Illegal Parrot Trade in Maluku Continues

ProFauna Indonesia's wildlife trade monitoring show that the illegal parrot trade in Maluku, Eastern Indonesia still continues. The records show that in October 2011, dozens of Moluccan parrots were trafficked from Jailolo District in West Halmahera to Ternate, the capital of North Maluku Province. Among the smuggled birds were the Eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) which is protected by the Indonesian Wildlife Act and the Chattering Lory (Lorius garulus).

Ironically, the perpetrators were some allegedly corrupt military officers who were on duty in the Province. The corrupt officers brought the parrots with them to their hometowns as "gifts". Each officer could bring 20 to 25 parrots on average.

The illegally continued parrot trade in Maluku has urged ProFauna to take more action to protect the rare birds. For the last three months, ProFauna has carried out community outreach at the remote villages as the locations of parrot poaching. Villagers admitted that they kept hunting the birds because there were demands from bird dealers in the cities. ProFauna hopes that if the villagers are aware of the parrot protection and conservation, they will not poach parrots, their natural treasures which are valuable for eco-tourism. ProFauna also believes that the public awareness will eventually stop the the illegal parrot trade.