Indonesia is the Asian capital of wildlife trafficking, a market estimated at $20 billion according to Interpol. The archipelago is one of the world’s biggest reservoirs of biodiversity. Wild animals are already the victims of massive deforestation, but they now face another. On the islands of Java, Sumatra and Borneo, poachers capture wild animals in their natural habitats and sell them at markets in Jakarta or online. While some of the animals remain in Indonesia, most are sent to other countries in Asia. In response, the Indonesian government is tightening laws against wildlife trafficking. Poachers and traffickers currently face a fine of just over 6,000 euros and up to several years in prison. But under the new law, they could face up to 10 years in prison and a 130,000 euro fine. William de Tamaris, Ismutia Rahmi, Justin McCurry report.
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