Manado Wildlife Bust Targets Endangered Kuskus Trade

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Forestry Ministry law enforcers have launched legal action against a suspect caught with eight dead Celebes bear cuscus (Strigocuscus celebensis) in Manado, North Sulawesi. This protected marsupial is endemic to Sulawesi and vital for forest seed dispersal.

As reported by Antara, Head of the Sulawesi Forestry Law Enforcement Unit, Ali Bahri, detailed initial investigation proceedings against suspect DK.

"Phase I is a crucial momentum in the law enforcement process, because the case file will be examined both formally and substantively by the Public Prosecutor. We continue to strengthen coordination and synergy with the prosecutor's office so that this case can soon be declared complete and proceed to the prosecution stage," he said, in a statement in Jakarta on Friday, February 20, 2026.

The case originated from a December 2025 patrol by North Sulawesi's Natural Resources Conservation Agency, securing the dead cuscuses and handing the suspect with evidence to investigators. DK faces charges under Law No. 5/1990 on Biodiversity Conservation, risking up to 15 years imprisonment and IDR 5 billion (USD 320,000) fine.

The Forestry Law Enforcement Directorate General urges public reporting of wildlife crimes to protect Indonesia's biodiversity. This enforcement underscores Sulawesi's role as a trafficking hotspot amid ongoing patrols. ***