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Rare birds in Manggarai on the brink of extinction
The twin pressures of widespread poaching and illegal logging continue to push many of the rare and endemic bird species in the forests of Manggarai, West Manggarai and East Manggarai regencies in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) to the brink of extinction, a conservation expert says
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T
he twin pressures of widespread poaching and illegal logging continue to push many of the rare and endemic bird species in the forests of Manggarai, West Manggarai and East Manggarai regencies in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) to the brink of extinction, a conservation expert says.
Ruteng Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) head Ora Yohanes told The Jakarta Post on Monday that limited personnel and operational funds for his office in the Ruteng Natural Tourism Park created difficulties in taking action against poaching in the forested area.
In Mount Lasang, the Flores celepuk (Ottus alfredi), or mini owl, is one endemic bird on the verge of extinction, while three other endemic bird species — the Flores serindit (Loriculus flosculus), the Flores kehicap (Monarcha sacerdotum) and the Flores crow (Corvus florensis) — can still be found in Mbeliling’s forested area. Other endemic birds in Flores can be spotted in Ruteng Natural Tourism Park and around Todo village, Satarmese district, Manggarai.
The BKSDA is only able to take action against poachers when the birds are taken out of Manggarai, such as at the airport or seaports. Poachers often use air rifles to shoot birds at Ruteng Natural Tourism Park.
The Wild Birds Foundation’s Samuel Rabenak confirmed on Monday the poaching of birds and other wildlife in the nearby Mount Lasang Natural Tourism Park had been taking place for a long time.
Yohanes said the poachers had not yet been caught, but that his office was currently conducting activities in three natural tourism parks to save the birds of Flores from poaching.
Yohanes said that if the government failed to protect the 3,246-hectare park from uncontrolled practices of illegal logging and forest conversion, various bird and other wildlife species in the area would become extinct.
BKSDA forwarded a proposal to the NTT provincial administration to raise the park’s status to a national park to enhance its protection — a proposal the provincial administration recommended to the central government in 2007.
Five years on, no response has been received from the Forestry Ministry.
