Observations of small carnivores in Jakarta wildlife markets, Indonesia, with notes on trade in Javan Ferret Badger Melogale orientalis and on the increasing demand for Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus for civet coffee production
Abstract Chris R. SHEPHERD
Melogale orientalis Sixous specieswas Common of small Palm carnivores Civet Paradoxurus were recorded hermaphroditus during spot, whichchecks is carried increasingly out in being wildlife taken markets from thein Jakarta, wild for Java, the productionIndonesia, inof 2010kopi luwak and 2012, including Javan Ferret Badger , a little-known species rarely observed in trade. Most numer- in place to protect these species must be enforced. More research is required to determine the status of these species and the impacts of trade(‘civet on coffee’). their conservation. This trade, and the trade in small carnivores overall in Indonesia, should be carefully monitored. Laws
Keywords: kopi luwak, Leopard Cat, Prionailurus bengalensis, wildlife trade
Pemantauan kelompok karnivora kecil di beberapa pasar satwa Jakarta, Indonesia, dengan penekanan pada perdagangan biul Melogale orientalis, serta peningkatan permintaan pada luwak Paradoxurus hermaphrodites untuk produksi kopi luwak Abstrak pada tahun 2010 dan 2012. Salah satunya adalah biul Melogale orientalis EnamJenis yang jenis paling kelompok banyak karnivora adalah luwakkecil tercatat Paradoxurus saat dilakukan hermaphroditus, pemantauan dimana pada semakin beberapa meningkat pasar satwa penangkapannya di wilayah Jakarta, dari alam Indonesia, untuk kepentingan produksi kopi luwak. Perdagangan ini, serta perdagangan lainnya, sebagai pada jenis kelompok yang jarang karnivora dijumpai kecil dalam di Indonesia, perdagangan. perlu dipantau dengan seksama. Penerapan perlindungan pada satwa-satwa tersebut perlu ditegakkan. Penelitian lebih lanjut sangat dibutuhkan guna menetapkan status dari jenis tersebut serta akibat dari adanya perdagangan terhadap konservasinya. Introduction rent data of the trade and legal status, and to encourage the In donesian authorities and conservationists alike to take further Wildlife trade is a severe threat to vast numbers of species in steps to protect Indonesia’s small carnivores. - Indonesia, yet few resources are dedicated to understanding et al Methods ther monitoring and researching of the trade is needed to gaugeand addressing the conservation it (Shepherd status 2010, of affected Nijman species . 2012).better, Furand- Three visits were made to each of the four largest wildlife ultimately to inform authorities so that effective conservation markets in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia: Pramuka, measures are implemented and enforced. Indonesia’s wildlife markets are well known for offering a wide variety of species for sale, many of which are sold in theseBarito, markets, Kartini so and they Jatinegara are generally (21 July known 2010; as ‘bird 10 December markets’, et al. 2004, 2010; 15–16 June 2012). Birds make up most of the species in Shepherd 2010). Small carnivores are amongst the vast num and reptiles. The Jatinegara market is known for having more violation of national laws and policies (Shepherd mammalswith the exception than any of of Kartini the other which three. sells In mostly addition aquarium to the mar fish elty pets, for food and for use in production of civet coffee.