“I still get chills when I think about that day,” John said, remembering the day that haunted him. At Yos Soedarso Port in Ambon, he helped uncover a heartbreaking wildlife trafficking case: seven Papuan tree kangaroos and forty exotic birds had been smuggled in, many already weak or dying. Cramped into ship toilets and tiny cages during a journey at sea, only seven kangaroos survived, and countless birds never made it at all.

Indonesia is one of the world’s megadiverse countries, home to nearly 10% of the world’s flowering plants, 12% of its mammals, and over 1,500 bird species. The Maluku Islands, where John works, lie within the Wallacea region, a global biodiversity hotspot bridging Asia and Australia. Its turquoise waters form part of the Coral Triangle, harboring over 500 species of reef-building corals, while its forests shelter unique creatures such as the Maluku civet and the Moluccan king parrot, found nowhere else on Earth. Yet this richness is fragile, constantly threatened by wildlife trafficking, deforestation, and unsustainable land use.

To protect this biodiversity, frontline officers like John Pieter Syaranamual play a pivotal role. John works with the Maluku Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) to intercept illegal wildlife shipments passing through Ambon’s busy ports. He joined shortly after the Maluku Conservation Center was established in 2021 and now collaborates closely with cargo handlers, loaders, and port workers—informants who alert him to suspicious cargo before it disappears into trafficking networks.

In May 2023, one such tip pointed to a shipment aboard the KM Dobonsolo. After the Head of the Maluku Natural Resource Conservation Center (BKSDA) alerted him, John quickly coordinated with police and port authorities to board the vessel. 

Inside Cabin 6018 on Deck 8, the officers found the animals in appalling conditions. The air was heavy with a pungent smell, and tiny cages forced the kangaroos and birds into close confinement for three days at sea. Earlier, John had seen the suspect’s face circulating on social media, a tip shared by one of his informants monitoring wildlife trafficking networks. When confronted, the trafficker initially denied everything, then tried to flee down the dock before finally confessing.  

John shivered with literal chills as he opened the cages. “Seeing them trapped and terrified reminded me that every creature has a life worth defending,” he said. “Each animal we save is proof that small actions can protect something much bigger than ourselves.”

The rescued animals were transported to the Maluku Conservation Center, where they received care and rehabilitation. John’s vigilance sheds light on the brutal trafficking routes linking Papua to Ambon and beyond. “I feel so disappointed sometimes with people,” he reflects, “seeing cruelty inflicted on animals over and over. But every rescue is a reminder that human compassion can still make a difference.”

John's work is part of a a much larger national movement to protect Indonesia’s biodiversity.

Through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), the Government of Indonesia is addressing the country’s biodiversity financing gap, estimated at IDR 75 trillion per year until 2045. This involves strengthening funding systems, improving tracking, and identifying new financing sources to protect nature more effectively.

One of the most groundbreaking achievements has been integrating biodiversity projects into Green Sukuk financing, Islamic bonds traditionally used for infrastructure. Through this mechanism, the Government of Indonesia allocated USD 2.8 million (IDR 37 billion) to conservation projects including the Maluku Conservation Center, established in 2021. Since then, the center has rescued more than 1,700 wildlife species, many intercepted from the same trafficking routes monitored by John and his team.

From Ambon’s docks to conservation centers across Indonesia, these efforts are deeply connected. John’s vigilance prevents countless animals from falling into trafficking networks, while initiatives like the Maluku Conservation Centre provide the systems, funding, and expertise needed to care for and rehabilitate the survivors. Every rescue, every moment of care, is a reminder of the difference that human dedication can make.

For John, the work is never easy, but it is profoundly meaningful. Each rescued animal is a testament to courage, empathy, and perseverance. “We may not be able to save them all, but we need to try our best, as every life we protect is a victory worth fighting for,” he says.  

Through the commitment of people like John and the support of UNDP, Indonesia’s living treasures have a chance to thrive, and the heartbeat of its forests, waters, and coral reefs continues to resonate for generations to come.