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Many clueless about keeping prohibited animals, end up in jail
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Stock illustration of Javan porcupines (Courtesy of/Shutterstock)
A
lack of public education about the environment and animal conservation in the country has resulted in jail time for unsuspecting pet owners who are unaware that they have been illegally keeping protected animals as pets for years.
Last week, a resident of Badung regency in Bali named I Nyoman Sukena broke down in tears after prosecutors demanded a five-year prison sentence for him for keeping four Javan porcupines (Hystrix javanica) in his home.
The Javan porcupine is a species of Old World porcupine that is endemic to Indonesia. Its population has been dwindling over the years and in 2018 the Environmental and Forestry Ministry classified it as a protected species.
During his trial at Denpasar District Court, Sukena insisted that he was not aware that the animal was protected. The 38-year-old said his father-in-law gave him two Javan porcupines five years ago after catching them destroying his crops. Sukena then kept them as pets and the animals eventually gave birth to two others.
The Bali Police showed up at Nyoman’s house on March 4 after receiving reports from local residents. He was eventually arrested for violating Article 21 of the 1990 Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Law. The police also confiscated the porcupines.
Videos of Sukena crying after his trial last week made rounds on social media, sparking a backlash from the public who argued that he was punished "too harshly" for simply unknowingly taking care of a protected species.
Read also: Another rare Javan rhino calf spotted in national park in Banten
