Dili, April 10, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Secretary of State for Forestry (SEF) is committed to continuing to ensure the safety of wild birds seized by the Forest Guard Corps from individuals selling them along roadsides. These wild animals such as lorikeets, parrots (cockatoos), and others are currently being kept at the Colmera office in Dili.
Secretary of State for Forestry, Fernandino Vieira da Costa, explained that based on Decree-Law No. 6/2020 (February 6, 2020), which governs the legal regime for the protection and conservation of existing biodiversity, the Forest Guard Corps has been granted political authority to safeguard wildlife and forest biodiversity.
“As citizens, we must continue to rescue wild birds taken without government authorization or license, as this is considered illegal,” said Secretary Fernandino Vieira at the Caicoli office on Tuesday (08/04).
The Secretary clarified that species such as lorikeets, pigeons, and other birds captured by community members from various municipalities and sold in the capital, Dili, are subject to regulation under this decree-law.
“We also have a general forest regime regulated by Decree-Law No. 14/2017 (August 2, 2017), which further empowers the Forest Guard Corps to manage forest resources, as enshrined in the RDTL Constitution,” he stated.
According to Article 139 on natural resources, the Forest Guard Corps has a crucial role in continuing to ensure the protection and sustainable use of forest resources.
With regard to forest resources, both timber and non-timber, the wild birds seized are kept safely in the SEF storage facility in Colmera.
“Colmera has a designated space to hold these seized birds before they undergo treatment. When the time is right, the Secretary of State for Forestry will return these wild birds to their natural habitat, where they belong,” he said.
As for the exact number of seized birds, that information is still pending as a report from the National Directorate and General Directorate of Forestry has yet to be submitted. However, each week the Forest Guard Corps continues to seize wild birds being sold illegally by the community along the roadsides.
Communities in Fatuahi, Colmera, and Comoro, among others, have been caught selling wild birds such as cockatoos, lorikeets, and pigeons during patrols conducted by the Forest Guard Corps.
Fernandino urged communities to be more aware, as it is prohibited by law to capture and sell wild birds that live freely in the forest. These seizures are part of a broader effort to raise awareness.
“We’re currently offering leniency to communities to correct these actions, and we want to encourage them not to engage in illegal activities that violate Decree-Law No. 6/2020 on the legal regime for biodiversity protection and conservation,” he stated.
If communities continue capturing and raising wild birds without government authorization, such acts will be considered illegal, and in time, the government will enforce stronger measures to ensure that communities understand and stop selling wild birds along the roads.
The Secretary of State for Forestry appeals to all citizens from Tutuala to RAEOA, from Atauro to Betano to cooperate with the state and government to protect these birds and avoid further harm to wildlife in the forests.
These birds have the right to live, and according to the RDTL Constitution, citizens are prohibited from harming animals or taking them without government authorization.
As human beings, we have a duty and responsibility to protect and conserve the lives of these wild animals in the forest, and communities must not continue destroying them.
Reporting : Estefania
Photo : Official SEF Page