Thursday 23 April 2009

Hostility Against Orangutans Neglected

Hostility Against Orangutans Neglected


Thursday, 23 April, 2009 |

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Center for Orangutan Protection (COP) reported hostile acts against eight orangutans that are under the illegal care, yesterday. The report was completed with detailed information including pictures of orangutans, owners, and addresses.

All orangutans that are cared for illegally are in West Kalimantan. For officials of the Forestry Department, this is not new information. “We reported last year but there was no evacuation or legal response,” COP's spokesperson, Hardi Baktiantoro, told Tempo via phone.

Hardi explained that the eight orangutans are under the care of people who understand the law like the police, legislators, and public servants.

Based on the report, Hardi believes that it is possible to find the owners.

“We will wait until next week, or we will work with local police to confiscate the orangutans,” he said.

“The orangutan is protected under regulation No.5/1990,” he added.

COP said that the situation of the orangutans is an emergency as two of them are sick and paralyzed. “Even one eye of an orangutan is blind already. They will die if we do not help them,” said Seto Hari Wibowo from COP.

For this purpose, and for Earth day yesterday, COP has sent a medical team to give first aid for two orangutans.

Hardi said if there is no effort for law enforcement, the orangutan will remain be hunted and traded. He said that at least 1,200 orangutans are staying at rehabilitation centers. They generally are saved from palm oil plantations.

WURAGIL

http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2009/04/23/brk,20090423-172137,uk.html