Press Release | 31st January 2008
The Five Seized Javan Langurs in Bali Handed Over To The Petungsewu Animal Rescue Centre (PPS)
The five seized Javan langurs (Trachipithecus auratus) in Bali are being sent today (31st January 2008) to the Petungsewu Animal Rescue Centre (locally known as PPS) in Malang, Indonesia. Apart from these, two green peafowls (Pavo muticus) are also being transferred from Bali to the centre. The langurs are the result of the seizure carried out by the Natural Resources Conservation Unit (BKSDA) of Bali from some cities like Kuta and Denpasar.
The protected species were being kept as pets by a foreigner staying in Bali. A Javan langur was seized in Denpasar city prior to the United Nations Framework for Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) in Bali last year.
The seized primates are being handed over to the Petungsewu Animal Rescue Centre because it specializes in taking care of langurs. Until the end of 2007, there have been 143 animals released to the wild, most of which are langurs. Stated the centre project manager, Iwan Kurniawan, "Petungsewu PPS has a lot of experiences in langur conservation and release. The langurs we have released to their natural habitats can manage to survive".
The provincial BKSDA of east Java in collaboration with ProFauna and the Petungsewu PPS plan to establish a Javan Langur Centre (JLC). The JLC project includes not only the langur rehabilitation centre but also the wild langur information and research centre. "JLC is hoped to encourage the students of biology or forestry departments to study wildlife, especially langur", said Rosek Nursahid, ProFauna Indonesia chairman.
Javan langur is a unique and interesting primate to research. The species, categorized as the social animal and endemic to the islands of Java and Bali, can become the important factor of the forest conservation in Java island. Conserving the langur habitats means conserving the forest. "In other words, langurs help reducing the global warming by conserving the forest, the animals’ home." added Rosek Nursahid who often carries out researches on langurs.
Despite being protected, javan langurs are still being poached for illegal trade and bushmeat. The hubs of the illegal langur trade are in some regions of east Java: Caruban, Surabaya bird market, and Banyuwangi. The wild caught langurs in Banyuwangi are then being sent to Bali. The law stipulates that the wild langur sale is liable to a prison term of five years and pay a fine of Rp 100 millions.