The illegal hunting and exploitation of porcupines for meat and medicine in Indonesia

Indonesia is home to five species of porcupines, three which are island endemics. While all currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List Threatened Species, impacts harvest and trade have not been factored in. To gain a fuller understanding porcupine in Indonesia, this study examines seizure data their parts derivatives from January 2013 June 2020. A total 39 incidents were obtained amounting an estimated 452 porcupines. Various confiscated commodities revealed porcupines traded for consumption, traditional medicine, trophies/charms well privately run wildlife/recreational parks. Targeted hunting commercial international was also evident. Porcupines persecuted agricultural pests wildlife traffickers take advantage such situations procure animals trade. What clearly emerges that being illegally hunted exploited throughout range facilitated poor enforcement legislative weakness. decline due habitat loss, retaliatory killings uncontrolled poaching. It therefore crucial effective conservation measures taken sooner rather than later prevent further depletion these species. Including protected under Indonesian laws listing them Appendix II CITES improve regulation, monitoring domestic trends involving would contribute significantly towards end.