FLIGHT: Protecting Indonesia's Birds

The illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia is dominated by the trade in songbirds. During 2021-2023, out of 174,397 live individual animals seized from the illegal wildlife trade, 91.49 per cent were songbirds.  These numbers illustrate how massive the illegal trade in songbirds is in Indonesia.

Both smuggling attempts are believed to have targeted Java as their final destination, the major market for the illegal songbird trade.

Illegal trade in songbirds continues on a massive scale in Indonesia. In a span of three days (January 19-21), more than 10,000 songbirds were confiscated by officials in two separate incidents.

On Nov 10, the Tanjung Karang District Court sentenced M Yusuf to 5 years in prison and a fine of IDR 200,000,000 for smuggling hundreds of Sumatran songbirds. In the verdict, the judge stated that Yusuf was proven guilty of smuggling 336 wild birds, 132 of which were protected species.

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On Oct 4, a joint team from the Lampung Police and Lampung BKSDA, with the support of FLIGHT, successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle 4,095 wild Sumatran birds to Java.

These birds were rescued from the illegal wildlife trade some time ago. When they were rescued, they were not yet ready to be released. Some were found sick, and their wings had been damaged due to poachers’ traps.

On Sept 22, 26 confiscated songbirds that had undergone rehabilitation were given a second chance to live in their natural habitat.

On Sept 4, FLIGHT, together with Lampung BKSDA and Wan Abdul Rachman Grand Forest Park Management Unit, released hundreds of confiscated songbirds back into their natural habitat.

The Lampung Highway Patrol (PJR) and Lampung BKSDA, with support from FLIGHT, successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle hundreds of wild birds on the Palembang–Bakauheni toll road on September 3. These birds originated from South Sumatra, and were bound for Jakarta.

The defendant, Erwing, was proven to have smuggled 5 maleo birds, 3 Talaud cuscuses, 4 bear cuscuses, and 7 Sulawesi starlings. He was charged under Law Number 32 of 2024 on Natural Resources Conservation and Law Number 21 of 2019 on Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine.

On August 5, the Surabaya District Court Judge sentenced Erwing, a perpetrator of illegal wildlife trade, to 2 years and 1 month in prison and a fine of IDR 200,000,000.

Through this activity, it is hoped that communities living around the forest will become more aware of the importance of conserving wildlife and forests, and will be able to manage natural resources wisely and sustainably.

This activity aimed to raise public awareness about wildlife protection in the release area, as well as to collect data on vegetation and the production of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as part of sustainable forest management efforts.

On July 17, FLIGHT supported the UPTD TAHURA Wan Abdul Rachman (WAR) and students from the University of Lampung in conducting a socialization activity with the Maju Lestari Forest Farmer Group at the Wan Abdul Rachman Grand Forest Park.

In the past six months (January–June 2025), at least more than 18,900 wild birds have been rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia. Of that number, 18,500 individuals (97.93%) were songbirds.

On April 29, judges at the Tanjung Karang District Court in Lampung sentenced two perpetrators of the illegal trade of 2,475 Sumatran songbirds to 3 years and 6 months imprisonment each and a fine of IDR 5,000,000 (approximately USD 295).

The Indonesian Quarantine Agency through the Lampung Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Center in collaboration with Flight: Protecting Indonesia's Birds foiled the illegal shipment of hundreds of Sumatran wild birds to Java at Bakauheni Port on Friday (16/5).

On April 23, FLIGHT supported Lampung Quarantine to intercept an illegal shipment of 326 Sumatran songbirds to Java at Bakauheni Port, Lampung. 132 of the 326 songbirds had protected status.

Both were charged with violations of the Natural Resources Conservation Law and Quarantine Law.

On Feb 25, judges at the Tanjung Karang District Court in Lampung sentenced two perpetrators of the illegal trade in 6,154 songbirds, more than 250 birds of which are protected, to 3 years and 3 months in prison and a fine of Rp 7,000,000 (approximately USD 437) each.