Pas mal, mais après ça, il faudra soccuper des cirques ambulants qui exhibent des dauphins en Indonésie et des importations de survivants de Taiji. rtl.be/info/monde/international/1129098/indonesie-premieres-interpellations-pour-trafic-de-raies-manta Dolphins in Captivity in Indonesia 1. Overview of the Trade in- and Exploitation of- Dolphins in Indonesia Dolphins are being illegally caught from the Java Sea by local fisherman, employed- and provided with necessary materials- by those making huge profits from captive dolphin attractions throughout Indonesia. In order to avoid existing laws prohibiting the deliberate capture of dolphins, the fishermen capture the dolphins at night , and claim the dolphins were rescued from entanglement in fishing nets (exploiting a loop hole in the Law on Biodiversity, Number 5- ‘Existing Laws and Regulations’). Once captured, they are taken to Wersut Seguni Indonesia (WSI) - a holding centre for dolphins in Central Java- WSI then sell the dolphins to other facilities. Evidence exists to show this is being supported by the forestry department (particularly those in central Java (BKSDA Jateng) and in Bali (BKSDA Bali)). In Dec 2012, three dolphins had been captured in Jepara area to be sold to a circus. This illegal capture was permitted by the head of the local forestry department, Bpk Cristianto, by providing a document stating the dolphin was ‘rescued from a fisherman’s net’. More recently, in 2014, four dolphins were caught in the Java Sea and are now confined to a ‘swim-with dolphins’ swimming pool in Keramas (Bali). The Role of Wersut Suguni Indonesia (WSI) Wersut Suguni Indonesia (WSI) is a holding centre for dolphins in Central Java province, and plays a major role in the illegal capture of the dolphins, after which they supply other centers. ‘Rescued’ dolphins are taken there for ‘treatment’ and the Forestry department provides them with a temporary permit to keep the dolphins ‘until healthy and ready for release’. However, to date, not a single dolphin has ever been released back in to the wild. In 2009 Taman safari also opened a ‘dolphin center’ nearby Wersut Seguni Indonesia in central Java. They choose this location as this is where dolphins are caught and obtained after which they will be distributed to their centers in Java. WSI then sells the dolphins to other institutions such as the Taman Safari Dolphin Center, the Melka hotel in Lovina, Bali etc. Of great concern is the MoU that was signed in April 2010 between WSI and Gajah Mada University to build a new dolphin pool at the University, to start ‘cloning and crossbreeding with dolphins and for educational purposes’. Travelling Circuses WSI owns three travelling circuses that rotate within Java Province. Each circus uses 2 dolphins, as well as otters, a baby sun bear, and cockatoos, despite being protected species under the Indonesian law on biodiversity and nature conservation. The dolphins are confined to a highly-chlorinated small pool, and subjected to loud music, and, in 2008 a dolphin died during the show in Bekasi. The travel show’s basecamp and office is in Sikucing, Kendal (Central Java). Here dolphins are kept in deplorable conditions, and used for ‘swim –with’ dolphin sessions. The owner is ‘allowed’ to have 6 dolphins, but during a JAAN visit, a total of 26 dolphins were counted. This did not include the 6 being used in the travelling circus shows. In January 2012 the circus cruelty was exposed on Trans TV (National Television) and an investigation into the chlorine concentrations within the water showed the level to be eight times higher than the accepted level, likely to be causing severe suffering for the dolphins. 2. Existing Laws and Regulations Dolphins are a protected species under the ‘protection of wildlife and biodiversity’ law (1990). This clearly states that violators of this law ‘will be punished’. Even though this law was developed in 1990 it is still in the process of ‘being socialized’ and is now subject to loopholes by those willing to exploit it. For example, the law on biodiversity number 5 states that no protected animal is allowed to be kept unless the animal is being kept for ‘research’ or ‘rescue’. The commercial institutions in Indonesia continue to use and exploit this reason (‘rescue’) to keep the dolphins captive after which the forestry department has ‘no choice’ but to allow them to keep them. By law, anyone who wants to capture dolphins from the wild needs to obtain a permit from both Indonesia’s scientific authorities and the Forestry Department, but this does not occur and instead the dolphins are captured and then reported to the government as ‘rescued and in need of veterinary care and treatment’. However, it is very unlikely for dolphins to become entangled in fishermen’s nettings, yet the forestry department continues to allow commercial institutions to keep dolphins after they were reported as ‘rescued’. To avoid these misleads, the National protocol for the handling of marine mammals during stranding’s (accepted by the Indonesian Fisheries Department in 2012 to become the National standard in handling stranded marine mammals) does not allow commercial institutions to be involved / keep marine mammals after stranding’s in their centres for ‘further treatment’. Instead, the National protocol clearly states that all treatment should be provided on site, and, where there are only minor injuries, the dolphin be released back in to the wild immediately, as the risk of death from captivity is far greater in captivity. All commercial centres that keep protected wildlife are obliged to tag the animals in their premises. Since none of the dolphins are tagged, the Forestry Department cannot control the movements of the animals (new arrivals, death etc.). JAAN investigations suggest that almost seventy dolphins remain captive. Whilst dolphins are routinely dying in captivity, these are quickly replaced by wild-caught dolphins under the authorization of the Forestry Department. 