214 Hawks, Eagles, and Kites have been sold in Medan Bird Market
WCU (Wildlife Crimes Unit) released press release about hawk, eagle, and kite trade in Medan today. Mars-Net (Market survey-Network) under WCU project found 214 accipitridae in 2 bird markets. Volunteer visited the markets during 21 months. Each month, volunteer visited markets 2 times, and recorded all birds were traded in market by covert investigation.
Ages of accipitridae are various, from juvenile to adult. The trader just tightened bird near the cage. The birds look stress and wet, the primary feather has been cut to avoid birds escape. The price is various, depended on buyer style and skill to negotiate. Six (6) species have been identified; include Black-winged Kite, Brahminy Kite, White-bellied-Fish Eagle, Black Eagle, and Changeable-Hawk Eagle. The most favorite raptor is Black-winged Kite (95 individuals), then Brahminy Kite (83 individuals).
All accipitridae is protected by Indonesian act. It is meaning that anybody is prohibited to buy, sell, keep, kill, or even injury the eagle, hawk, or kite. The worst bird market for protected animal trade (include birds) can find in Palembang (Pasar 16 Ilir), Pasar Jatinegara, Pasar Cipinang, and Pasar Jatinegara (Jakarta), Pasar Ngasem (Yogyakarta), and Pasar Turi (Surabaya). We can find various cockatoos, lorry, hawk, eagle, kite, leopard cat, slow loris, gibbon, and much more. The traders sold those animal openly.
Forest ranger from Ministry of Forestry was suggested to developing routine inspection, confiscation, and arrests the trader in bird market. Routine inspection and law enforcement (confiscation and arrest trader) will make deterrent effect for suspect, also reducing protected wildlife trade openly in the market. Good lesson learn has been shown in Lampung bird market. Before routine inspection, we can found eagle, slow loris, and cockatoo sold openly in Pasir Gintung bird market. Since 2003, forest ranger from BKSDA Lampung carried out bird market inspection and confiscated protected wildlife. The result shown that there was no protected wildlife has been sold in the market for 3 years!. (dna)
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