"A bird seller waits for a customer beside a cage at the bird..."

#12730536

8 September 2025

A bird seller waits for a customer beside a cage at the bird market in Malang, East Java Province, Indonesia, on September 8, 2025. Reports from TRAFFIC in October 2024 reveal that quarantine authorities in Lampung, Indonesia, seize an astonishing 6,514 birds from a single truck. This is believed to be the country's largest seizure of illegal bird shipments from one vehicle. The birds are on their way from Sumatra to Java, the hub of the songbird trade. From 2021 to 2023, over 120,000 Sumatran songbirds are confiscated. Common species involved in these seizures include the Bar-winged Prinia, tailorbirds, white-eyes, and critically endangered species like the Javan green magpie. An expert in July 2025 describes them as ''one of the largest wildlife markets in Southeast Asia,'' which houses legally and illegally traded animals from various countries. The demand isn't just for pets but also for status symbols and participation in lucrative songbird competitions. Champion birds can fetch exceptionally high prices, creating a strong economic incentive for trapping and trading.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.

#12730537

8 September 2025

A bird seller waits for a customer beside a cage at the bird market in Malang, East Java Province, Indonesia, on September 8, 2025. Reports from TRAFFIC in October 2024 reveal that quarantine authorities in Lampung, Indonesia, seize an astonishing 6,514 birds from a single truck. This is believed to be the country's largest seizure of illegal bird shipments from one vehicle. The birds are on their way from Sumatra to Java, the hub of the songbird trade. From 2021 to 2023, over 120,000 Sumatran songbirds are confiscated. Common species involved in these seizures include the Bar-winged Prinia, tailorbirds, white-eyes, and critically endangered species like the Javan green magpie. An expert in July 2025 describes them as ''one of the largest wildlife markets in Southeast Asia,'' which houses legally and illegally traded animals from various countries. The demand isn't just for pets but also for status symbols and participation in lucrative songbird competitions. Champion birds can fetch exceptionally high prices, creating a strong economic incentive for trapping and trading.

Restricted to Editorial Use Only.
Commercial use is not permitted without prior authorization.
Please contact us for more information.