JAKARTA - Thirteen species of
Indonesian birds, including the country's symbolic Javan Hawk-eagle, are at
serious risk of extinction mainly due to the pet trade, a wildlife watchdog
warned Wednesday.
The vast Indonesian archipelago
is home to a dizzying array of birds and keeping them as pets has long been
part of the national culture, with birdcages a common sight outside homes and
shops across the country.
However increasing demand for
some species as pets has led to dramatic population declines, wildlife trade
monitoring network TRAFFIC warned in a new study.
"This is a
multi-million-dollar industry, there's a huge criminal element and many people
are profiting illegally from this business," Chris Shepherd, TRAFFIC's
director for Southeast Asia and a co-author of the study, told AFP.
Huge demand for songbirds in
Indonesia has also put bird species in other countries such as Malaysia and
Thailand in danger, Shepherd said.
The Javan Hawk-eagle is
Indonesia's national bird and the inspiration for the Garuda, the mythical
winged creature that adorns the country's coat of arms.
Other species at risk of
extinction include the Silvery Woodpigeon, Yellow-crested Cockatoo,
Scarlet-breasted Lorikeet, Javan Green Magpie, Black-winged Myna, Bali Myna,
Straw-headed Bulbul, Javan White-eye, Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush, Sumatran
Laughingthrush and Java Sparrow.
The Helmeted Hornbill is also at
risk but unlike the others, is not kept as a pet. Thousands are being illegally
killed and traded for their unique "casques" - a solid lump of
fibrous protein that runs along the top of the bill and onto the skull.
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