Indonesian authorities have arrested a man for attempting to sell elephant tusks and rhino horns, both from critically endangered species, through social media. The illegal wildlife trade is a persistent issue in Indonesia, where enforcement is often weak. However, the arrested individual could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, according to a statement released by the environmental ministry on Wednesday.
The investigation began earlier this year when South Sumatra police noticed posts on Facebook offering parts of protected wildlife for sale. The suspect, a 60-year-old man identified only by the initials “ZA,” was arrested last week in Palembang, South Sumatra, during a transaction where he was trying to sell a rhino horn and a pipe made from an elephant tusk.
During a search of the suspect’s home, police discovered seven additional rhino horns and at least four more elephant tusks. The environmental ministry noted that “ZA” appeared to be highly experienced in wildlife trading.
This arrest follows another incident in June when police detained a gang of poachers suspected of killing 26 critically endangered Javan rhinos in Ujung Kulon National Park since 2018. Once numbering in the thousands across Southeast Asia, the Javan rhino population has been decimated by poaching and habitat encroachment. The environmental ministry estimates that only around 80 Javan rhinos remain in the wild.
Similarly, the Sumatran rhino has also been declared critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with fewer than 50 individuals left in the wild.
