Baby Siamang at Pramuka Slow Loris on sale at Tunjungan Plaza Pramuka Market
"KSBK" STUDIES INDONESIAN ANIMAL MARKETS
"KSBK" STUDIES INDONESIAN ANIMAL MARKETS
The name of the Indonesian non-governmental organization
KSBK means Animal Conservation for Life." KSBK was founded in 1994. One
of its top priority activities is monitoring the internal trade in Indonesian
wildlife.
Working with an IPPL grant, KSBK studied the trade
in primates on the islands of Java and Bali. The group found primates for
sale at many "bird markets" and it recommends that these markets be more
strictly monitored. Extracts from the report provided to IPPL by KSBK follow.
Macaque at Pramuka Market
Ebony Langurs at Pramuka Market
Macaque at Pramuka Market
Indonesia - Rich in Primates
Indonesia is the second richest country in the world
in terms of primate species. There are 36 species living on various Indonesian
islands. Five of them live on Java Island, including the crab-eating macaque,
the ebony langur, the slow loris, the moloch gibbon and the grizzled leaf
monkey.
Although Java has less primate species, it has an
important role in Indonesian primate conservation. Java, the center of
Indonesian administration, plays an influential role in primate exploitation.
Many primates taken from Sumatra or Kalimantan (Borneo)
are traded in Java. The majority of Indonesia's "bird markets" are on the
island of Java. Besides selling many birds, market dealers also sell primates
on the bird markets, including many brought to Java from other islands.
The Study
The domestic wildlife trade in Java is spread around
various bird markets in many places. The bird markets range in size; some
have one stall and some have hundreds. In Java there are about 10-20 big
bird markets (with more than 20 stalls) and hundreds of small bird markets
(with less than 20 stalls).
KSBK studied the bird markets during February-July
1998. Among the activities are: recording of numbers, species, prices and
origin of animals.
Weekly monitoring is conducted on the Malang and
Bratang Surabaya bird markets.
Bird Markets Investigated
We checked the following markets:
* Pramuka, Jakarta, Java, 4 visits,
* Barito, Jakarta, Java, 4 visits,
* Sukahaji Bandung, Java, 2 visits,
* Ngasem, Yogyakarta, Java, 4 visits,
* Bratang, Surabaya, Java, 12 visits,
* Pasar Turi, Surabaya, Java, 6 visits,
* Malang, Java, 26 visits,
* Gebang Jember, Java, 4 visits,
* Sapria, Denpasar, Bali, 22 visits
The biggest bird market is Pramuka, Jakarta, followed
by Bratang, Surabaya and Malang. Pramuka Bird Market is considered the
biggest in Asia.
Primate Species Traded
Our investigation of 9 bird markets showed
that eight primate species were being sold:
* ebony langur Trachypithecus aurata,
* crab-eating macaque Macaca fascicularis,
* slow loris Nycticebus coucang,
* pigtail macaque Macaca nemestrina,
* agile (dark-handed) gibbon Hylobates agilis,
* Mueller's grey Bornean gibbon Hylobates muelleri,
* siamang Hylobates syndactylus,
* orangutan Pongo pygmaeus.
The primate species most commonly traded at the
bird markets of Java and Bali are the ebony langur and the crab-eating
macaque. Also commonly found is the slow loris, especially at Pramuka and
Malang.
As soon as we enter Pramuka, we are approached by
vendors offering slow lorises which they often hold in their hands. The
shy nocturnal primates look stressed because they are forced to be active
by day.
Gibbons are not traded at all markets. Some of the
markets selling gibbons are Pramuka, Baratang, Pasar Turi, Gebang
Jember and Malang.
Only two bird markets sell orangutans: Pramuka and
Malang. The trade in these species is often kept secret because gibbons
and orangutans are protected by law, whereas the ebony langurs and crab-eating
monkeys are not.
Available Only on Order!
Some markets do not appear to be selling gibbons
and orangutans but, if we pretend to be interested in buying them, the
trader will enthusiastically claim to be able to obtain them, in any quantity.
This happens at Bratang, Pasar Turi and Gebang Jember.
People wanting to buy gibbons just order them, paying
the trader in advance. Within a week a gibbon can be delivered to the buyer's
home or picked up at the market.
One trader at Gebang Jember said that home delivery
would be safer because the PHPA [the government agency enforcing wildlife
laws] might seize the animal if he/she was offered openly for sale. But
gibbons are traded openly at Pramuka and Malang.
The markets with the largest number of gibbons for
sale are Pramuka and Malang.
Volume of Trade
We estimate that approximately 172 primates were
traded at the bird markets during our study. Of these, 47% were crab-eating
macaques.
The bird market with the largest number of primates
being sold is Pramuka, followed by Sapria Denpasar. The markets where the
smallest numbers of primates are sold are Gebang Jember with 4 individual
animals and Sukahaji with 6.
