IUCN gives Bali quarantine agency international award for stopping illegal bird trade

Bali's quarantine agency has received an international conservation award after helping stop illegal shipments of thousands of wild birds on the Indonesian island.

The award came from the IUCN Species Survival Commission Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group. The group recognized the Bali Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Agency and other agencies for consistently disrupting efforts to smuggle wild and songbirds.

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Protecting wildlife requires joint efforts so that Indonesia's biodiversity can be preserved.

Bali's heavy movement of goods and passengers makes its entry points a key area for wildlife controls, agency chief Heri Yuwono said. Officers monitor the ports of Gilimanuk and Padangbai, as well as air and sea cargo routes. They seize birds transported without animal health certificates or other valid documents.

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Through monitoring at various main entry points, such as Gilimanuk Port, Padangbai Port, and air and sea cargo routes, Bali Quarantine officers consistently secure birds transported without animal health certificates or other valid documents.

The controls follow Indonesia's 2019 Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine Law. Officials say enforcement serves two purposes: upholding rules on wildlife transport and preventing the spread of quarantine animal pests and diseases, including avian influenza.

The agency also works with the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency, port police and other institutions. Seized animals that remain fit for release are returned to suitable habitats, including Bali Barat National Park. Yuwono said the IUCN group viewed the enforcement at Bali's entry points as narrowing the room for illegal trading networks and aligning with global conservation efforts to protect Asian songbirds from extinction.

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The IUCN SSC ASTSG considers consistent enforcement at Bali's entry points to have narrowed the room for illegal trading networks.