國際野生物貿易研究委員會的「野生物貿易監測網絡」（TRAFFIC）日前發布一項研究結果，顯示由於缺乏適當的法律強制禁止非法買賣印尼靈長類，蘇門答臘島上的猩猩和長臂猿的生存備受威脅。
在印尼，非法交易猩猩將科以100萬盧比(9000美元)並服刑5年以上。然而根據TRAFFIC首度在印尼調查猿類貿易的結果，大棕紅猿類並沒有因這些刑罰而受到合法對待。據估計，過去30年印尼當局共沒收、或自私人飼主手中查獲的猩猩約有2000隻，但是這些人中只有極少數被起訴。
TRAFFIC東南亞行動執行長薛福(Chris Shepherd)表示：「將非法貿易的動物充公，卻不起訴飼主是徒勞的。沒有刑罰將無法制止犯罪。印尼有適用的法律，卻沒有夠嚴厲的刑罰，這將使非法貿易繼續猖獗，讓這些物種的情況將惡性循環並有絕種之虞。」
據此調查報告也統計到在印尼各動物園中還有148隻蘇門答臘長臂猿與合趾猿，以及26隻蘇門答臘猩猩。
2007年7月印尼最高法院曾主持首次野生生物犯罪與追訴的國家司法研討會，會中承諾政府將打擊組織性的非法獵殺與走私野生動植物。另外，因森林開伐、伐木、土地轉型利用與森林大火而使棲息地消失，也都同樣威脅著該地野生生物的生存。
A lack of adequate law enforcement against the illegal trade in Indonesian apes threatens the survival of orangutans and gibbons on the island of Sumatra, finds a new study released today by the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC.
Under Indonesia's national legislation, penalties for illegally possessing orangutans include a fine of up to IDR100,000.000 (US$9000) and imprisonment for up to five years.
But owners of the big reddish-brown apes do not face any legal consequences TRAFFIC found in its first study of the Indonesian ape trade.
An estimated 2,000 orangutans have been confiscated or turned in by private owners in Indonesia in the last 30 years but no more than a handful of people have ever been successfully prosecuted.
"Confiscating these animals without prosecuting the owners is futile," said Chris Shepherd, acting director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia from his office in Malaysia.
"There is no deterrent for those committing these crimes, if they go unpunished," he said. "Indonesia has adequate laws, but without serious penalties, this illegal trade will continue, and these species will continue to spiral towards extinction."
The report also documents the 148 Sumatran gibbons and siamangs and 26 Sumatran orangutans kept in Indonesian zoos.
In July 2007, the Supreme Court of Indonesia hosted the country first national judiciary workshop on wildlife crime and prosecution as part of a government commitment to step up its fight against organized poaching and trafficking of wild animals and plants.
Habitat loss due to deforestation, logging, land conversion, encroachment, and forest fires also threatens the survival of the island's remaining wildlife.
