Without adequate enforcement, laws are little more than suggestions. After legal protections failed utterly to arrest the decline of a rare bird in Indonesia, conservationists decided on a bold new approach. The success has been dramatic, reviving the fortunes of a beloved species once on the brink of extinction.
Mongabay reported that in 2001, as few as six Bali starlings were left in the wild. With snow white feathers and blue patches on its eyes, the Bali starling, also known as the Bali myna, is a victim of its own beauty. Poachers relentlessly targeted the birds, prized as a status symbol among the wealthy. Though protected by law since 1958, black-market trade was too lucrative and the alternatives too weak to deter locals from trapping them. Just one bird could fetch the equivalent of the year's salary for the rangers tasked with trapping it.
With so few Bali starlings left in the wild, it was clear a radical new approach was needed. Dr. Bayu Wirayudha, founder of Friends of the National Parks Foundation, had just such an idea in mind. The first phase of the plan was to create a sanctuary on another island: "Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands and we only need one," he said. Nusa Penida was chosen, a small island lying just south of Bali.
The next crucial phase of the plan was to enlist the support of all of the leaders of the dozens of traditional villages on the island. The villages unanimously agreed to incorporate bird protection into the awig-awig system of customary laws. Awig-awig carries a lot more cultural and social weight than decrees from distant Jakarta. With local buy-in, anti-poaching compliance rose by 1,200% according to a 2015 study.
Other nations are turning to unconventional methods to crack down on poaching, showing that local action and offering a viable alternative is the best way to deal with the problem. The sanctuary's success inspired villages on Bali to follow suit. In Tengkudak, within the heart of the island, the entire community is aiding the efforts to protect the birds. The work is helping to create new economic opportunities with ecotourism.
A spokesperson for a group promoting tourism said, per Mongabay: "We are creating interesting activities related to conservation and nature;this brings a positive impact to the villagers' economy from the visitors."