Public Figures of North Maluku Supports PROFAUNA’s Parrot Protection Campaign
Several public figures of North Maluku have proclaimed their support for PROFAUNA's parrot protection campaign. Their support was expressed on statements urging the public to take part in parrot protection effort, which will be featured in a film titled 'Burung Kita'. The film in production by PROFAUNA, with the funding given by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).
This 'Burung Kita' film will be used as education material during PROFAUNA's program in North Maluku. A number of religious leaders, traditional leaders, young figures, and government representatives willingly participated in the short film.
"The education program will be intensively carried out by PROFAUNA's activists up to the islands where poaching of parrots, especially the White Cockatoo and Chattering Lory, still takes place, for instance in South Halmahera," claimed Swasti Prawidya Mukti, PROFAUNA Indonesia's campaign officer.
"These days, many bird species have gone extinct. Therefore, we urge the people within the Sultanate of Bacan's territory to stop hunting parrots so that our descendants can aso enjoy their beauty," said the Jougugu of Bacan (second in command after the Sultan) in the palace, in a segment of 'Burung Kita'.
During a different occasion, the Indonesian Ulema Council of North Maluku highly appreciates PROFAUNA's work and the leader was willing to be featured in the film to talk about how Islam, as the majority religion in South Halmahera, sees wildlife protection.
"Do not cut the forest, make sure that the parrots can live peacefully and multiply," said Dr. Samlan Ahmad, M.Pd, the Head of the Indonesian Ulema Council of North Maluku. "Allah commands man to be leaders on Earth, thus we are obliged to take the responsibility including by protecting parrots."
Support for PROFAUNA also comes from BKSDA (Nature Conservation Agency) SKW I Maluku Utara, village chiefs in South Halmahera, Christian leaders, the Sultanate of Ternate, the government of Halmahera Selatan, and the government of North Maluku.
"North Maluku is a vast province, consists of more than 800 islands with a highly diverse flora and fauna like the parrots, which sadly are being massively poached and traded," stated Ir. H. M. Natsir Thaib, the Deputy Governor of North Maluku during his discussion with PROFAUNA's team recently in Sofifi.
"We are calling all government workers, the army, and police force to perform their role in enforcing the law to protect parrots because these magnificent birds have become an icon for our province."
Supports from the public figures, both cultural and governmental leaders, is expected to uphold PROFAUNA's way forward to raise the public's awareness towards the importance of parrot protection, especially the White Cockatoo and Chattering Lory, as both species' population have decreased rapidly because they are not yet protected by law.