Journal of Indonesian Natural History July 2014 Vol.2 No.1 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Editors Dr. Wilson Novarino Dr. Carl Traeholt Associate Professor for Biology Programme Director, Southeast Asia Department of Biology Research and Conservation Division University of Andalas, Indonesia Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Editorial board Dr. Ardinis Arbain Dr. Ramadhanil Pitopang University of Andalas, Indonesia Tadulako University, Indonesia Indra Arinal Dr. Lilik Budi Prasetyo National Park Management, Department of Forestry Indonesia Bogor Institute of Agriculture, Indonesia Dr. Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz Dr. Dewi Malia Prawiradilaga Nottingham University Malaysia Campus, Malaysia Indonesia Institute of Science, Indonesia Dr. Mads Frost Bertelsen Dr. Rizaldi Research and Conservation Division, Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark University of Andalas, Indonesia Dr. Susan Cheyne Dr. Dewi Imelda Roesma Oxford University, Wildlife Research Unit, United Kingdom University of Andalas, Indonesia Bjorn Dahlen Dr. Jeffrine Rovie Ryan Green Harvest Environmental Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia Wildlife Forensics Lab, Dept. of Wildlife and National Parks, Malaysia Dr. Niel Furey Boyd Simpson Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia Research and Conservation Division, Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark Dr. Benoit Goossens Robert B. Stuebing Cardiff University, United Kingdom Herpetology and Conservation Biology, Indonesia Dr. Djoko Iskandar Dr. Sunarto Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia WWF-Indonesia Dr. Matthew Linkie Dr. Jatna Supriatna Fauna & Flora International, Singapore University of Indonesia Dr. Erik Meijaard Dr. Campbell O. Webb People and Nature Consulting International, Indonesia The Arnold Aboretum, Harvard University, USA Dr. John Payne Dr. Zainal Z. Zainuddin Borneo Rhino Alliance, Malaysia Borneo Rhino Alliance, Malaysia The Journal of Indonesian Natural History is published biannually by the Department of Biology at the University of Andalas, Padang, Sumatra Barat, Indonesia, in collaboration with Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark. The Department of Biology at University of Andalas is dedicated to educating Indonesian biologists in the study and conservation of Indonesia’s biodiversity and natural history. Copenhagen Zoo, through its Research and Conservation Division, supports in-situ conservation in Southeast Asia by assisting local organizations and individuals who undertake research, capacity building and the implementation of conservation programmes and projects. The Journal of Indonesian Natural History is published by the Department of Biology, University of Andalas, Indonesia in collaboration with Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark. It is available for free from www.jinh.net Cover photo: The beautiful Javan black-winged starling, Acridotheres melanopterus, known locally as Jalak Putih is almost extinct in the wild. It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN red-list © Anaïs Tritto 2 © University of Andalas / Copenhagen Zoo EDITORIAL Indonesia 20-years after ratifying the Convention on Biological Diversity - a status check Carl Traeholt1 and Wilson Novarino2 1Copenhagen Zoo, Southeast Asia Programme, Malaysia 2University of Andalas, Padang, Sumatra Corresponding authors: email: [email protected] WHEN THE “CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY” also be supported by enforcement agencies and penal (CBD) was launched in 1992, it was an important codes formulated for law-breakers. It needs to be adopted milestone for the World’s conservation community and at provincial and district level too, and mainstreamed for the Global community as a whole. It was the first into local governance. Finally, it requires local citizens comprehensive far-reaching international agreement to embrace the idea and voluntarily make a concerted that attracted support from most nations across the attempt to manage their lives accordingly. Whereas Globe. For the first time in history, a majority of the policy formulation, legal framework development and World’s nations acknowledged the value of biological enforcement may seem daunting tasks, the biggest diversity and the impending crisis if nothing was challenges often remain with the local citizens and done to prevent the onslaught on the World’s natural transforming the current economic structure into a resources. Since then, the human population passed system that incorporates environmental and social 7.15 billion in July, 2013 (Worldometer, 2014), the total values into overall budget evaluations. The value of, for excretion of CO2 has grown more than predicted and example, “clean air” or the cost of “polluted water” is reached 34.5 billion tons in 2012 (Boden et al., 2011; inherently difficult parameters to incorporate into the Oliver et al., 2013; Peters et al., 2012. Raupach et al., current economic system. 