In Indonesia the heavily ingrained and widespread tradition of keeping caged birds, the majority of which are wild-caught, has pushed many species to the brink of extinction. Despite a brief halt of the illegal bird trade during COVID-19 restrictions, overall the trade has not declined, with the Indonesia Ministry of Cooperation and Small & Medium Enterprises reporting a turnover of IDR 1.7 trillion (c. USD 120 million) in 2020. Alongside offline trade, we have observed that the use of social media and e-commerce sites for illegal bird trade increased during the pandemic.
One species affected by poaching and illegal trade in Indonesia is the Javan green magpie Cissa thalassina, which has undergone severe population declines (van Balen et al., 2013, Bird Conservation International, 23, 91–109). This endemic corvid is restricted to the sub-montane forests of West and Central Java and is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It has a reputation as a high quality master bird: its ability to mimic is used to teach songbird species, used as contestants in singing competitions, a wide repertoire of songs.
In August 2021, Cikananga Wildlife Centre (Yayasan Cikananga Konservasi Terpadu) initiated a multidisciplinary conservation programme for the Javan green magpie in collaboration with Chester Zoo and Manchester Metropolitan University, with funding from the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Silent Forest Campaign. The first stages of this project comprise a long-term survey of Javan green magpie trade on social media and in physical bird markets, to identify suitable habitats for potential in situ conservation programmes and to engage with local communities in areas where the species may still exist. Using both social and ecological science techniques, we aim to understand more about this elusive species and the trade that threatens it. Initial findings, alongside those of recent surveys in the Javan Mountains, indicate this species is now rare both in the wild and in trade.
The long-term aim of this project is to protect remaining viable habitat and improve the wild status of the Javan green magpie through measures such as protection of existing wild populations, reinforcement of dwindling populations and reintroductions from conservation breeding programmes into good habitat. To be successful, all of these methods will need to involve local communities. Key aspects of this project will be creating alternative livelihoods and developing pride campaigns, to mitigate the threat of poaching. This project is run alongside Cikananga Wildlife Centre's Cikananga Conservation Breeding Centre, which manages the largest ex situ population of the Javan green magpie, maintaining and maximizing genetic diversity through conservation breeding.
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