- Flona) in However,ber of species little in concerted these markets effort (Shepherd has been put2008), into sold protecting as nov- Jakarta was also surveyed, on 16 June 2012, because many- and researching these species in Indonesia and the conserva kets, a flora and fauna exhibition (known locally as tion impacts of hunting and trade are largely unknown. life, mostly reptiles. Markets for this study were thoroughly ‘Small carnivores’ are taken here to include not only Her- surveyedwildlife dealers by the setauthor, up stalls with atall this openly exhibition displayed and wildlife sell wild in- pestidae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, Prionodontidae and Viverri each market observed and all target species counted and re - corded. - - dae, but also cats (Felidae). Few species of small carnivores are Observations protected by Indonesian law (Shepherd 2008). All Felidae spe- cies inThe Indonesia intentions are behind protected, this but paper within are theto raise other awareness five fami- oflies and included interest here, in small only carnivoreeight of the conservation, 24 species are to provide(Table 1). cur once, and small carnivores were observed in all locations Four markets were surveyed three times, and an exhibition - Small Carnivore Conservation, –41, December 2012
Vol. 47: 38 38 Small carnivores in trade in Java
Table 1. Status of small carnivores (families Herpestidae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, Prionodontidae and Viverridae) in Indonesia. English name Species name Protected IUCN Red List Herpestidae Short-tailed Mongoose Herpestes brachyurus LC Small Asian Mongoose Herpestes javanicus LC Collared Mongoose Herpestes semitorquatus DD Mustelidae Oriental Small-clawed Otter Aonyx cinereus VU Hog Badger Arctonyx collaris X NT Eurasian Otter Lutra lutra X NT Hairy-nosed Otter Lutra sumatrana X EN Smooth Otter Lutrogale perspicillata VU Yellow-throated Marten Martes flavigula LC Javan Ferret Badger Melogale orientalis DD Indonesian Mountain Weasel Mustela lutreolina DD Malay Weasel Mustela nudipes LC Mephitidae Sunda Stink-badger Mydaus javanensis X LC Prionodontidae Banded Linsang Prionodon linsang X LC Viverridae Binturong Arctictis binturong X VU Small-toothed Palm Civet Arctogalidia trivirgata LC Otter Civet Cynogale bennettii X EN Hose’s Civet Diplogale hosei VU Banded Civet Hemigalus derbyanus VU Sulawesi Civet Macrogalidia musschenbroekii X VU Masked Palm Civet Paguma larvata LC Common Palm Civet Paradoxurus hermaphroditus LC Malay Civet Viverra tangalunga LC Small Indian Civet Viverricula indica LC LC: Least Concern, NT: Near Threatened, VU: Vulnerable, EN: Endangered, DD: Data Deficient
Table 2. Species of small carnivores observed in Jakarta’s wildlife markets during spot-checks (2010, 2012). Market Date Species Javan Ferret Small Indian Civet Common Palm Small-toothed Palm Small Asian Mongoose Leopard Cat Badger Melogale Viverricula indica Civet Paradoxurus Civet Arctogalidia Herpestes javanicus Prionailurus orientalis hermaphroditus trivirgata bengalensis Pramuka 21 Jul 2010 10 Dec 2010 1 1 15–16 Jun 2012 Jatinegara 21 Jul 2010 1 1 4 10 Dec 2010 3 8 1 2 15–16 Jun 2012 5 12 Barito 21 Jul 2010 10 Dec 2010 15–16 Jun 2012 1 Kartini 21 Jul 2010 10 Dec 2010 3 15–16 Jun 2012 Flona Fair 15–16 Jun 2012 4 Totals 5 4 25 1 5 7
Prionailurus bengalensis Melogale orientalis the( Table 47 2).small During carnivores these visits, observed, 47 small Common carnivores Palm representing Civet Para- MongooseFig. 1.), followed Herpestes by Leopard javanicus Cat Viver (sev- doxurussix species hermaphroditus were observed, 37 of which were in Jatinegara. Of riculaen), Javan indica Ferret Badger (five), Arctogalidia Small Asian (five), Small Indian Civet was the most numerous (25 animals; (four) and Small-toothed Palm Civet Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 47, December 2012
39 Shepherd
Javan Ferret Badger
Java and Bali; very little is known about it, and it seems to Javan Ferret Badger is endemic to the Indonesian islandset alof.
