Illegal Delivery of 60 Turtles in Lampung Foiled

Bakauheni Port, Lampung, is the main access for the wild animal trade from Sumatra to Java.

DOKUMENTASI BALAI KARANTINA HEWAN, IKAN, DAN TUMBUHAN LAMPUNG

Several Ambon turtles were confiscated by officials from the Lampung Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Center when they were about to be shipped through the Bakauheni Port, Lampung on Sunday (21/4/2024).

BANDAR LAMPUNG, KOMPAS — The Lampung Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Center thwarted the shipment of 60 Ambon turtles (Cuora amboinensis) via Bakauheni Harbor, South Lampung. This case shows that sending various types of wild animals without permission through the Bakauheni Harbor crossing is still a risk.

An attempt to send 60 Ambon turtles was thwarted by officials from the Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Office at Bakauheni Ferry Port in Lampung on Sunday (21/4/2024). The turtles were packed in two separate boxes and entrusted to an inter-provincial bus.

"The Ambon turtle was sent without the required quarantine documents from the area of origin and was also not reported to quarantine officers," said the Head of the Bakauheni Ferry Port Unit BKHIT Lampung, Akhir Santoso, on Tuesday (23/4/2024), in Bandar Lampung.

According to Santoso, a package containing dozens of turtles was found when quarantine officers, together with the Bakauheni Port Sector Police (KSKP), conducted an inspection at the entrance of Bakauheni Port. The package was found inside a passenger bus. The bus driver claimed that the package was entrusted from Central Lampung Regency and was intended to be sent to Malang, East Java.

Also read: Illegal Wild Bird Trade Foiled

DOKUMENTASI BALAI KARANTINA HEWAN, IKAN, DAN TUMBUHAN LAMPUNG

The Lampung Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Center thwarted the delivery of 60 unlicensed turtles on Sunday (21/4/2024).

Santoso explains that Ambon turtles, or sometimes called shell turtles, are not classified as a protected species. However, the shipment of these animals still must be accompanied by the required health documents and reported to quarantine officers. This is to prevent the spread of pests and animal diseases between regions.

He stated that the shipment of turtles was illegal because it was not accompanied by a health certificate from the quarantine bureau. It violates Law Number 21 of 2019 regarding Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine.

Also read: Trans-Sumatra Toll Road Used as Traffic Route for Illegal Birds

Therefore, the turtles were confiscated and handed over to the Conservation Institution of Lembah Hijau Wildlife Park, Bandar Lampung. Currently, dozens of turtles are being cared for at the conservation institution.

The manager of the Wildlife Conservation Institution of Lembah Hijau, Rasyid Ibransyah, stated that most of the Ambon turtles were weak due to being confined in a package. In fact, one turtle eventually died.

DOKUMENTASI BALAI KARANTINA LAMPUNG

The Lampung Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Center foiled the shipment of hundreds of shark fins at Bakauheni Port, South Lampung Regency, Lampung, on Tuesday (5/3/2024).

Currently, the remaining turtles are being cared for in an open enclosure that is suitable for their habitat, in a semi-aquatic environment, as turtles can live both in water and on land. These wild animals are placed in one enclosure with binturongs and other types of turtles.

The Ambon turtle was sent without the required quarantine documents from its region of origin and was not reported to quarantine officials.

Trade routes

The shipment of wildlife through the Bekauheni Port is not the first time it has occurred. Previously, on March 5th, 2024, officials thwarted the shipping of hundreds of shark fins from Medan, North Sumatra, to Java. A total of 180 shark fins, weighing 20 kilograms, were also packaged in the shipment.

According to Santoso, the Bakauheni Port is indeed the main access point for the trade of wild animals from Sumatra to Java. The most traded type of wildlife are wild birds. In addition, there are also orangutans, monkeys, civet cats, shark fins, and pangolins.

Also read: Shipment of Thousands of Illegal Birds Foiled in Lampung

KOMPAS/VINA OKTAVIA

Officials from the Bengkulu Natural Resources Conservation Agency are rehabilitating hummingbirds at the Lembah Hijau Wildlife Park in Bandar Lampung, Lampung, on Tuesday (July 2, 2019).

Throughout January-September 2023, quarantine officers in Lampung have confiscated 14,886 birds. Tens of thousands of these wild birds were intended to be sent from Sumatra to Java for trading. In 2022, the number of wild birds confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade network was even higher, reaching 22,297 individuals.

Sending packages using bus services often makes it difficult for quarantine officials to detect the circulation of wildlife sent without the proper official documents. Moreover, the package often only includes the recipient's short name, with an unclear address that makes it difficult to locate. Typically, the driver is only asked to drop off the package at a certain location.