Jakarta – An international non-governmental organization (NGO) warned on Monday that endangered species in Indonesia were close to extinction due to poaching and the outlawed animal trade.
Strict enforcement of the law and cooperation among all parties was desperately needed to prevent the extinction of rare animals in the country, said Chairul Saleh, a species conservation officer at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)'s Indonesia office.
Chairul said in 1978 the Sumatran tiger numbered about 1,000 throughout the island. That number dropped drastically to 400 felines in l993 because of illicit trade and hunting.
"People hunt the tiger for its expensive fur, which can fetch up to Rp 8 million per feline," said Chairul after a discussion on endangered species by WWF, held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Nusa Dua, as part of the fourth Preparatory Committee Meeting/Ministerial Level for World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The fur of the exotic Sumatran tiger was often traded in big cities throughout Indonesia.
Besides the Sumatran tiger, the orangutan is also threatened. Illegal logging in some parts of their habitat has seriously threatened the existence of this endangered primate.
Chairul further said that about a century ago, some 100,000 orangutans were estimated to be roaming the jungles of Sumatra and Kalimantan. However, there are only some 15,000 orangutans left in these jungles.
"Excessive illegal logging has destroyed the orangutans' habitat, and this could lead to their extinction," said Chairul.
The lack of awareness among people on the conservation of endangered species has also contributed to the threat of their extinction.
Chairul said people were still looking for hides of various endangered species as ornaments for their homes.
To conserve these endangered animals, governments, NGOs and related parties must work together, said Agus Purnomo, the executive director of WWF's Indonesia office.
"Collective action is needed to deal with the problem since the government cannot do this alone," he said.