Authorities intercept shocking illegal cargo packed into truck at port: 'The trade is so massive'

A massive seizure of nearly 7,000 smuggled songbirds in Indonesia has exposed the country's ongoing battle with illegal wildlife trafficking, reported Mongabay News.

What's happening?

Indonesian authorities intercepted 6,860 songbirds from West Nusa Tenggara province on Feb. 1 at Tanjung Wangi Port in East Java. The birds, including zebra finches, red avadavats, and streaked weavers, were packed into 134 boxes on a truck, with 579 already dead when discovered.

This bust follows a similar October 2024 seizure in Sumatra, suggesting traders are now seeking alternative supply routes. 

"The major traders are now looking for new sources of supply, including from West Nusa Tenggara, Bali and Kalimantan [Indonesian Borneo]," said Marison Guciano, executive director of a bird trafficking watchdog group called Flight.

Despite violations of permit and health certificate requirements, the suspect was released because the birds weren't specifically protected by law. Guciano noted this reflects how authorities often view the songbird trade as a "trivial crime" compared to the trafficking of tigers, elephants, and rhinos.

Why is the songbird trade concerning?

The popularity of keeping songbirds, especially among ethnic Javanese households, has created a massive market that's pushing many species toward extinction. Flight reported that at least 300,000 songbirds have been seized in Indonesia over the past five years alone.

"Government protection for songbirds is still very weak. But the trade is so massive that some songbird species are rarely seen in the wild," Guciano explained. "If this is not stopped, the populations of many songbird species in Indonesia will decline drastically, and even become extinct from the wild."

Beyond the environmental toll, this trafficking creates serious public health risks. "The illegal trade in songbirds also increases the risk of zoonoses that could pose a threat to public health," Guciano warned.

When birds are smuggled without proper health screening, they can transmit diseases to other animals and, potentially, to humans. This creates a dangerous pathway for new illnesses to spread.

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What's being done about songbird trafficking?

Conservation groups like Flight continue monitoring trade routes and providing authorities with information to support enforcement efforts. In this case, quarantine officials returned surviving birds to their native habitats in West Nusa Tenggara after health checks.

Better regulation is needed to protect these vulnerable species. While current efforts focus on high-profile endangered animals, advocates push for stronger legal protection of all wild birds regardless of conservation status.

You can help by choosing not to purchase wild-caught birds, supporting organizations that combat wildlife trafficking, and raising awareness about the dangers this trade poses to wildlife and human health. Supporting sustainable alternatives to wild bird ownership, such as bird-watching tourism, also creates economic incentives for protection rather than exploitation.

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