Trade in Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus Hermaphroditus in Javan and Balinese Markets, Indonesia
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Trade in Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus in Javan and Balinese markets, Indonesia V. NIJMAN1*, D. SPAAN1,2, E. J. RODE-MARGONO1, P. D. ROBERTS1, WIRDATETI3 and K. A. I. NEKARIS1 Abstract Wildlife trade is a major threat to wild populations of many species, especially in South-east Asia. In Indonesia, Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus has become increasingly exploited as an exotic pet and for the production of civet coffee. The species is not protected in Indonesia but its commercial trade is subject to an annual quota system. Surveys of 17 animal markets on the Indonesian island of Java (February 2012 – October 2014) and of two on Bali (July 2013 – July 2014) in 92 visits recorded 720–750 Common Palm Civets openly for sale. Large markets (over 50 shops) held about 13 Civets/survey, medium- sized markets (20–49 shops) about eight and small markets (fewer than 20 shops) about two. No differences between years Civetswithin recorded; markets or Civets across present markets in 10 were out apparent. of 11 surveys) Jatinegara and Sukahaji in Jakarta in Bandungstands out (38 as Civets; one of 10 the out most of 11 significant surveys) inand terms Kupang of the in Surabayanumber of (40 Civets Civets openly during for one sale, survey). with some Many 500 Civets recorded in the during markets 16 surveys.were still Other very young.significant In four markets of the are largest Barito markets in Jakarta (Satria (42 in Denpasar, Jatinegara, Barito and Sukahaji) there were more non-adults than adults. Overall, some three-quarters of the trade comprised non-adults. Most Civets observed in the markets are to be sold as pets. The species has become popular as a pet in Indonesia in recent years. The towns surveyed hold numerous ‘civet-lovers clubs’. Information from traders and the poor condi- tions in which the Civets were offered for sale, suggests that most, if not all, Civets observed were derived directly from the wild. The impact of this trade on wild populations of Common Palm Civet is unknown. The numbers observed at the markets in Java and Bali and their recent rise in popularity as pets are enough to raise concern. Keywords: animal markets, civet coffee, civet-lover clubs, Jatinegara, social media, Viverridae, wildlife trade Perdagangan Musang Pandan Paradoxurus hermaphroditus di Pasar Burung di Jawa dan Bali, Indonesia Abstrak Perdagangan satwa liar merupakan ancaman besar bagi populasi banyak jenis satwa, terutama di Asia Tenggara. Di Indonesia Musang Pandan Paradoxurus hermaphroditus telah semakin dieksploitasi sebagai hewan peliharaan dan untuk produksi kopi luwak. Jenis musang ini tidak dilindungi di Indonesia tetapi perdagangan komersial dibatasi oleh sistem kuota. Survei dari 16 pasar burung di Pulau Jawa (Pebruari 2012 – Oktober 2014) dan dua pasar burung di Bali (Juli 2013 – Juli 2014) dengan total 92 kunjungan tercatat antara 720–750 Musang Pandan dijual. Di pasar burung skala besar (lebih dari 50 pedagang) kami menemu- kan 13 musang / survei, di pasar burung berukuran skala sedang (20–49 pedagang) kami menemukan delapan musang / survei dan di pasar burung skala kecil (kurang dari 20 pedagang) kami menemukan sekitar dua musang / survei. Tidak ada perbedaan yang nyata antara tahun diantara pasar burung ataupun dalam pasar burung. Pasar burung Jatinegara di Jakarta merupakan hewan lainnya yang cukup penting adalah Barito di Jakarta (42 tercatat dalam 10 dari 11 survei) dan Sukahaji di Bandung (38 musangpasar yang tercatat paling dalam signifikan 10 dari dalam 11 survei) hal jumlah dan Musangpasar hewan Pandan Kupang yang dijual;di Surabaya tercatat (40 sekitar musang 500 ditemukan ekor selama dalam 16 kalisatu survei. kali survei). Pasar Kebanyakan musang yang ditemukan di pasar hewan masih sangat muda. Di empat pasar burung terbesar (Satria di Denpasar, Jatinegara, Barito dan Sugihaji) dijumpai lebih banyak musang muda daripada musang dewasa. Secara keseluruhan, sekitar tiga- seperempat atau 75% musang di pasar burung adalah belum dewasa. Kebanyakan musang yang berada di pasar burung adalah untuk dijual sebagai hewan peliharaan. Jenis musang ini telah menjadi populer di Indonesia dalam beberapa tahun terakhir dan di beberapa kota yang disurvei telah berdiri beberapa “kelompok pecinta musang”. Dari informasi para pedagang, dan hasil pengamatan kondisi musang, menunjukkan bahwa musang diperoleh langsung dari alam. Sementara dampak langsung dari perdagangan terhadap populasi liar Musang Pandan tetap tidak diketahui, namun dari jumlah yang teramati di pasar burung di Jawa dan Bali dan meningkatnya popularitas musang sebagai hewan peliharaan perlu mendapatkan perhatian lebih lanjut. Introduction trade in wildlife (Nijman 2010, Rosen & Smith 2010). Wildlife trade is a threat to wild populations of many species SoutheastCivets Asia (Viverridae) has been areidentified small nocturnal as a hotspot carnivores for the illegalfound and has been highlighted as a major cause of species declines in Africa and across South and Southeast Asia (Jennings & and extinction risk because it is often unsustainable (Li et al. Veron 2011). Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphrodi- 2000, McNeely et al. 2009, Smith et al. 2009). Internationally, tus is one of the more widely distributed civets, ranging from 11 Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 51: 11–17, December 2014 Nijman et al. Afghanistan through the Indian Subcontinent into Indochina Bali between July 2013 and July 2014. All were open animal and insular Southeast Asia east to the Philippines (Patou et markets (known as ‘pasar burung’ or ‘pasar satwa’ in Indone- al. 2010, Stevens et al. 2011). The IUCN Red List of Threat- sia), ranging from the Pramuka market in Jakarta with some ened Species categorises Common Palm Civet as Least Con- 200 shops to smaller, sometimes mobile, markets comprising cern, largely because of its wide distribution, assumed large a dozen or so shops. The towns surveyed are spread over large populations, and tolerance of habitat disturbance and hunting parts of western Java, eastern Java and Bali; they should be (IUCN 2014). In parts of its range, the species is potentially representative for the trade in this part of Indonesia. threatened by hunting for the bushmeat trade and by capture Common Palm Civet (hereafter, 'Civet') is traded openly for the pet trade and for kopi luwak (‘civet coffee’) production. in the animal markets so there was no need to resort to under- Common Palm Civet occurs widely in western Indonesia, cover techniques. We walked through markets slowly, record- i.e. Sumatra, Borneo, Java and their off-lying smaller islands. ing Civets by typing the species and their numbers into a mo- Possibly as a result of introductions it is furthermore known bile phone or by memorising numbers and writing them in a from individual records in central and eastern Indonesia, in- notebook directly on leaving the market. Counts include what cluding Sulawesi, Seram, Sumba and Timor (Patou et al. 2010). is known in the trade as ‘Musang Bali’, which appears to be a In Indonesia, it is not a protected species, but its trade (do- pale morph of Common Palm Civet, with a pinkish nose and mestic and international) is regulated through a quota set pale soles. Age class (infant, juvenile, adult) was noted when annually by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences. In the last possible, with photographs taken opportunistically. Most Civ- ets were on sale openly: only once did we observe one hidden provinces of North Sumatra, Lampung, West Java, Central Java from view, in a plastic box. In Jatinegara market in Jakarta, the andfive yearsWest Lesserquotas Sunda of 250–300 Islands individuals (Wirdateti were unpubl. allotted data). to Quo the- sheer number of animals for sale, and the many civets (of mul- tas of 100–150 each for Malay Civet Viverra tangalunga and tiple species) often in one cage, sometimes precluded exact Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica were set for the provinces counts. We purchased no civets. of South Sumatra, Lampung, and, for Small Indian Civet only, For analysis, markets were grouped into large (typically West Java. In each province the Regional Natural Resources more than 50 stalls selling animals), medium (20–49 stalls) Conservation Agency (BKSDA) is responsible for implement- and small (fewer than 20 stalls). For each market the aver- ing and enforcing these quotas. A species cannot be harvest- age number of Civets is the total number of Civets observed ed legally from a province with no quota. In such provinces divided by the number of visits. Five markets in three towns it is the Regional Natural Resources Conservation Agency’s surveyed at least twice during each of the three study years responsibility to prevent trade in the species. The remaining allowed some check for annual differences of the Civet trade. volume of an allotted quota not used in a calendar year can- Four markets, surveyed over three years and with a substan- not be added to the following year’s quota (Shepherd 2008). tial number of Civets recorded, were used to calculate the pro- portion of non-adults in trade, allowing comparison between Palm Civet quota was realised (Wirdatati unpubl. data). Only years and between markets. 10%In most of the of quotathe last may five be years used onlydomestically, 30–50% with of the the Common remain- der to be exported (Shepherd 2008). In 2014 a Jakarta-based Results company was given provisional permission by the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHKA) Numbers and temporal patterns to captive-breed 30 Common Palm Civets, the offspring to be In total 92 visits recorded 720–750 Common Palm Civets in sold as pets, pending a recommendation from the Indonesian trade in 15 of the 19 markets surveyed. This broke down to Institute of Sciences (Partono 2014). To date, Common Palm 121–126 Civets in 2012, at an average of 7.1–7.4 Civets per Civet trade in Indonesia is poorly regulated and enforcement survey, 281 in 2013, at an average of 9.7 Civets per survey, efforts are limited (Shepherd 2008, 2012).