TEMPO.CO, Malang - About 300,000 wild animals, which equals 17 percent of the total world animals are predicted to inhabit Indonesian islands although the country only makes up about 1.3 percent of the world's land. In total, Indonesia has 515 species of mammals and more than 1539 species of birds.
"About 45 percent of the world's fish population lives in Indonesian water," said Rosek Nursahid, Chief of ProFauna Indonesia in Malang on Monday, March 3, 2014.
Indonesia is also known as a habitat for endemic species, or species that can only be found exclusively in Indonesia. Based on the data of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Indonesia is a vital environment for endemic animals that include 259 types of mammals, 384 bird species, and 173 amphibious animals.
In an effort to preserve these animals, Rosek urged the government to take actions against illegal wildlife trade as the United Nations proclaimed March 3, 2014, as the World Wildlife Day.
"Illegal wildlife trade is a serious threat for Indonesian wildlife," Rosek said.
Rosek added that, based on the list published by the IUCN in 2013, there are 82 critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable wild animals, as well as 404 species of endangered plants in Indonesia.
EKO WIDIANTO
