Basten Gokkon – Indonesian authorities have detained five people in connection with the alleged illegal hunting and shooting of an endangered Javan leopard in the Gunung Sanggabuana conservation forest in West Java, a case that has intensified scrutiny of wildlife protection failures and the limits of enforcement on the ground.

The arrests followed the circulation of viral videos and camera trap footage showing suspected hunters operating inside the protected forest. West Java Police Chief Inspector General Rudi Setiawan said the suspects were detained after investigators acted on public reports and digital evidence, and that they will be charged under environmental and wildlife protection laws.

Public concern grew after camera trap footage from October through November 2025, released in January 2026, showed a Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) limping with a serious front leg injury, alongside separate clips of suspected poachers carrying firearms, bladed weapons and hunting dogs. Authorities suspect the wound was caused by a gunshot fired by poachers.

"The priority now is ensuring the ecosystem remains protected and that there are no further disturbances to wildlife," Rudi said as quoted by local news portal Kompas on Jan. 27.

The leopard, classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List with an estimated wild population of around 350, is Java's last surviving top predator following the extinction of the Javan tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica). The leopard faces mounting threats from hunting, habitat loss and dwindling prey.

Conservationists, however, stress that the incident reflects deeper structural problems. They say the case underscores an urgent need for stronger law enforcement, meaningful community involvement and sustained government investment to prevent Indonesia's last remaining big cat from following the Javan tiger into extinction.

Bernard Triwinarta Wahyu Wiryanta, advisor to the Sanggabuana Conservation Foundation (SCF), said forest protection in the area is dangerously under-resourced. He noted that SCF and volunteer Sanggabuana Wildlife Rangers have only about five active personnel on any given day to monitor roughly 16,500 hectares (40,700 acres) of forest, largely using self-funded resources. Bernard added that state forestry company Perhutani is estimated to have only around 10 forest rangers assigned to the area, many of whom are constrained by administrative and managerial duties.

"This level of protection is simply not sufficient," Bernard told Mongabay, adding that wildlife protection should not fall primarily on volunteers.

Beyond staffing shortages, experts argue that conservation challenges in Java are also rooted in public awareness and governance. Erwin Wilianto, an Indonesian wild cat expert and member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group, said conservation efforts often fail because many people still do not fully understand the ecological and cultural importance of species such as the Javan leopard.

"The Javan leopard is an apex predator and also part of our cultural heritage, symbolizing prosperity," Erwin told Mongabay in a separate interview. "Yet it is far less recognized than the Javan tiger, whose extinction should have taught us not to repeat the same mistakes."

According to Erwin, simply increasing the number of patrol personnel is not a guaranteed solution. He pointed out that crime persists even in areas with large police forces, suggesting that the real challenge lies in governance and community engagement. He criticized state institutions, including Perhutani, the natural resources conservation agency BKSDA and national park authorities, for not fully embracing community-based protection approaches, despite legal mandates to do so.

In Gunung Sanggabuana, collaboration between forest rangers, local NGOs such as the Sanggabuana Rangers, and the Indonesian military has already begun, a step Erwin described as positive but still in need of optimization.

The fate of the injured leopard itself has also sparked debate. Conservation teams, including SCF rangers, Perhutani forest rangers and Indonesian Army personnel from the Kostrad Combat Training Regiment, are currently searching for the animal, either alive or dead, in hopes of rescue or recovery.

However, Erwin cautioned that rescuing a single individual, while morally compelling, involves significant risks and costs. Capturing a specific wild leopard is complex, resource-intensive and offers no guarantee of recovery or successful release.

"Saving one individual is worth considering," he said, "but with limited resources, we must also ask whether it is more effective to invest in broader protection measures that safeguard the entire population."

The criminal investigation itself has been handed over to the Special Crimes Unit of the Karawang Police, with conservation groups providing evidence and technical support. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi has called the case a wake-up call, pledging stronger enforcement and additional forest rangers in the area.

A 2023 study found that Javan leopards lost more than 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of habitat between 2000 and 2020, with their most suitable habitat shrinking by more than 40%, prompting calls for stronger protection beyond existing reserves.

In response, Indonesia is leading the Java-Wide Leopard Survey, a first-of-its-kind island-wide effort involving NGOs such as SINTAS Indonesia and private donors. The survey uses camera traps and genetic analysis of fecal samples to assess leopard populations, distribution and prey across Java's remaining forests.

Data collection and analysis are expected to conclude by early 2026 and will inform population viability assessments and the government's Javan Leopard Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for 2026-31.

[Basten Gokkon is a senior staff writer for Indonesia at Mongabay. Find him on X @bgokkon.]

Citations

As'ary, M., Setiawan, Y., & Rinaldi, D. (2023). Analysis of changes in habitat suitability of the Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas, Cuvier 1809) on Java Island, 2000-2020. Diversity, 15(4), 529. doi:10.3390/d15040529

Source: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/01/five-detained-over-alleged-hunting-in-javan-leopard-habitat