RRI.CO.ID, Jambi - Authorities in Jambi have significantly ramped up their crackdown on the illegal wildlife trade. On Thursday, February 19, 2026, they intercepted a shipment of undocumented birds at the Kuala Tungkal Roro Port.
The seizure of six birds arriving from the Riau Islands highlights a dramatic spike in biosecurity enforcement. Officials are now reporting a record number of interventions in the first two months of this year compared to the same period in 2025.
The operation took place during a routine inspection of the Passenger Motor Ship (KMP) Senangin. Officers discovered a diverse group of birds, including one fire-tufted barbet, one brown-throated sunbird, three Van Hasselt's sunbirds, and one buff-vented bulbul, destined for Brebes, Central Java.
The Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) immediately took the animals into custody because the carrier lacked the mandatory health certificates. This action was taken to prevent potential ecological and health risks.
Head of the Jambi Quarantine Agency, Sudiwan Situmorang emphasized the gravity of the situation on Friday, February 20, 2026. "The shipment of various bird species without official documents poses a risk of spreading pests and animal diseases between regions. Therefore, the quarantine authorities detained and released them back into their habitat in Jambi," remarked Sudiwan, as quoted by Antara.
He further warned that such actions constitute a criminal offense. "Every animal traffic must be equipped with a quarantine health certificate, otherwise, there are criminal penalties."
The incident follows a strict protocol where the owner was initially given the option to complete the necessary paperwork or return the birds to their origin. When the owner refused to comply with these regulations, the authorities proceeded with a formal detention.
In a collaborative conservation effort, the Jambi Quarantine Agency coordinated with the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) to release the birds into the Jambi City Forest. This move ensured they remained in a protected environment rather than entering the illegal market.
This latest enforcement action underscores a tightening net around Jambi’s entry and exit points. Throughout 2026, the agency has already recorded 11 detentions and nine rejections of non-compliant shipments, a stark contrast to early 2025, when no such actions were recorded during the same timeframe.
By comparison, the entirety of 2025 saw only three detentions involving seven birds. This surge reflects the agency's heightened commitment to safeguarding biodiversity and preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases through integrated and continuous surveillance. ****
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