Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Slow loris trade surges in Indonesia

16 March 2012

Categories: Homepage News, Primates Campaign News

Regular monitoring of trade in protected species at bird markets on Java and Bali has shown a sharp rise in prohibited animals in February 2012. The surveys, conducted by Born Free partner ProFauna Indonesia, highlight the illegal trade that occurs routinely in these busy, but mostly legal, marketplaces. Studies throughout 2011 revealed an average of 42 individual animals from protected species being traded each month. Figures from this February, however, showed a total of 62 individual animals from 15 different species. By far the most common were slow loris, followed by green turtle, with others ranging from the black-winged starling to the otter civet. Trade in these animals contravenes the 1990 law on Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems, and can be punished with up to 5 years in jail and a fine of up to 100,000,000 Indonesian Rupiah (nearly £7,000).

For more information see the ProFauna press release and report

Born Free supports a campaign on the slow loris trade - see details on our letter writing page.