Spokesman for PT FI Ramdani Sirait said from Timika on Sunday on Freeport`s involvement in preserving rare animals in Papua during 2010.
He said PTFI continued its efforts of taking the initiative of preserving the rare animals by facilitating the release of the rare animals into their natural habitat in Papua.
Ramdani said the effort was not only carried out by PTFI in 2010, but also on August 28, 2006. Freeport cooperated with the Animal Saving Center Network (JPPS) in
Cikananga, Sukabumi, West Java, and the Directorate General of Forestry Protection and Natural Conservation of the Forestry Ministry had released at least 2,930 Carettochelys insclupta.
The rare and protected animals had been flown from Halim Perdana Kusuma airport in Jakarta to Timika, Papua, by cargo aircraft facilitated by PT Freeport Indonesia. The turtles had been set free into their natural habitat.
They had earlier been seized and confiscated at several places including Bandara Soekarno-Hatta airport near Jakarta and Juanda airport in Surabaya after they had been smuggled out from Papua. Previously the turtles had been rehabilitated at the Yogyakarta and Sukabumi Animal Saving Centers for six to eight months.
Then on Feb 24, 2009, some 10,865 pig-nose turtles, which had been confiscated by the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of Papua, had also been released into Mawati Otakwa rivers, Mimika Timur Jauh, Mimika, Papua.
Besides the pig-nose turtles, PT Freeport Indonesia had also taken part in the release of ground cangaroos or walabi frp into the Wasur National Park in Merauke, Papua.
On Thursday (Dec 30), 10,908 pig-nose turtles seized from an illegal buyer in Komoro Jaya-SP1 Timika, had been released into their habitat in Muara Sungai Wania, Paumako port, Mimika Timur.(*)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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