Two orangutans confiscated

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http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20021129.C04 & irec=6

November 29, 2002

 

Two orangutans confiscated

 

The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA)

confiscated on Thursday two orangutans (pongo pymae)

after negotiations with their owner Jacobus Jut on Jl.

Dewi Sartika, who had kept the animals for the past 10

years.

 

Yunus M, a civilian investigator at the Ministry of

Forestry, said that the operation was needed to give

shock therapy to people who kept protected animals.

 

" The family knew they were breaking the law, but

ignored our warning to surrender the orangutans, " said

Yunus, adding: " We had to take stern action by

confiscating the orangutans from the family. "

 

Initially, Jacobus refused to hand over the

orangutans, claiming he had a letter from the state

secretary stipulating that any decision on the

orangutans would be made by the minister of forestry.

 

He even signed a statement in front of BKSDA officials

that he would surrender the two orangutans one month

after the issuance of a letter from the minister.

 

But late in the afternoon, he changed his mind and

allowed officials to bring the orangutans to the

primate center at Ragunan Zoo.

 

When BKSDA, in cooperation with several

non-governmental organizations including Animal

Conservation for Life (BKSK), raided Jacobus' house

earlier in the day, they had to search all rooms.

 

The orangutans were hidden in a room locked from the

inside along with several family members.

 

The operation was carried out after a successful raid

a few days ago in South Jakarta that recovered five

orangutans, dozens of Cendrawasih birds (paradiseae

spp) and Jalak Bali birds (leupcopsar roschildi).

 

Jacobus' wife and a relative, an active military

member, reportedly obtained a permit from the Jakarta

BKSDA in 1995 and 1997 to keep the two orangutans.

 

The permit, however, did not mention when the family

had to return the orangutans to the state.

 

Orangutans are native to Indonesia and are found

mostly in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

 

They are protected by the government under Regulation

No. 8/1999 that encompasses 12 endangered animals.

 

Punishment for those who keep protected animals is

regulated by Law No. 5/1990, wherein those who violate

the law face a five-year prison sentence and a Rp 100

million fine. --JP

 

 

 

 

 

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