A series of disturbing photos taken on October 21, 2013, shows pangolin traffickers operating at the Denpasar Bird Market (pasar burung) in Bali, Indonesia.
This incident was reported to Annamiticus by a concerned witness who photographed the pangolins arriving in crates and then being stuffed into bags for transport at one of the storefronts. I’ve passed the photos and accompanying information along to our colleagues at TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, who will be following up with the relevant Indonesian authorities.
“Observations such as these, involving totally protected wildlife, highlight the need for the Government of Indonesia to crack down hard on the wildlife markets,” said Dr. Chris R. Shepherd, Director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.
“These markets are hubs for trade in a wide variety of illegal and threatened species, and completely undermine the Governments efforts to end illegal wildlife trade”.
During the months of August through October 24, 2013, at least 2,804 pangolins were recorded in 15 pangolin trafficking incidents across seven countries. This conservative figure represents both live and dead pangolins, as well as pangolin scales, destined for the illegal trade.
An estimated 105,410 — 210,820 pangolins have been plundered from the wild in Asia and Africa since 2011 — all because of myths about alleged health benefits of consuming pangolin scales and pangolin flesh.
If you recognize any of the people in these photos, please contact us: rhishja (at) annamiticus (dot) com.
Rhishja Cota
I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.