Two Mueller's gibbons and two agile gibbons were
seen at the Malang Bird Market in March 1998. In April 1998, one orangutan
was offered at Malang and in July, two orangutans.
In June 1998 the Bratang bird market in Surabaya,
which normally had a low volume of primate sales, had a relative glut of
primates: 11 crab-eating macaques, 4 ebony langurs, 1 agile gibbon, and
1 Mueller's gibbon.
The large number of primates sold at Pramuka included
1 agile gibbon and one orangutan.
Prices
Prices for primates vary from market to market.
Crab-eating macaques are often sold for US $10, but for less at some markets.
Pigtail macaques sell at a higher price (US $25). The ebony langur is more
expensive. The reasons are that the pigtail monkey is caught outside Java
and it has a short tail.
Prices for gibbons range from US $50-100 and, for
orangutans, US $200-300.
Besides the species, the price range depends on
the animal's age. The younger primate is usually more expensive than the
adult. Younger primates are usually easier to tame than adults. That is
why most of the primates sold at the bird markets are young animals or
even babies. A juvenile or baby ebony langur is usually sold for $10 or
more, an older one for only $2.50. A baby orangutan is offered for $300,
but an adult sells for only $100.
Condition of Primates
Most of the primates sold at the bird markets are
kept in small bird cages. The size of the cage is usually around 1 x 0.5
x 0.5 meters. Some are kept in cages 1 x 1 x 0.5 meters. The primates are
usually in bad condition. They seem to be dirty, pale and skinny. Many
of them are sick or even dead.
Two to five individual primates are put in a small
bird cage. The crab-eating macaques and ebony langurs are usually babies.
Often these babies are dead from thirst. They are kept in a cage or cardboard
box in the open sun.
The market gibbons are bathed by the trader. They
are bathed with soapy water. The gibbon often looks cold and has irritated
eyes. After they are bathed, they are placed in the sun.
Trade Routes
Around 80% of the traders at Java's bird markets
are ethnic Madura. Primate traders in Sapria-Denpasar are mostly ethnic
Javanese with a few Madura. The origin of the dealers affects what primates
are sold.
The ebony langurs and crab-eating macaques on sale
at Pramuka, Malang and Surabaya are mostly taken from locations in East
Java, with some coming from West Java. Those at Denpasar come mainly from
Central Java.
From the capture location, the primates are usually
collected by traders who deliver them to bird markets. They are usually
carried in a cardboard box or small cage by public transportation.
Gibbons and orangutans traded in Java are caught
in Sumatra and Kalimantan. They are sent to Java by ferry. Usually these
ferries dock in Tanjung Perak, Surabaya, or Tanjung Periak, Jakarta. From
the port, the gibbons and orangutans are delivered to collectors by car.
Then they are sold at the bird markets.
The orangutans sold at Malang Bird Market originate
from Pramuka Market traders.
Ebony langurs and crab-eating macaques are caught
in conservation areas and nearby areas. Among the capture areas are:
* Merubetiri National Park, East Java,
* Baluran National Park, East Java,
* Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park,
* South Malang, East Java,
* Mt. Lamongan, Lumajang, East Java,
* Alas Purwa National Park, East Java,
* Kaliurang, Yogyakarta,
* Mt. Slamet, Central Java,
* Sukabumi, West Java,
* Halimun National Park, West Java.
Capture Methods in Java
Sometimes primates are netted. Some hunters use
trained dogs. Sometimes food with high alcohol content such as fermented
cassava is used to catch macaques. Primates are also shot for meat.
Siamang - only $5
There is a great difference between primate prices
at the capture location and in the bird markets. A crab-eating monkey sells
for an average of US $1 at Merubetiri and $10 at a bird market. An ebony
langur sells for $1.50-2.50 at the source and $12.50 at the market.
A young siamang sells for $5 at Bengkulu, Sumatra,
and $50 at the market.
The forest fires in Kalimantan have also caused
an increase in the orangutan trade. The increasing numbers result from
the orangutans fleeing the fires, which makes hunting and capture easier.
Fate of the Primates
Has the primates' travel ordeal finished once they
reach the bird markets? No, because once the primate is sold it will move
to the buyer's residence.
Actually it is difficult to understand why people
keep primates in cages. Many people say they enjoy keeping primates because
their behavior is so like human behavior, so they pay a lot of money for
them.
There is also another reason to keep primates -
that is to have them as "status symbols." This especially applies to gibbons
and orangutans.
From our survey of primate owners, we conclude:
* Mostly the primates are placed in small cages. For crab-eating
macaques, they are sometimes tied up by the waist.
* Gibbons and orangutans are usually placed in an individual
cage. Sometimes there are two individuals in one cage, usually both males.
It is rare for a cage to consist of a pair of orangutans or gibbons.
