The Horror Show: Fuel for the Fire

Juvenile long-tailed macaque.

This month there has been a lot of focus on the illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia.  Jakarta is home to some of the most notorious animal markets in the world while Bali, which claims to be a peaceful vacation destination, has civet farms and sells traditional medicine containing the body parts of endangered species.  Though many species are protected by law (e.g. Javan slow loris) this does nothing to curb the trade because there is no enforcement.   Going on market surveys is a necessary and painful part of the job which allows us to gain even more resolve and ammunition in our fight for conservation.

Entrance to animal market.

Jakarta is home to three infamous animal markets known for trading exotic and endangered species.  This week, we visited the bird and animal markets in Jatinigara.  The animals are displayed in tiny cages lined up alongside a bustling roadway.  All cages are in full sun and most have neither food nor water for the animals housed inside.  These markets cater to all manner of customer.  You can find a domestic cat or dog and for the more adventurous they offer slow lorises, monitor lizards, long-tailed macaques, owls, otters and civets.  Though we saw nearly 20 slow lorises, an infant leopard cat and 4 otter infants the sellers did not allow us to take photos of most illegal species.  You can see a wider variety of beautiful and endangered species in an animal market than you could see in a month’s worth of searching in Java’s remaining forests. 

Juvenile civet.

Infant tree shrew.

Infant long-tailed macaque.

Adult monitor lizard.

Infant turtles.

Green tree lizards.

The circumstances that these animals are presented in are heart-breaking.  Even more disturbing is the thought of how many more animals had to die in the process of capture or transport.  The faces you see in the markets are not the only victims.  Typically, several animals die in transit or due to stress of capture for every one represented in the markets.  What can be done?  Use this outrage to fuel the fire.  We are working on educating local law enforcement so that they can recognize which species are protected.  Spread the message to anyone and everyone you know that buying an animal in these markets may save one animal but will inevitably cause more captures and deaths to fuel the trade.  Know what you are buying.  Kopi luwak (civet coffee) is sold as a luxury item alongside traditional medicines containing ingredients such as slow loris bones.  Knowledge is power.  Localized education efforts in areas (like Cipaganti) where animals are often captured for the trade can put a stop to this horror show.  Working together we can make a positive impact for these animals.