Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Orangutan Sumatera (Pongo abelii) berstatus Critically Endangered dan terdaftar dalam Appendix I CITES, yang melarang secara ketat perdagangannya. Indonesia telah meratifikasi CITES melalui Keputusan Presiden Nomor 43 Tahun 1978, sehingga terikat kewajiban pacta sunt servanda untuk melaksanakannya dengan itikad baik. Salah satu habitat besar orangutan sumatera adalah Suaka Margasatwa Rawa Singkil di Aceh. Namun, praktik di lapangan menunjukkan kondisi yang berlawanan, di mana perdagangan ilegal orangutan masih terus terjadi dan bahkan diproses dalam sejumlah perkara di Aceh pada tahun 2020–2024.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis implementasi CITES dalam perlindungan orangutan di Suaka Margasatwa Rawa Singkil, mengidentifikasi hambatan yang dihadapi, serta mengkaji upaya optimalisasi yang telah dan perlu dilakukan.

Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian hukum yuridis empiris. Data diperoleh melalui wawancara, observasi lapangan, serta studi kepustakaan. Data yang tersedia kemudian dianalisis dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Indonesia telah mengadopsi prinsip-prinsip CITES ke dalam hukum nasional dan kebijakan daerah serta melaksanakannya melalui berbagai program konservasi di Suaka Margasatwa Rawa Singkil. Namun, implementasinya belum optimal karena masih ditemukan praktik perdagangan orangutan dan aktivitas ilegal yang mengancam orangutan serta habitatnya. Hambatan yang dihadapi terdiri atas hambatan internal berupa belum optimalnya penegakan hukum, keterbatasan pengawasan, keterbatasan data konservasi, dan koordinasi antar stakeholder belum optimal, serta hambatan eksternal berupa kerusakan habitat, tingginya permintaan terhadap orangutan, dan rendahnya kesadaran masyarakat. Upaya yang dilakukan meliputi penguatan pengawasan dan penegakan hukum, pemulihan habitat dan penyelamatan orangutan, serta kerja sama multipihak melalui monitoring dan edukasi masyarakat.

Disarankan agar pemerintah dan instansi terkait memperkuat implementasi CITES melalui peningkatan efektivitas pengawasan kawasan, penguatan penegakan hukum yang tidak hanya berfokus pada pelaku lapangan tetapi juga pada pengungkapan jaringan perdagangan ilegal, pembaruan data konservasi secara berkala, peningkatan kapasitas aparat penegak hukum di bidang konservasi satwa liar, serta penguatan perlindungan habitat dan edukasi masyarakat.

The Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) is classified as Critically Endangered and is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which strictly prohibits its commercial trade. Indonesia ratified CITES through Presidential Decree No. 43 of 1978 and is therefore bound, pursuant to the principle of pacta sunt servanda, to implement its obligations under the Convention in good faith. One of the principal habitats of the Sumatran orangutan is the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve in Aceh. Nevertheless, the situation in practice reflects the contrary, as the illegal trade in Sumatran orangutans continues to occur and has been the subject of several criminal cases adjudicated in Aceh during the period of 2020–2024. This study aims to analyze the implementation of CITES in the protection of Sumatran orangutans within the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve, identify the obstacles encountered in its implementation, and examine both the existing and potential measures to optimize its effectiveness. This research employs an empirical juridical legal research method. The data were collected through interviews, field observations, and library research. The collected data were subsequently analyzed using a qualitative approach. The findings indicate that Indonesia has incorporated the fundamental principles of CITES into its national legal framework and regional policies and has implemented them through various conservation programs within the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve. However, such implementation has not yet been fully effective, as illegal trade in Sumatran orangutans and other unlawful activities threatening both the species and its habitat continue to persist. The obstacles identified consist of internal factors, including suboptimal law enforcement, limited monitoring and surveillance, inadequate conservation data, and insufficient coordination among relevant stakeholders, as well as external factors, including habitat degradation, high market demand for Sumatran orangutans, and low levels of public awareness. The measures undertaken include strengthening monitoring and law enforcement, restoring habitats and rescuing Sumatran orangutans, and enhancing multi-stakeholder cooperation through continuous monitoring and public education initiatives. Accordingly, it is recommended that the Government of Indonesia and the relevant authorities strengthen the implementation of CITES by enhancing the effectiveness of protected area monitoring, reinforcing law enforcement efforts that focus not only on direct offenders but also on dismantling illegal wildlife trafficking networks, regularly updating conservation data, improving the capacity of law enforcement officials in wildlife conservation, and further strengthening habitat protection and public awareness programs.