In a significant wildlife protection operation, Indonesian authorities have intercepted an attempt to smuggle more than 1,200 endangered Javan white-eye birds, a species listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and protected under national law.

The birds were discovered on Friday crammed into eight cages at a port on Flores Island, located in eastern Indonesia. According to Joko Waluyo of the provincial conservation agency, 1,260 birds were found, 140 of which had tragically died during transport. The birds were intended to be transported by ferry to Surabaya, a major city on the island of Java.

Authorities have yet to apprehend the suspected smuggler. Waluyo emphasized the operation’s importance, stating, “The release aims to save all secured birds, increase the population in nature, and raise public awareness.”

The surviving birds have since been released back into the wild as part of efforts to restore their dwindling population and emphasize the importance of wildlife conservation.

Under Indonesian law, poaching or trafficking in protected species carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The country continues to struggle with illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction—two major threats pushing many of its unique species, including the Sumatran elephant and the orangutan, toward extinction.

This incident highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement and public education to combat biodiversity loss in one of the world’s most ecologically rich nations.