BIG LAKE RANCH, British Columbia— A new study has revealed that the critically endangered maleo, a distinctive bird found only in Indonesia, is being targeted by international wildlife traffickers. It’s the first time this threat to the species’ survival has been documented.

“The illegal bird trade in Indonesia remains rife and largely unchecked, threatening these maleos and a growing number of other animals,” said lead author Chris R. Shepherd, Ph.D., conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “If Indonesia doesn’t take global action to stop harmful trafficking of wild animals, we can expect to see population declines and potential extinction for many of them.”

The maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) is a large bird recognized by its blackish upperparts, pink-white underparts and a prominent bony casque atop its head. The birds are primarily threatened by people collecting their eggs to eat.

This new study documents the capture and trade of live maleos for the pet market and private wildlife collections, highlighting an additional and previously underreported threat to the species.

In 2024 researchers documented three seizures involving 25 live maleos. Five birds were intercepted in Mumbai, India; 12 were seized in Jakarta, Indonesia, before they could be smuggled to India; and eight were confiscated in Kochi, India, after transiting through Thailand.

Many of the birds were recently hatched juveniles, indicating they were taken directly from wild nesting grounds. The five birds seized in Mumbai died while awaiting transportation back to Indonesia. The birds seized in Kochi were returned to Thailand and remain in government facilities, even though the species is not native to Thailand.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has assessed the maleo as critically endangered. The species is fully protected under Indonesian law and under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, so collection and international trade is illegal. This new study provides the first evidence that international trafficking must also be recognized as a significant conservation concern.

“Any birds found in international trade should be assumed to have been taken illegally from the wild in Indonesia,” said Shepherd. “We found no evidence of legal exports of maleos from Indonesia and no records of successful commercial breeding.”

The study’s authors are calling on authorities in Indonesia, Thailand and India to strengthen enforcement, improve surveillance in airports, establish clear repatriation protocols for seized wildlife and formally recognize international trade as a threat in future conservation assessments of the maleo.

“International airports, such as those in Thailand, function as major trafficking hubs,” said Shepherd. “It’s in these key trade chain bottlenecks where enforcement efforts need to be ramped up to have a real impact in preventing the extinction of these remarkable birds.”

The study also highlights the urgent need for coordinated international action to prevent further trafficking and ensure the survival of one of the world’s most unusual and endangered birds.