The protected birds had been received from residents of Central Java, spokesman of.the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Nunu Anugrah, said in a statement, here on Wednesday.
The process of retuning the rare birds was carried in cooperation with state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I at Kupang Eltari Airport, the Kupang Class I Agricultural Quarantine Center, the Veterinary Technical Implementation Unit of the Animal Husbandry Service of NTT Province, and the Maluku BKSDA.
The return of animals to be released into the wild was part of activities to commemorate the World Environment Day 2021 themed 'Living in Harmony with Nature: Preserving Wild Plants and Animals".
On August 27, 2020, the NTT BKSDA received 47 chef cockatoos from the Central Java BKSDA.
The 47 chef cockatoos or Cacatua Galerita consist of 12 Cacatua Galerita tritons and 35 Cacatua Galerita eleonoras.
The natural habitat of Cacatua Galerita triton is in Papua, while that of Cacatua Galerita eleonora is in Aru Islands, Maluku.
Related news: Ministry warns against use of animals in circuses, shows in Indonesia
The Triton cockatoo (Cacatua galerita triton) is one of the four subspecies of the sulphur-crested cockatoo.
The Eleonora cockatoo, Cacatua galerita eleonora, also known as medium sulphur-crested cockatoo, is a subspecies of the sulphur-crested cockatoo. It is native to the Aru Islands, but has also been introduced to Kai Islands.
The handover of protected birds by the community to the government should be appreciated and be an example for other communities to stop poaching, he said.
He hoped that the public would help preserve protected animals so that population and ecosystem stability could maintained.
Related news: East Java: Online sales of endangered animals thwarted; 3 held
Translator: Fardah Assegaf
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
