Indonesian customs and quarantine officials thwarted a smuggling attempt of nearly 2,000 monitor lizard skins to be shipped to Malaysia through the Teluk Nibung Port, Antara News reported.
In a picture shared by Antara News, Teluk Nibung Port authorities are seen posing with the large stash of intercepted illegal lizard skins. At least 16 piles of flattened reptile hide are wrapped and secured by yellow ribbon, packaged for export.
Authorities discovered the stash of illegal wildlife products hidden among fiber boxes set to ship out for Malaysia in early February. Upon the discovery, however, authorities could not link the contraband shipment to any responsible parties, per Antara News.
Monitor lizards — the family of lizards that the infamous Komodo dragon belongs to — are large lizards characterized by their long heads and necks, heavy bodies, and developed legs. They are found in tropical and subtropical climates across Africa, Asia, and Australia, per Rodent Pro.
At least 29 monitor lizard species roam throughout Indonesia, which ranks second, behind only Australia, in global monitor lizard diversity, according to Asia Today.
Monitor lizards are a high-value commodity in the wildlife trade — especially in Indonesia, which is one of the largest monitor lizard exporters in the world, per IPB University.
Historically, monitor skin has been used to create luxury leather goods, including handbags, wallets, footwear, and belts, whereas their meat has been used in traditional medicines, thought to help treat certain skin conditions.
Some monitor species are also highly sought after as exotic pets.
According to IPB University, the monitor lizard trade is legal, as many monitor lizard species are classified as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List. However, there are quotas, and all trade must be sanctioned by CITES, the global treaty governing the international trade of wild specimens.
Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry quota book permitted a total of 476,000 monitor lizards to be traded in 2024, with the majority of this quota to be traded for "skin export needs," per IPB.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 Despite being legally sanctioned, the monitor lizard trade remains susceptible to poaching by illegal hunters and wildlife traffickers looking to evade trade regulations. If successful, traffickers smuggle live wildlife across international borders, which can pose a threat to natural habitats and native wildlife species.
"Research — from genetics to ecology and natural history — must serve as the foundation of conservation. Science will shape the future of Indonesia's monitor lizard conservation," said Evy Ayu Arida, a professor at the National Research and Innovation Agency, per Asia Today.
"Quotas must be science-based, export suppliers must be legal and have traceability, and local hunters must get a fair price. That is the key to making the monitor lizard trade sustainable," said Mirza Dikari Kusrini, professor of the faculty of forestry and environment at IPB, per IPB.
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