Poachers convicted of killing Javan rhinos bound for the Chinese black market
The head of the group, active from 2019 to 2023, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Poachers are thought to have killed 26 animals, a very high number according to local animal rights activists. Some people believe that rhino horn has aphrodisiac properties.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Members of a group of poachers have been sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing several Javan rhinoceros, a species found in Ujung Kulon, Banten province, whose single horn is highly prized in the making of cosmetics and aphrodisiac products.
A rhino horn can fetch from 200 to 500 million Indonesian rupiah (US$ 12,300 to US$ 30,700) on the black market.
Local authorities say that the 13-member group was led by a man called Sunendi. Active from 2019 to 2023, they killed at least 26 animals, the highest number ever recorded for poaching activities according to the Auriga Nusantara Foundation.
At Sunendi's residence, police seized a map and rhino bones. The horns were bound for the Chinese market and sales went through an intermediary, law enforcement said.
In 2023, the Auriga Nusantara Foundation raised the alarm, reporting that 15 animals were missing. At present, some 79 rhinos are left in Java.
According to the Foundation, the poachers arrested by the police probably came from Sumatra, another island known for its rhinos, which however are different, because they have two horns.
Sumatran rhinoceros now exist only in captivity at the Way Kambas National Park in Lampung Province.
Conversely, anyone can easily reach Ujung Kulon from the sea due to the absence of maritime patrols, animal rights activists lamented.
.png)
27/05/2019 15:35
13/08/2016 12:04
