Press Release | Kendari, 27 February 2008

South East Sulawesi, The Supplier of Poached Sea Turtle Trade To Bali

Contents

• South East Sulawesi, The Supplier of Poached Sea Turtle Trade To Bali
• Editor’s Notes
• For further information, please contact

An investigation in 2007 by ProFauna Indonesia showed the green sea turtle poaching for trade is still continuing in South East Sulawesi, Indonesia. This investigation was conducted by ProFauna in collaboration with WSPA (the World Society for the Protection of Animals) which recorded around 1,115 green turtles Chelonia mydas are caught from the wild every year in the region.

Most of them are poached in the Wakatobi National Park areas. Some are caught in Moramo, Ereke, and Tikep regions. The majority of the poached turtles are smuggled to Bali. The high demand of turtle meat in Bali increases the poaching in South East Sulawesi. In a year, there are two or three shipments.

I Wayan Wiradnyana, ProFauna's Sea Turtle Campaign Coordinator, stated, "Although the Sea turtle trade in South East Sulawesi has drastically decreased since 2006 the rangers and police must remain alert since the smuggling still goes on enroute to Bali". On 28 December 2007, the police siezed 12 green sea turtles from a trader in Bali which were suspected to have been smuggled from South East Sulawesi.

Law enforcement is the key to stop the illegal trade of sea turtles. It effects greatly in Bali and some areas in Sulawesi. The government must control the Wakatobi National Park as it becomes the sea turtle poaching site.

Indonesia is an important country in the global sea turtle conservation. Six out of seven sea turtle species in the world are indigenous to Indonesian waters. They are green sea turtle Chelonia mydas, the hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata, the olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea, the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta, the leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea, and the flatback turtle Natator depressus.

All sea turtle species are protected by Indonesian wildlife law, as stated in the 1990 legislation concerning the Natural Resource and Ecosystem Conservations. The protected wildlife trade, including sea turtle and its parts is prohibited. The offenders are liable to a maximum five-year prison term and a maximum 100 million Rupiah fine.

Editor’s Notes:

• ProFauna Indonesia is a wildlife protection organization which has been conducting many campaigns again the sea turtle trade since 1999.
• On 27 February 2008, ProFauna launches the investigation report on the sea turtle trade by staging a demonstration campaign in Kendari city, South East Sulawesi.

For further information, please contact:

Butet A. Sitohang, International Communication Officer
Phone: +62 813 33899741
email: international@profauna.org