Sorong, Ekuatorial – More than 40 Victoria crowned pigeons were still waiting to be released from West Papua Natural Conservation Agency, said an official in Sorong, on Thursday (30/10).
The endemic bird of Papua is listed as ‘vulnerable’ at the IUCN Red List and CITES Appendix II.
Solu Batara, an official of West Papua Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), said that those birds were still caged for medical check-up before being released. “Because, few of those birds were injured for stepping into each other in cages,” said Batara.
Officials have managed to confiscate the pigeons, worth Rp50,000 (US$ 4) per head, from the suspect at the Pelabuhan Rakyat Klademark I Sorong.
The suspect is still being investigated and is facing a maximum of five years in prison based on the 1990 Law on Natural Resources Conservation. Niken Proboretno
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