10 Jan 2008 - More
than half the freshwater turtle and tortoise
species sold by pet dealers in Jakarta markets
are threatened and nearly all are obtained
illegally, according to a survey by the
WWF-linked wildlife trade monitoring network
TRAFFIC.
Dealers told the survey
team that protected status was a selling
point for freshwater turtles and tortoises
and they were able to ask higher prices
for them. They were also quite open on most
stock being sourced through illegal capture
or imports.
The TRAFFIC Southeast
Asia survey covered 20 pet retailers in
the greater Jakarta area and found 48 freshwater
turtle and tortoise species, both native
and exotic, were for sale. Of these, 26
were species featured on the World Conservation
Union (IUCN) Red List as threatened.
As there is no commercial
breeding of exotic or indigenous turtles
in Indonesia, all specimens in trade were
either harvested from the wild within Indonesia
or were imported into the country.
Demand for turtles is
increasing in many south-east Asian countries,
because the upper and the growing middle
classes are willing to buy rare species
to keep them as pets. But the majority of
turtles are still destined for markets in
North America, Europe and Japan.
Even if dealers are
fully aware of the law, the majority of
the trade is not carried out in accordance
with Indonesia’s national legislation or
with CITES (Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora).
“We encourage the Government
of Indonesia to ensure combating wildlife
crime is given high priority, and that every
effort is made to clamp down on the criminals
involved in it,” says Chris Shepherd, Senior
Programme Officer of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.
As there is no scientific
evidence on the impact the harvest has on
wild populations, TRAFFIC recommends to
apply the precautionary principle and to
lower all export quotas to zero until the
necessary assessment of the sustainability
of trade levels is completed.
Furthermore, concerned
NGOs and relevant government agencies should
carry out regularly monitoring and reporting
on the trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises.
This should be combined with capacity building
and training for government officers responsible
for trade monitoring and law enforcement.
Dealers illegally trading or harvesting
wildlife also need to be penalized under
Indonesian law.
Chris R. Shepherd, Senior Programme Officer
for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (in Malaysia)
