Indonesia's Small Wild Cats Face Global Conservation Neglect

The release of Chiki, a kuwuk cat (Prionailurus javanensis), into its natural habitat at the Takokak Nature Reserve in Cianjur Regency, West Java, on July 21, 2026, was a welcome event for conservationists. However, the story of Prionailurus javanensis returning to the wild also raises a larger question: Has Indonesia given enough attention to the conservation of its small wild cats? Erwin Wilianto, founder of the SINTAS Indonesia Foundation and a member of the IUCN-SSC Cat Specialist Group, stated that attention to small wild cat groups lags far behind that given to tigers, leopards, and other large cat species. "Although some small cats in Indonesia are categorized as threatened according to the IUCN, conservation attention and investment for this group remain relatively minimal," he explained on Friday (31/8/26). According to Erwin, the kuwuk cat, which lives on the island of Java, has now been separated from the mainland Asian wild cat group and recognized as a distinct species, Prionailurus javanensis. This status indicates that Indonesia has a greater responsibility to maintain the survival of this endemic species. Nevertheless, threats to the kuwuk cat and other small wild cat species have not changed much. Poaching, illegal trade, and habitat destruction remain the primary problems that continue to erode their populations in the wild. "All of this is due to human activities that have not yet been comprehensively resolved." Erwin also highlighted the misconception that still prevails in society when people find wild cats. Not a few people consider it better to keep a found wild animal than to hand it over to the authorities. The kuwuk cat is a protected wild animal in Indonesia. Erwin explained that narratives such as 'it's better to be kept than to live in an unsafe forest' continue to be prevalent...