On Wednesday (12/19), the Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (UI), in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), with support from the British Embassy, held a national seminar on Wildlife Genomic Technology and Molecular Forensics at The Margo Hotel, Depok.
The seminar, which ran until Friday (12/21), aimed to strengthen research related to wildlife genetics, which can support law enforcement in handling wildlife crime cases.
Dr.rer.nat. Abdul Haris, Dean of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, UI, officially opened the event. Addressing 150 participants and national and international speakers, he stated that combating illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia requires various new approaches, such as the use of the latest technology, DNA-based wildlife forensics.
"Research using animal DNA can be obtained from various sources, such as blood, hair, feces, urine, bones, and saliva," Haris added.
WCS Indonesia Director Noviar Andayani explained that biodiversity conservation research in Indonesia is still very limited and has not been a priority in molecular biology research institutions. Therefore, this seminar is expected to increase the capacity of Indonesian scientists to conduct wildlife genetic research and improve the conservation management of nationally protected species listed under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). This will also lead to the formation of a national consortium to strengthen wildlife genetics research.
In Indonesia, wildlife genetics can be used to:
- Identify species from confiscated animal parts, such as gallbladders, tusks, bear claws, elephant tusks, seahorses, bones, tusks, and tiger claws, which are frequently confiscated at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
- Obtain accurate data on wildlife numbers, such as Sumatran elephants in Way Kambas National Park, which is home to 10-17 percent of the total Sumatran elephant population and is currently threatened by poaching.
- Ensuring that difficult-to-identify wildlife, such as the Sumatran rhinoceros, still remain in their habitat and are not misidentified as other species, such as the tapir, is crucial.
Furthermore, DNA analysis techniques are crucial for law enforcement regarding wildlife protection in Indonesia. This is because DNA analysis can provide accurate data for setting quotas for sustainable wildlife use in Indonesia (under Government Regulation 8/1999 concerning the Utilization of Wild Flora and Fauna Species) and CITES.
Therefore, DNA techniques are expected to strengthen law enforcement by providing additional evidence that can incriminate perpetrators in transnational illegal wildlife crime cases.
Furthermore, DNA analysis allows law enforcement officials to trace the origin of traded animals. For example, elephant ivory seized in Singapore and Hong Kong, after DNA analysis, was determined to originate from elephant populations in Gabon and Congo-Brazaville
Rob Fenn, Deputy British Ambassador to Indonesia, expressed his appreciation for this activity. He stated that, as a mega-biodiverse country, DNA-based wildlife detection plays a crucial role in the sustainability of wildlife and biodiversity conservation in Indonesia.
"We hope this seminar will inspire many parties to get involved in wildlife conservation activities in Indonesia and support law enforcement against wildlife crime and trafficking," Fenn said.
