakarta, a falconry group displayed their Javan Eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle, and Crested Serpent Eagle in commercial TV program. This is black campaign for raptor conservation because the falconry group in Jakarta have
The polemic is emerged when raptor expert from Raptor Indonesia (RAIN), Suaka Elang, and WCU found misappropriation between their mission to conserve raptor and the real activity. We found that at least 40 raptors were keep in a group in Yogyakarta, and there are no evidence that they got the raptor from legal procedure. Right now, there are no legal raptor captive breeding issued by MoF in Indonesia. Based on internal discussion between member of the group, they got the raptor from the market. They bought the raptor just for pity, then trained the raptor for their hobby. It is mean that the group got the raptor by illegal activity.
Based on Indonesian Act No. 5 Year 1999, everybody is prohibited to keep, sell, or buy protected wildlife, both live or parts. Raptor, group of Accipitridae and Falconidae are protected based on Government Regulation No. 7 Year 1999. Selling the protected raptor is illegal, buying raptor from the bird market also illegal, and keeping the raptor by personal or inside a group (what ever the reason) is absolutely illegal. In certain day (Saturday or Sunday), the group (8-10 members) showed the raptor in public space. This is very dangerous for public awareness since the group have not enough space to explain people about why they display the protected bird in public space. The problem became complicated when the head of BKSDA DIY in non formal discussion said that he was disagree with raptor breeding issue or display the raptor in public space. However, to terminate the MoU between BKSDA DIY and falconry group in Yogyakarta is the important step for now.
Wildlife Crime Unit in October 2011 carried out 15 days bird market monitoring in a famous bird market at Jakarta. The surveyor investigated raptor trade per 2 days during a month. The aim of the activity is to know how big illegal wildlife trade in targeted market. In 3 weeks monitoring, WCU recorded 17 falcons, hawks, and eagles sold out. Total 79 accipitridae and falconidae were displayed in the market. If we compare between captive breeding initiative by illegal falconry to support re-stocking in the wild and threat of raptor trade in the market, it clearly show that it does not make sense. The number of raptor were traded in the market are impossible to be replaced by raptor from captive breeding. Captive breeding also face a problem of behavior change and survival skill of raptor from captive breeding. Another issue, captive breeding is and expensive cost. The cost to breed the raptor in captivity is extremely higher than the price of wild raptor in the bird market. No body will involve to playing role in raptor captivity as long as law enforcement has no place in raptor trade issue. However, WCU assumed that both legal or illegal falconry have no clear vision about what will they do for raptor conservation. The fact, what are they doing now is just a camouflage to cover their illegal activity to buy, keep, and show the raptor just for hobby and business. (dna).
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