3. Agreements between Animal Protection Groups and the Forestry Department Campaigning by Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) in March 2010 resulted in the undersigning of an MOU between JAAN and the Forestry department, undersigned by Pramudya Harzani (JAAN Director), Harry Santoso (National Director of the Forestry Department) and KKH Director General Darori on October 7, 2010 , to protect dolphins on a national level. The key points of the MOU are: 1. Indonesia is in need of a rehabilitation centre for dolphins since many dolphins in captivity are kept illegally 2. JAAN is the official partner of the forestry department for the protection, rehabilitation and release of dolphins The MOU, clearly stated; ‘there are still many dolphins held captive illegally which should be rehabilitated and released’ and ‘JAAN’ will be the formal partner of the Indonesian Government to protect, rescue, rehabilitate dolphins and ‘Earth Island Institute is the advisor and supporter of the whole program, valid for five years’. Following the signing of the agreement, JAAN with the support of Earth Island Institute, built a sea pen in Barakuda Bay, Kemujan (Java). The pen was ready to receive the first dolphins by the end of February 2011. The wersut seguni company attempted to disrupt this program by sending people to the villages close to the sea pen to destroy the name and reputation of JAAN. In March 2011 the schedule release of two recently captured Stenella dolphins was arranged. These were being held at the Taman Safari centre in Batang. Everything was ready- transport boxes, medical equipment, a marine mammal veterinarian on standby, team members from the US were flown in, and a special landing craft boat was prepared through the help of the coastal police. However, the forestry staff needed to confiscate the dolphins did not show up on the day of the confiscation. 4. Lack of progress Following the signing of the MOU, Bpk Harry Santoso was replaced by Bpk Bambang Novianto as the new National Director of the Forestry. In a follow-up meeting with Bpk Bambang Novianto, after the failed relocation of the dolphins to the sea pen, JAAN was informed that there had been a change of plan- The Forestry Department had formed a coalition with the dolphin owners, and JAAN, as part of this coalition, was required to secure participation of the dolphin owners in order to relocate the dolphins. During the coalition meeting, it became clear that the dolphin owners had been pressuring the forestry department. To revoke the MoU signed in 2010. JAAN staff have since been exposed to threats and intimidation by the dolphin owners and there is a solid basis to assume that the Forestry Department suffers pressure and intimidation from the dolphin industry as well. The Forestry department continue to ‘stall’ the process of confiscation and rehabilitation using paperwork as an excuse. The Dutch embassy intervened, yet to date, no action has been taken. 1. The rampant trade in dolphins is likely having a large but unknown impact on wild dolphin populations, with high death rates amongst those taken into captivity. 2. Illegal wildlife traders should be stopped and sentenced according to the Indonesian Law on Biodiversity Number 5, 1990. All dolphins being held captive were captured illegally by using loops in the law with the commercial institutions using the excuse of ‘rescue’ to allow them to keep dolphins captive, demonstrates how unwilling the Forestry Department is to end this rampant and illegal trade in dolphins. 3. The permits provided by the regional Forestry Department offices to the businesses exploiting dolphins are ‘temporary holding permits’. Yet not a single dolphin has ever been released back in to the wild. This is despite the availability of a facility for the rehabilitation of these dolphins, built by JAAN in collaboration with the authorities of Karimun Jawa National Park and supported by the Earth island Institute. 4. Dolphins kept captive in Indonesia are kept under extremely poor conditions, shocking marine mammal experts from around the world- to name a few: a. pools with depths of just 1.5 meters; b. green water filled with algae; c. over-chlorinated water (laboratory research in 2012 proved that the water contains eight times as much chlorine levels as officially tolerated by mammals) which this can cause blindness, skin disorders and general decline in health. 5. The IUCN has written a clear letter in 2012 to the Indonesian government to halt the on-going exploitation and to uphold the MOU signed with JAAN to rehabilitate all the captive dolphins. 6. The on-going captures of dolphins in Indonesia for the commercial exploitation continues to be ignored by the Indonesian government. Urgent action is needed to close the legal loop holes to end the capture of wild dolphins and secure the release of those currently being held in captivity. 7. The Forestry Department has failed to protect marine mammals from exploitation; instead, the regional forestry offices are profiting by allowing the commercial institutions to continuously exploit dolphins. Despite the clear instruction by the Forestry Minister to halt the travel show in July 2013, the show continued to perform with dolphins and other protected animals during 2014 in Sidoardjo, Surabaya and Magelang. 8. The world’s largest and only permanent rehabilitation centre for dolphins has already been constructed and is still being maintained, ready to be used for the rehabilitation of dolphins being held in captivity. 6. Call for Action by the Indonesian Government To protect the welfare and conservation of dolphins in Indonesia, the following steps must be urgently taken: · A nationwide inventory of all dolphins in captivity / tagging of all captive dolphins; · The closure of the legal loophole that allows dolphin circuses and commercial facilities to have ‘rescued’ animals; · The management of marine mammals should be placed under the remit of the Department of Fisheries (which is standard in all other countries worldwide); · A ban on captive dolphins Big thanks, together we will make the difference jakartaanimalaid
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 17:45:17 +0000
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