DILI, 11 february 2022 (TATOLI) – The Secretary of State for the Environment (SEA), through the National Directorate of Biodiversity (NDB) would put efforts to protect Timor-Leste’s endangered animals and plants through its in-situ and ex-situ conservation program, in 2022.
A number of Timor-Leste’s animals had been put on the extinction list, namely cockatoos, parrots, Timor-Leste’s phalangerid, deer, monkey, laku (local name), etc. In addition, sandalwood also has been listed as an endangered plant due to overexploitation.
The National Director of Biodiversity, Rui dos Reis Pires said that through the in-situ conservation program, the National Directorate of Biodiversity will be able to protect and conserve the natural habitats of Timor-Leste’s animals and plants, including the habitats of the original Timor-Leste’s crocodile and other endangered animals and plants in the country.
Pires said through the ex-situ conservation program, the NDB would remove endangered animals and plants from their natural habitat due to the harshest conditions caused by human activities, making it difficult for the animals and plants to survive in their natural habitats.
“On the other hand, through the ex-situ conservation program, we will arrange a particular site to accumulate all of these endangered animals and plants, in order to protect them from becoming extinct. So far, we have prepared two sites for the ex-situ conservation program, namely Crocodile Center in Hera, and the other one will be established next year in Ediri Lake in Maubara Administrative Post of Liquiça Municipality,” Pires told TATOLIA, at his office, in Dili, on friday.
He said NDB has been coordinating with a number of local NGOs (Permatil, Hasatil, Hatutan, AMKTL Association, and Konservasaun Flora no Fauna) to prepare a site in Fatuberlihu of Manufahi Municipality for the in-situ conservation program to conserve the endangered animals: “The site will be used for training and capacity building, and research on endangered animals as well as for tourist attractions. Thus, it would attract national and international tourists to visit the place, which would raise the income of the local communities.”
“This particular in-site conservation will accumulate Timor-Leste’s endangered animals. We will have a possibility to develop this in-site conservation into a zoo in the future,” he said.
To protect and conserve the endangered animals, NDB would keep working with relevant parties, such as Timorese National Police (PNTL) and NGOs to combat the illegal wildlife trade and poaching in the country.
“In december 10, 2021, a poacher was sentenced for more than three years for committing the illegal wildlife trade. So, for those who wish to engage in such illegal activities, if PNTL catches them, then they will be experiencing the same thing. This poacher has a number of members who are still engaging in illegal wildlife trade in capital Dili,” he stressed.
Apart from the in-situ and ex-situ conservation program, NDB had implemented other activities such as ‘Tara Bandu’ and Campaign on Saving Endangered Species in the country.
On october 16, 2021, the National Directorate of Biodiversity of the Secretariat of State for Environment held a traditional Tara-Bandu ceremony in Suco Foho Ai-lico in Ainaro with the support of the UNDP’s Cross-Cutting Capacity Development project.
“The Tara-Bandu was an important opportunity to enable local community discussion with over 200 village leaders, youth, and students to prevent the destruction of Timor-Leste’s biodiversity and the importance of sustainable development for community resilience and resources,” he said.
He emphasized that addressing biodiversity loss and ensuring the sustainable use of biological resources is a significant priority for the Government.
Therefore, the Government of Timor-Leste, through SEA allocated US$ 102.64 for the realization of the in-situ and ex-situ conservation program. SEA has also allocated US$ 100.000 for planting more than 200 industrial plants, including sandalwood, fruit trees, etc. Apart from planting the trees, SEA also allocated US$34.000 for rehabilitating the destroyed ecosystem, including implementing 25 Tarra-Bandu, creating 10 artificial lakes, and rehabilitating 25 destroyed areas.
According to article 6 of Timor-Leste’s Biodiversity Decree Law 2012, the Secretary of State for the Environment is responsible for the formulation and revision of the strategies, plans, policies, and programs that support the conservation and restoration of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources. SEA serves as the national focal point for the Convention on Biological Diversity, it also coordinates the development, monitoring, and revision of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and any implementing national programs on biodiversity conservation, and oversees their implementation, in coordination with stakeholders.
Timor-Leste is endowed with rich biodiversity, being home to a number of globally significant ecosystems and endemic species, and positioned in a global ‘biodiversity hotspot’. However, this biodiversity is under considerable pressure, with overexploitation and unsustainable use of biological resources, and habitat degradation, fragmentation, and loss caused by deforestation, land conversion, sustainable agricultural practices, mining of rivers and pollution, invasive alien species and climate change, all contributing to the loss of biodiversity.
Timor-Leste became a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2007.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafy Belo
