Jakarta – WWF Indonesia has encouraged authorities to hand down a maximum sentence to a suspected tiger smuggler that was put on trial yesterday in a West Sumatra district court. The suspect, a 49 year-old male, was on trial for breaking Indonesian law in keeping, transporting and trading endangered species. He was arrested in West Sumatra in March of this year following a three-day investigation by the Natural Resource Conservation Agency in Riau and West Sumatra Province (BKSDA), with support from WWF Indonesia's Tiger Protection Unit.
Jakarta – WWF Indonesia has encouraged authorities to hand down a maximum sentence to a suspected tiger smuggler that was put on trial yesterday in a West Sumatra district court.
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The suspect, a 49 year-old male, was on trial for breaking Indonesian law in keeping, transporting and trading endangered species. He was arrested in West Sumatra in March of this year following a three-day investigation by the Natural Resource Conservation Agency in Riau and West Sumatra Province (BKSDA), with support from WWF Indonesia's Tiger Protection Unit.
The arrest was made after the seizure of an adult male tiger skin. The tiger is believed to have been poisoned inside or near a wildlife reserve in Sumatra's Riau Province.
"WWF highly appreciates the District Court and District Attorney bringing this case to trial" said Anwar Purwoto, Director of the Forest, Fresh Water and Species Program at WWF-Indonesia. "We also strongly support a clean trial in this case, and are confident the process will add to global efforts fighting wildlife crime."
The Indonesia law on biodiversity conservation and ecosystems states that convicted Sumatran tiger poachers and traders are subject to a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of 100 million Indonesian rupiah (US$10,000).
"An appropriate punishment will create a deterrent for those committing wildlife crimes in Indonesia, particularly ones that involve critically endangered species," said Anwar. "WWF calls on Indonesian courts to apply the maximum sentence to those found guilty of killing tigers."
Article continues: http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?uNewsID=201282
Image credit: Erizal, WWF Indonesia
