Pribadi Wicaksono (Kontributor), Jakarta – Wildlife researcher and Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Raden Wisnu Nurcahyo, urged the Indonesian central and regional governments to take serious action against a number of endangered wildlife.
This call follows a report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) which stated that of the 10 most endangered species in the world, five are living and breeding in Indonesia.
The five endangered wildlife species in Indonesia are the Bornean orangutan, the Sumatran orangutan, the Sumatran tiger, the Sunda pangolin, and the hawksbill turtle. "These five species are living in unfavorable and worrying environmental conditions," Wisnu said on Monday, October 13, 2025.
Wisnu said that one of the greatest challenges facing endangered wildlife is the insecurity of their habitats, necessitating conservation efforts to save them. "These habitats can become unsafe due to changes in land use, poaching, climate change, or exposure to disease," he said.
The poaching he referred to involves not only the wildlife itself, but also other animals in the surrounding area that are part of the endangered species' food chain.
Wisnu cited the example of deer poaching in areas where these wildlife live, which is part of the gradual destruction of their habitat. He said there should be firm action from local governments or law enforcement. Poaching without a clear moratorium has the potential to significantly disrupt the food chain.
"Continuous deer poaching can cause predators to gradually lack food sources, and to survive, these animals will eventually expand their hunting grounds into human settlements," said Wisnu, who is active in research on Komodo Island.
Wisnu also highlighted the weak law enforcement process for those who poach and trade protected wildlife. He assessed that the penalties for those who poach or trade wildlife have so far been very light and are not predicted to have a deterrent effect. This has fueled the continued massive poaching and trade in wildlife.
Wisnu added that wildlife plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of nature, particularly in preserving forests, which are the lungs of the Earth. He cited the example of orangutans, who consume fruit with seeds. This results in their droppings containing seeds, which, when scattered, act as fertilizer and promote the growth of forest vegetation.
There are several effective ways to protect wildlife habitats. In addition to law enforcement, Wisnu also emphasized the importance of campaigns and education for local communities to actively participate in protecting protected animals whose populations are threatened with extinction.
He cited the example of several areas on Komodo Island where the belief that Komodo dragons are human relatives and therefore would never kill their own relatives. He argued that these efforts are part of ethno-conservation, involving the community in protecting wildlife.