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View all search resultsMinistry’s partnership with CMA, WCS helps protect wildlife
The partnership has supported operations to secure 957 animals from illegal trade networks, of which 770 have already been released back into their natural habitats.
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A trainer leads a dog toward suitcases to find a wildlife kept inside during a demonstration of the Wildlife Detection Dog (WDD) program in Kalianda in South Lampung regency, Lampung, on July 2, 2026. The WDD program is a partnership between the Forestry Ministry with France-based shipping and logistics company CMA CGM and World Conservation Society Program Indonesia to intercept illicit trade of animals and plants. (Courtesy of CGM CMA/-)
T
he Forestry Ministry’s cooperation with a French logistics company and a wildlife conservation organization has delivered tangible impacts on national biosecurity since the cooperation started in 2024, an event was told.
The impacts include a comprehensive port vulnerability assessment to identify and close smuggling loopholes, the engagement and training of 127 port officials and enforcement officers across multiple state institutions; and the deployment of K9 units through the Wildlife Detection Dog (WDD) program, which directly supported 39 joint operations with government agencies.
Those impacts were revealed during an event in Bandar Lampung on July 2 to showcase the achievements of a collaboration between the ministry, CMA CGM Group and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Indonesia, the French logistics company said in a press release.
WCS Indonesia and its local partner Indonesian Animals Network (JSI) initiated the WDD program to support the ministry’s Directorate of Species and Genetic Conservation in intercepting the illicit trade of plants and wildlife.
“The protection of wild plants and animals is a shared legal responsibility that requires collaborative, integrated, and risk-based monitoring,” the ministry’s Director of Species and Genetic Conservation Ahmad Munawir said, as quoted by the press release.
“Logistic routes are among the key points that must continue to be strengthened, as they may be exploited within illegal trade chains.”
He said that the partnership was a strategic step to support the prevention, early detection, and response to illegal wildlife and plant trade.
He added that through K9 support, personnel capacity building, and cross-sector collaboration, the initiative is expected to improve the speed, accuracy and effectiveness of wildlife protection efforts.
“The initiative’s success may also be replicated in other high-risk illegal trade hotspots to strengthen broader multi-stakeholder action for biodiversity conservation and long-term environmental sustainability,” Munawir said.
Since 2024, the partnership-supported operations secured 957 animals from illegal trade networks including protected species such as the Sunda pied fantail, Javan leafbird and crested hawk-eagle. Of these, 770 have already been released back into their natural habitats.
Beyond protecting endangered species, these interventions played a critical role in breaking the chain of zoonotic diseases that threaten both public and animal health.
The event was followed by a field visit to the WDD facility in Kalianda, South Lampung, where delegates observed first-hand the program’s role in supporting efforts to prevent the illegal trade of flora and fauna.
Delegates observed how specialized detection dogs are trained to identify hidden wildlife and their derivatives within smuggled cargo.
WCS Indonesia’s Wildlife Trade and Policy Program senior manager, Sofi Mardiah, said that the past year demonstrated that protecting wildlife and protecting supply chains go hand in hand.
“With Forestry Ministry's collaboration and CMA CGM's support, we have strengthened operational readiness and deepened partnerships,” she said in the press release.
“The WDD program reinforces why early detection at the frontline is critical for conservation."
She said that CMA CGM demonstrated leadership, proving that a global logistics leader will not let its supply chain be used for wildlife crime.
“We are grateful for their commitment and look forward to scaling our impact together and becomes part of the solution,” Sofi said.
Meanwhile, CMA CGM Indonesia president director Ikram Ghazali said that the shipping and logistics company recognized that supply chains play a critical role in both enabling and preventing illicit activities.
“Our partnership with the Ministry of Forestry and WCS Indonesia reflects our commitment to strengthening safeguards across logistics networks and supporting practical solutions such as the Wildlife Detection Dogs program,” he said.
“Protecting biodiversity requires sustained collaboration across public and private sectors, and at CMA CGM, we are committed to playing our part in Indonesia.”