2007), the dependency on fossil fuel is at its highest In a Global perspective, biodiversity conservation is ever, the Earth’s seas are getting increasingly polluted an enormous task that most nations are not yet willing to and overfished (FAO, 2011; Olden et al., 2007; Pham commit to --- at least not at a scale that makes real positive et al., 2014) and the destruction of tropical rainforests differences. The cost of managing, for example, the takes place at an unprecendent rate at all continents World’s terrestrial biodiversity sustainably is estimated with tropical rainforests (Hansen et al., 2013; Hansen et at approximately US$ 80 billion annually, and only 12% al., 2010; Margono et al., 2014, 2012). In light of this, is currently being committed to this task (McCarthy et it is tempting to claim that the Rio Convention merely al., 2012; CBD, 2012). Despite the Global community’s sputters on, and many have questioned its relevance in pledged support and commitment to CBD’s 2020 Aichi the 21st Century. targets there is a huge financial shortfall if all types Whilst the adoption of the Rio Convention is a straight of habitats (e.g terrestrial, freshwater, marine) should forwards process, the operationalization of it requires be sustainably managed. Some of the World’s largest far more commitment at national and international economies continue to pursue wealth creation through levels. The task for each nation and the international extraction based economic development despite the community is monumental. For the ideas behind the launch of many international policy intitiatives (e.g. Rio Convention to have real effect on the ground it REDD, Climate Change, UNEP Fi). requires that relevant national policies are formulated, Indonesia ratified the CBD on the 23rd of August, 1994, mainstreamed and implemented. This process requires exactly 20 years ago. So where does Indonesia rank in most sectors of society and governance to collaborate a conservation conext? Has there been any meaningful constructively. A policy needs a supporting legislative commitment to the CBD and conservation progress? framework, and a responsible agency must be Indonesia has 566 national parks, nature reserves appointment with the mandate to implement the policy and wildlife sanctuaries covering 360,693 km2, which cross-sectorally. The implementation of the policy must consist of 490 terrestrial protected areas (225,401 2014 Journal of Indonesian Natural History Vol 2 No 1 3 km2) and 76 marine protected areas (135,291 km2). The in the process of updating the IBSAP (2003) to 2020. The terrestrial protected areas include 43 National Parks, intention is for the updated IBSAP to be mainstreamed 239 Nature Reserves, 70 Game Reserves, 13 Hunting into sectoral policies, plans and programmes through its Parks, 22 Grand Forest Parks, and 103 Nature Tourism integration in the Medium-term National Development Parks. Yet, after Brazil, Indonesia has the second highest Plan (2014-2019). The updated IBSAP will also include rate of primary forest loss in the World (Hansen et al., elements for monitoring and evaluating implementation 2013; Stibig et al., 2014; Wilcove et al., 2014). Even at the national and local levels. The one issue that has with the Indonesian forest moratorium in place since received criticism is that the IBSAP remains a voluntary 2011 new licenses covering approximately 5.5 million concept that provinces and districts can chose to accept hectares have been issued by the Ministry of Forestry or reject. for various development purposes. Critics claim that 4.5 Considering Indonesia’s diverse cultural heritage, million hectares of it have been excised from areas that economic challenges and vast territory, it is not surprising were originally classified for conservation and that data that conservation progress has been slow. Policy unavailability undermines confidence in the moratorium, implementation lacks behind, too many management highlighting transparency issues (Sloan, 2014). plans collect dust on shelves in offices and the majority The implementation and mainstreaming of the CBD of Indonesia’s national parks and protected areas are concepts does not always progress optimally in Indonesia. considered “paper parks”. Yet, important policies are However, serious actions are being taken to meet the being institutionalised to guide sustainable development 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets. In situ conservation is processes, and an increasing amount of resources is carried out through the establishment of conservation being allocated for environmental and biodiversity areas, such as biosphere reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, management. “Green” technology and