IUCN: 10 Endemic Indonesian Birds Facing Threats of Extinction

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said that 10 birds endemic to Indonesia are facing immediate threats of extinction and needs to be designated as threatened species to protect their existence.

IUCN lists the Nias mynah, black-winged starlings, Balinese starlings, Suren starlings, Medan white-rumped Shama, straw headed bul-buls, chestnut-capped thrushes, Javan green magpie, rufous-fronted laughingthrush, as well as the Sumatran laughingthrush, as threatened by human trading and habitat destruction.

"There are only 2-3 Nias mynah left in the wild, while there are only 4-5 left in captivity - it is extremely endangered," said the Executive Director of Taman Safari Indonesia, Tony Sumampau in Bogor, West Java, on Sunday, November 22.

The continued decline of bird population, Tony said, is caused by unregulated poaching - wherein both males and females were indiscriminately taken from the wild. "When a particular sex is eliminated from the wild, the species cannot reproduce," he said. "One day, these birds will be extinct."

According to Tony, birds that illegally taken from the wild are usually transported to markets, where the majority of those taken usually die out of stress. "The mortality rate in markets could be as high as 60 percent," he said.

"Only 20 percent of these birds survive the trip," said Tony, who explained that a high majority of these birds usually perish within one day after they arrive at the market. "It doesn't stop there - birds that were sold usually die off within one or two days, due to the accumulated stress."

Tony explained that the establishment of breeding reserves is an excellent way of keeping extinction at bay. "There is a Javan green magpie breeding reserve in Bali, which is located in a coffee plantation," he said. "Only a limited amount could be taken at a time - which means that there are plenty left to breed and replace those that had perished or sold."

"This way, we could help ensure that these birds would not become extinct from irresponsible trade and smuggling," finished Tony.

CANDRA NUGRAHA