NGO Coalition Launches "Cool Without Hawksbill Scales" Campaign to Reduce Hawksbill Turtle Trade in Indonesia

NGO Coalition consisting of PROFAUNA Indonesia, the Indonesian Turtle Foundation (YPI), Turtle Foundation and Too Rare to Wear launches a campaign entitled "Cool without Hawksbill Scales" (Keren Tanpa Sisik, the Indonesian Version) to reduce the trade of hawksbill turtle byproducts. The national campaign is launched in Denpasar, Bali on Sunday (2/2/2020).

In the "Cool without Hawksbill Scales" campaign, the coalition invites the public to actively fight the illegal trade of the Hawksbill turtle byproducts by reporting to YPI via Whatsapp number +6285879918717 and email to jayuli@turtle-foundation.org if they encounter or find the Hawksbill turtle byproducts trade. In addition, the public can also support the campaign by not buying Hawksbill turtle byproducts which are still rampantly traded in some areas in Indonesia.

"Apart from engaging the public, we will also encourage and partner with law enforcement authorities to curb the illegal trade of Hawksbill turtle byproducts," said Muhammad Jayuli, Campaigner of the Cool Without Hawksbill Scales Campaign.

Previously, it was reported that the illegal trade of Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) shell byproducts in Indonesia was still high, estimated around 5 billion IDR (363,000 USD). The latest investigation by the PROFAUNA Indonesia team revealed the fact that the trade in illegal Hawksbill turtle byproducts still occurs in Bali, Nias, North Sumatra and in the online markets.

The online markets have the largest numbers of the Hawksbill turtle byproducts trade. Between August and September 2019, the team surveyed 11 online platforms to find out about the Hawksbill turtle trade. The eleven platforms included Facebook, Instagram, Shoppe, Tokopedia, Bukalapak, Carousell, Prelo, Kaskus, Belanjaqu, Blogspot and other websitezs. The result was found that 1,574 advertisements and 199 accounts related to the online trade of Hawksbill turtles.

Hawksbill turtle byproducts for online markets include accessories in the form of rings, bracelets, necklaces and others. The total number of the items offered in the online markets is 29,326, estimated to be around 5 billion IDR (363,000 USD). The prices of the Hawksbill turtle byproducts vary from 15,000 IDR for a simple ring, to millions IDR for hand fans.

"In addition to the lack of law enforcement, another cause of the rampant trade of Hawksbill turtle byproducts is due to the low public awareness where people still buy the byproducts. Therefore, the NGO coalition are urged to launch the national campaign to encourage people to stop buying Hawksbill turtle byproducts, "said Rosek Nursahid, Chairperson of PROFAUNA Indonesia.

Hawksbill turtle has been listed as a protected species. The catch, or trade, both in living conditions and body parts such shell byproducts, is prohibited. According to Law number 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of the Natural Resources and their Ecosystems, trade in protected animals such as sea turtles is subject to 5-year imprisonment and a 100 million IDR fine.

© 2003 - ProFauna Indonesia

ProFauna Indonesia is an Indonesian society for the protection of
wild animals and their habitats