* The primates are fed food such as bananas, rice, bread, fruits,
etc.
* For crab-eating macaques or ebony langurs, the cage is usually
placed in front of or alongside their owner's home. In contrast, the protected
species such as orangutans and gibbons, are usually placed behind or inside
the house.
Who Keeps Pet Primates?
The answer to this question varies. Anyone can own
a crab-eating macaque or ebony langur - owners may be traders, farmers,
teachers, soldiers or students at college or high school. The low price
of these species means that most people in Java can afford them.
It is different for orangutans and gibbons for two
reasons. Firstly, these primates are expensive and, secondly, they are
protected species. Usually owners of these species are high government
officials, army personnel, artists and hotel owners. These kinds of people
have more money and often they have immunity from the law, so they can
easily keep these primates.
Keeping of Pet Primates
The primates kept as pets serve merely as objects
of entertainment. It is b***-s*** [total nonsense!] to claim the keeping
of pet primates is for conservation or breeding reasons. How can they breed
if they have animals of just one sex or only one individual!
Frequently the primates are beaten, harassed, dragged
around, or forced to take walks with their owners, even though the primates
dislike being used this way. The more upset the primate gets, the more
the owners like it, because they think it is very entertaining.
KSBK learned during its 1994 investigation of the
primate trade that, between macaques' or langurs' capture and arrival at
the bird markets, 20% of them were dead. So if there are 100 primates at
the bird market, then 20 primates died useless deaths.
Primates at Shopping Centers
Currently, primate trade is going on not just at
the bird markets but also at shopping centers and department stores in
the large cities of Java. It is not unusual to be entering a department
store and suddenly find onself offered a baby slow loris by primate traders
in the area.
Usually the primates are sold in front of the entrance
to the store. The primate traders offer their primates to visitors.
This primate trading is a threat to primate conservation
in Indonesia. Why? Because most of the shoppers are wealthy, and can afford
the primates. Moreover, there are a lot of wealthy people who previously
had no interest in primates but, when they are offered a cute baby, they
get interested.
Some of the department stores and shopping centers
where primates are often traded are:
* Tunjungan Plaza, a shopping center in Surabaya, East Java (sells
animals from Bratang Bird Market),
* Bandung Indah Plaza, Bandung, a shopping center in West Java
(sells animals from Pramuka Bird Market),
* Blok M Plaza, a large shopping center in Jakarta.
Not only is there selling of primates outside department
stores, there is now a legal stall for selling pets inside the Fontana
Supermarket in Surabaya, East Java. Here we saw a slow loris, a python,
a sulphur crested cockatoo and a palm cockatoo for sale.
Usually prices are higher at the department stores
than at the bird markets.
Some of the primate traders lie to potential customers.
Sometimes baby crab-eating macaques are sold as endangered "dwarf monkeys"
("monyet kubu"). The buyer is going to have a surprise when he finds out
that the monkey will grow much larger.
Primates at Hotels
To attract visitors, some hotels establish mini-zoos. Among the
facilities exhibiting primates in Malang are:
* The Kusuma Agro Wisata Hotel, Malang, which has 4 ebony langurs,
2 crab-eating macaques, 2 siamangs, 3 pigtail macaques and three agile
gibbons,
* The Royal Orchid Hotel, Malang, which has crab-eating monkeys
and ebony langurs,
* The Kantri Restaurant, Malang, which has an orangutan.
The Kusuma Agro Wisata Hotel has no PHPA licenses
for any of its primates. There is a sign in front of the cage which states
that the animals belong to an army colonel.
The growing number of primates traded at shopping
centers, department stores and hotels is a serious and growing threat to
conservation of Indonesia's primates. KSBK is protesting strongly as part
of its "Don't Buy Wild Animals" campaign.
Slaughter of ebony langurs
Besides being sold as a pet at the bird markets,
the ebony langur is being slaughtered for medical reasons. Many Javanese
people believe that the meat of the ebony langur cures asthma. People buy
langurs from hunters in order to get them at a cheaper price.
Ebony langur meat is used not just for medicine
but as a snack along with alcoholic beverages.
PHPA Officer May be Involved
In the course of investigating primate hunting in
Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, we found to our surprise that the PHPA
Forestry Department ranger is apparently involved in ebony langur hunting.
According to one of the hunters in Darungan Village,
on the edge of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, the ranger doesn't
forbid them to hunt wild animals around the national park area, but they
have to give half what they hunt to the ranger.
The slaughter of ebony langurs, which appears to
be condoned by that forest officer, probably happens around other conservation
areas of Indonesia.
For if there is no strict control from top leadership,
it makes the forest officer a "little king" in his territory. Nobody
knows what the forest officer does in isolated national conservation areas.
Lorises
In Denpasar we can find a medicine trader who sells
skins and bones of slow lorises. According to the trader, skins of the
slow loris can be used as a "magical tool" to prevent disaster. The method
used is to hang the skin of the slow loris above the door of the house.
