JAKARTA, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will send back dozens of endangered reptiles and birds rescued from wild traffickers to their habitats in the country's eastern province of Maluku.
As many as 55 protected birds and 27 reptiles seized by the Natural Resources Conservation Center in capital Jakarta, East Java province and North Sumatra province will be transported to their habitats, the Environment and Forestry Ministry's Biodiversity Conservation Director Indra Exploitasia said on Wednesday.
The birds include the eclectus parrot (eclectus rorarus), the chattering lorry (lorius garrulous), the white cockatoo (cocatua alba) and the tanibar corella (cacatua goffiana), and among the reptiles are the Amboina sail-finned lizard (hydrosaurus amboinensis) and the blue tongued skink (Tliliqua gigas), according to the director.
During the transit in Jakarta, the condition of the animals will be checked by veterinarians to ensure the safety of their further journey to the eastern part of the country, she said.
In Maluku province, the animals will be released into the Gunung Sahuwai Nature Reserve and the Manusela National Park, but those which are not ready for releases, will be treated in the animal rescue center in the province, the official was quoted by local media as saying.
Indonesia is known as the richest species nation as its large area of rainforest is home to numerous species spreading over 17,500 islands. Enditem