thor’shave never knowledge, been studied was of ina singledepth animalin the wild observed (Duckworth in the Jatin 2008). The first observation of this species in trade, to the au- reported advertisements of this species for sale on the inter- netegara in marketJava during in Jakarta 2010–2011, on 16 Julyand mentioned2011 (Kim 2012).hearing Kim of occa also sional trade in the markets of Jakarta and Surabaya. While Kim- was able to photograph this animal, the dealers did not per- mit photographs during the visit in June 2012. According to the dealers, these 2012 animals were captured locally in Java-
(exact locations not given). Identification of ferret badgers to portsspecies have is extremely ever been difficult,recorded, but local it isdemand very unlikely seems minimal,that any andspecies the ofdealers non-native claimed ferret these badger specimens are being were traded:locally caught.no im- The two dealers with this species in June 2012 were asking
umes or trends based on these few records, but because hunt IDR 500,000 (USD 53) each. It is impossible to determine vol- and investigation of the trade in Java is necessary. Given the- restricteding for trade range may of be this a significantspecies, and threat, the potentialfurther monitoring threats of
region, Indonesian authorities should consider providing this nationalboth habitat endemic loss withand tradefull legal in this protection. heavily human-populated
Common Palm Civet Hunting and trade are listed in the IUCN Red List as a threat
Fig. 1. Common Palm Civets Paradoxurus hermaphroditus in markets for sale for the production of civet coffee (Photo: Chris R. Shepherd/TRAFFIC to the Common Palm Civet (IUCN 2012). Throughout this spe- Southeast Asia). etcies’s al range it is killed as a pest or for consumption (Shepherd Indonesia,& Shepherd it 2010)is largely and ignored captured by for hunters trade andas pets traders (Schreiber and is . 1989, Shepherd 2008). While there is a quota in place in trivirgata A. t. trilineata). All small carnivores observed in trade were live, with no dead visitednot enforced the wildlife by authorities market in (Shepherd Denpasar, 2008). Bali, and observed ap animals observed (one; not for of sale the inendemic these markets. Javan race, During this same period (on 12 June 2012), researchers Other mammals, all native to Indonesia, were observed wildlife market in Denpasar told the buyers, evidently in an at- during these visits, including Common Treeshrew Tupaia glis, temptproximately to make 25 a Common sale, that Palm the Common Civets for Palm sale. CivetsThe dealer were in used the Petaurus breviceps to make kopi luwak in litt. 17 June- tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis, Javan Langur Trachyp- 2012). Kopi luwak is made from coffee beans that have passed squirrelsithecus auratus (Sciuridae),, Sunda Sugar Slow GliderLoris Nycticebus coucang,, Long-Javan through the gut of a ,civet ‘civet and coffee’ are later(E. V. picked Goode from the faeces, Slow Loris Nycticebus javanicus Pteropus vampyrus , Large Flying-fox creasinglyand is considered trendy toand be as the a resultrarest civetsand most are expensivebeing increasingly coffee in Discussion and a smaller unidentified bat species. the world (Marcone 2004; Fig. 2.). This coffee has become in- this blend. The impact of the demand for this fashionable cof feecaptured on wild from civet the populations wild and fed is coffeeyet unknown beans to but mass-produce may consti under Indonesian law. However, according to Indonesian law, - speciesOf these that six speciesare not observed,protected onlymay Leopardonly be tradedCat is protecteddomesti quota set for pets. - tute a significant threat, and appears to be in violation of the - Conclusions and recommendations Civetcally orhas internationally a quota for capture following and trade,a harvest of 270 and individuals export quota per system. Of the five non-protected species, only Common Palm Generally, wildlife markets in Jakarta are in effect unregulat to be sold live as pets. All the species observed in this study ed. Despite laws in Indonesia protecting many species, and areyear. listed This asquota Least specifies Concern that by Thethese IUCN Common Red List Palm of Threatened Civets are controlling trade of others, these laws are largely ignored and- Species traders in the wildlife markets openly sell a wide variety of species, regardless of their legal status. It is essential that the (IUCN 2012), with the exception of Javan Ferret Badg- er, which is listed as Data Deficient. Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 47, December 2012 40 Small carnivores in trade in Java
S. Maurer are thanked for providing information regarding the trade in civets from Bali and for accompanying the author during some of the surveys.
References
Melogale orientalis at Gunung Gede Pangran Duckworth, J. W., Roberton, S.Small I. & Brickle,Carnivore N. ConservationW. 2008. Further notes on Javan FerretIUCN Badger Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1.-
Semiadi for the Indonesian translation. Eric Goode and Maximilian Announcement
Extension of deadline for the submission of abstracts for the International Badger Symposium (1-4 October 2013)
The organization of the International Badger Symposium postponed the deadline for the submission of abstracts to Jan uary 31, 2013. Therefore, you are not too late to submit your ing well and we have received submissions from many re abstracts. Please consult the badger website for details about- searchers(http://www.alphawildlife.ca/2013badgersymposium) from all continents. However, we were told is that go- the submission of papers. - We look forward to receiving your contributions. some researchers were in the field these last months and were Gilbert Proulx, PhD, Chair unawareIn order of our to deadline accommodate for the submission these researchers, of abstracts we (orighave- Emmanuel Do Linh San, PhD, inally, 15 September 2012). Others forgot about it! Co-Chair
41 Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 47, December 2012