Six Javanese Lutungs released into the jungle

At least six Javanese lutung monkeys (Trachipithecus auratus) which had been treated for one to four years at the Animal Rescue Center (PPS) in Petungsewu, Malang, East Java, were released into the Hyang Wildlife Reserve Highland jungle.

Chairman of ProFauna Indonesia Rosek Nursahid said Tuesday that before the six monkeys led by a male called Rama were released, they had undergone a medical therapy, and trained in the PPS in Petungsewu in how to behave their natural habitat when they are back in the jungle.

"They monkeys had been confiscated by offcials of the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) of the Ministry of Agriculture from merchants and individual persons of Probolinggo, Yogyakarta and Denpasar and sent to the PPS in Petungsewu," he said here.

He added that the release of the monkeys had the support of the Born Free Foundation, Humane Society International and Profauna Indonesia, Eiger, and artist Melanie Subono.

The Javanese lutungs are endangered animals and under Law no 5 of 1990 on Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and their Ecosystem, the rare animals cannot be traded, and violaters of this law are liable to a maximum of five years in jail and a fine of Rp 100 million.

Nevertheless, he added, these animals were still on sale in various bird markets in Central Java at Rp 150,000 to Rp 250,000 per head, and worse still, their meat were sold in several regions like Banyuwangi, East Java.

He said that the Hyang Wildlife Reserve Highland covers 14.145 hectares of land, is a convervation area most suitable as habitat of the lutungs, and safe from game hunters.

Previously for about one year, a team of the PPS in Petungsewu conducted a scientific survey of the suitability of the Hyang highland to release the rare monkeys.