Lack of Control at Bird Markets
The Indonesian government institution which is responsible
for controlling the trade in Indonesian wildlife is the PHPA (Forestry
Protection and Nature Conservation). Unfortunately PHPA control over the
animal markets is weak. At most bird markets there is never any control.
During our weekly observations at Malang and Bratang
bird markets, it was rare to find a PHPA officer doing his job controlling
the trading. As a result, trading of protected species was relatively easy.
Although control is weak, it doesn't mean that PHPA
does not do anything to control the primate trade at the bird market. Frequently
the PHPA officer does check the bird market, but the protected species
are never found there. After the monitoring work is completed, the trading
in protected species resumes.
In some bird markets, each trader reportedly pays
a certain amount to the PHPA officer each month - for example at Pramuka
Jakarta and Malang Market. The result is that, if there is to be a seizure
operation, the officer will tell the traders. Thus the traders will have
time to hide their protected animals.
The response of the PHPA to the increasing amount
of trading around the department stores seems very slow. Although trade
information has been given many times, the local PHPA officer always waits
for orders from the central office which is in Jakarta.
Poor Control in Protected Areas
Although the ebony langur and crab-eating
macaque are not protected species, their Gibbons astatus is definitely
protected if they live in a nature conservation (protected) area. This
means that no primate may be hunted or poached for any purpose. But primate
poaching still exists in the nature conservation areas.
The number of rangers is not adequate compared
with the wide area to be protected, which is one reason why poaching continues.
The unwillingness of the rangers to patrol the area periodically makes
the condition worse. The rangers mostly stay at the entry post or at the
ticket office.
The populations of ebony langurs and crab-eating
macaques are safe in some places but, with the high degree of exploitation,
the populations will decline drastically very soon.
Moreover, almost all the primates traded on
Java and Bali bird markets are not born in captivity but are taken directly
from nature. The high mortality of primates during transport serves to
increase the losses from nature.
The Slow Loris Mystery
There is a big question among Indonesian conservationists
regarding the population of slow loris in nature. Concern is increased
because of the high volume of loris trade on the bird markets. The volume
of trade is second only to that of crab-eating macaques.
We can conclude that the slow lorises sold on bird
markets were caught in nature. However, the slow loris is one of the primate
species protected by Indonesian law.
The nocturnal behavior of the slow loris and
its small size make it complicated to study the status of the species in
nature.
Gibbons and Orangutans
All species of gibbons and orangutans are
protected, which means that buying, selling or owning them is prohibited
by law (Indonesian Law 5/1990 concerning conservation of living resources
and their ecosystems). According to the act, whosoever intentionally violates
regulations regarding trading or possession of endangered species shall
be liable to punishment up to a maximum of 5 years and a fine up to US
$10,000.
Keeping of orangutans requires special authorization
by the President of Indonesia.
Unfortunately, the act isn't enforced - it is just
a slogan. The high rate of ownership of gibbons and orangutans by government
high officials and army officials has not been affected by the new law.
These people keep these species without any permits from PHPA.
Many Indonesian artists and singers also like to
keep primates, especially orangutans, and this encourages others to do
so. It is common for performers to pose for photos or TV with their pet
primates.
"KSBK" MAKES THESE RECOMMENDATIONS
1) The trade in protected and endangered primates continues at
bird markets in Java and Bali. Control and monitoring by government agencies
are required. This monitoring should involve NGOs (non governmental organizations).
&nb>
3) PHPA should consider adding rangers to work outside the conservation areas. These areas are in danger from wildlife poachers. This should be done to develop accurate information about the status of the affected species in nature.
4) We can anticipate an increase in the number of primates offered for sale at Java's shopping centers and department stores. If this is not controlled, the future of primate conservation in nature will be seriously affected.
5) It is necessary to intensify education of government and army officials who are fond of keeping endangered and protected primates. This campaign should be nationwide.
6) It is necessary to conduct an intensive survey of the wild slow loris population.
INDONESIAN ANIMALS URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP
The wildlife of Indonesia urgently needs your help. Please send
letters to the President of Indonesia and the Ambassador of Indonesia to
your country of residence. Among the points to make are:
1) Please place a high priority on protecting Indonesia's wildlife
for future generations by enforcing all wildlife protection laws strictly.
2) Pl>
President Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie
President of the Republic of Indonesia
Istana Negara, Gedung Binagraha
JI. Veteran, Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Fax: 62 21 345 7782
His Excellency the Ambassador of Indonesia
Embassy of Indonesia
2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington DC 20036, USA
His Excellency the Ambassador of Indonesia
Embassy of Indonesia
38 Grosvenor Square
London W1X 9AD, England
Meet Penny, one of IPPL's
Sanctuary Gibbons