Illegal primate trade in Indonesia exemplified by surveys carried out over a decade in North Sumatra

Abstract

The illegal and unsustainable trade in primates is increasingly recognized as an urgent threat to their conservation. From 1997 to 2008, 66 surveys were conducted at bird markets in Medan, North Sumatra, where primates are sold openly. In total,1953 primates of 10 species were observed, the most common of which were the long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis (774 ind.), the greater slow loris Nycticebus coucang (714 ind.) and the pig-tailed macaque M. nemestrina (380 ind.). Six of the species observed are totally protected in Indonesia, yet were openly traded. Trade in the remaining 4 species is regulated through a harvest and trade quota system, but no quotas are allotted for them to be traded as pets. Therefore, all trade in primates observed in these markets is deemed illegal. The Indonesian authorities should be encouraged to take action against this illegal trade in Medan. Markets selling illegal wildlife should be closed down, and individuals found illegally trading in primates should be prosecuted.

Trade in Bengal Slow Lorises in Mong La, Myanmar, on the China Border

“…We found no storage facilities on site, and all other perishable wildlife is treated in the same manner. This practice is quite different from many other markets where we have monitored the trade in slow lorises, such as Indonesia, where they are kept alive for longer periods of time and most often sold as pets, or Cambodia where mainly skins have been observed but not live animals entering the market Shepherd 2010;Starr et al 2010). With this in mind, and considering only live and freshly killed individuals, it seems that between two and nineteen (and on average eight) slow lorises are killed and processed at this market per day.…”

Compassionate conservation, rehabilitation and translocation of Indonesian slow lorises

“…Of the species affected by trade, primates are among the most ubiquitous (Shepherd 2010, Nijman et al 2011. In 2008, a rescue centre was established in Bogor, Java, by International Animal Rescue (IAR) to accommodate displaced Indonesian primates: macaques (Macaca fascicularis and M. nemestrina) and slow lorises (Nycticebus coucang, N. menagensis and N. javanicus).…”

“…In Indonesia, for example, trade in slow lorises and other low-profile protected species persists openly in numerous bird markets. The traders' absence of fear of legal action suggests adequate enforcement is lacking (Nijman 2009, Shepherd 2010.…”

Slow Loris Trade in Vietnam: Exploring Diverse Knowledge and Values

“…Despite this protection, slow lorises are among the most threatened primate species in South-East Asia due to their neglected status in both research and enforcement of protection [Beyle et al, 2014;Nijman et al, 2017]. Slow lorises are in high demand across their range for traditional medicines, for food, as pets, as photo props and for other reasons [Schulze and Groves, 2004;Shepherd, 2010;Starr et al, 2010;Fam et al, 2014;Musing et al, 2015;Osterberg and Nekaris, 2015]. Some reasons for trade may be related to folklore and myths surrounding slow lorises, which have been recorded in many cultures throughout Asia [Nekaris and Bearder, 2011;.…”