Improved legislation and stronger enforcement actions needed as the online otter trade in Indonesia continues

Gomez, L., Shepherd, C.R. and Morgan, J. 2019. Improved legislation and stronger enforcement actions needed as the online otter trade in Indonesia continues. IUCN Otter Spec. Group Bull. 36(1).

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ABSTRACT

Indonesia is home to four species of otters i.e. Small-clawed Otter, Smooth-coated Otter, Hairy-nosed Otter and the Eurasian Otter. The latter three are protected by law in Indonesia. However, recent studies have shown that it is the Small-clawed Otter that is currently being coveted for the pet trade. Indonesia has been recently flagged as a hotspot in the trade of the Small-clawed Otter as pets. Online monitoring has shown hundreds of juveniles for sale, and anecdotal evidence suggests that much of this trade involves otters taken from the wild. This is concerning as the Small-clawed Otter is generally considered to be in decline across its range and listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This study shows that there is an urgent need for Indonesia to protect its Small-clawed Otter from over-exploitation. There is also an urgent need to stronger legislation in Indonesia concerning the regulation of wildlife trade occurring on online platforms.