Manado, Ekuatorial – North Sulawesi’s wildlife rescue center had been granted a total of US$25,000 from US government for its effort on conservation and rehabilitation during 2014.
The funding, equals to Rp 316 million, was also aimed to fight illegal wildlife in Indonesia, in cooperation with North Minahasa Natural Resources Conservation Agency and the police, said US Ambassador for Indonesia, Robert Blake Jr, during his visit to the center located in Tasikoki, North Minahasa district of North Sulawesi on Friday (9/1).
“We are grateful and appreciate rehabilitation and wildlife conservation efforts in Tasikoki, North Sulawesi, done by Masarang Foundation,” said Blake referring to the institution that ran the Tasik Oki project.
The Tasikoki project, under Masarang Foundation, was established by Dr. Willie Smits in 2004 to support the foundation’s campaign to raise awareness, especially, of people living in coastal areas of Minahasa district which are main locations for endangered turtles, including hawksbill and leatherbacks for nesting. The project is considered as a successful campaign done by civil society in giving advocacy to stop illegal wildlife trading.
Blake said that stopping illegal wildlife trading has become one of the priorities between two countries. Working with civil societies, he added, was one of the ways to protect them and eradicate wildlife crimes.
“President Barack Obama, himself, had announced US’ national strategy in fighting illegal wildlife trading in Feb 11, 2014,” he said. “It [the strategy] included 17 government agencies with three strategic priorities, which are stricter law enforcement, decrease demands, and international cooperation.”
He went on saying that Indonesia’s biodiversity was the second largest on earth, after Brazil. “Unfortunately, this rich biodiversity is being threatened as forests as these endangered animals lived, such as birds, reptiles, and others, are being destroyed by irresponsible humans,” he said.
He said that endangered animals, including birds, were brought from all over Indonesia to Manado ports to be sold to other countries, such as the Philippines and other countries. These animals, he added, were also killed and consumed by local people.
“Indonesian and US government had pledged to work together to protect wildlife by signing a bilateral memorandum of agreement related to conservation and stopping illegal wildlife trading,” he said
Meanwhile, Smits said that he welcomed US government’s concerns by granting the money and its ambassador visit to the rescue center in Tasikoki.
“If US government cares, what about Indonesian government and its people? We have to work harder to save endangered species,” said Smits. Yoseph Ikanubun