Traditional uses of herpetofauna practiced by local people in the island of Sumatra, Indonesia: Implications for conservation

Abstract

Local people in Sumatra have long utilized herpetofauna to provide food, medicine, and other purposes. However, research related to wildlife utilization is still lacking. The objective of this paper was to provide an overview of the island-wide (i.e. Sumatra) traditional use of herpetofauna by the local people and analyze its implications for conservation. Published papers were collected and analyzed. From 11 papers, 22 wild-caught species (18 reptiles, 4 amphibians) were used by local people for their meat (water monitor, freshwater turtles, large-sized snakes), eggs (marine and freshwater turtles), or medicinal purposes (snakes, lizards, frogs; as skin-related remedies). Among them, 8 reptiles are listed in the IUCN Red List and CITES Appendices, including Batagur borneoensis (CR, Appendix II), Chelonia mydas (EN, Appendix I), Notochelys platynota (VU, Appendix II), Ophiophagus hannah (VU, Appendix II), Ortilia borneensis (EN, Appendix II). Additionally, 5 reptiles are protected by Indonesian law. Batagur borneoensis is also listed as a very high priority species for conservation by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. No amphibian is protected by law, listed in the CITES, nor IUCN Red List. Traditional uses of protected species and listed under the IUCN Red List need to be managed properly to ensure their sustainability.