Wildlife Regulations

Indonesia has strict laws governing the collection, possession, transport, research, use, import and export of wildlife and biological materials. Participation in ACH 2027 does not authorize participants to collect, capture, possess, transport, exchange, import, or export wildlife, specimens, tissues, DNA samples, biological materials, animal products, or other regulated research materials.

Relevant Indonesian legislation and regulatory frameworks include:

• Law No. 5 of 1990 on Conservation of Living Natural Resources and Their Ecosystems, as amended by Law No. 32 of 2024, which provides the principal national legal framework for biodiversity and wildlife conservation.
• Law No. 21 of 2019 on Animal, Fish and Plant Quarantine, which also covers matters including genetic resources, biological agents, invasive alien species, and wild and endangered plants and animals within Indonesia's quarantine system.
• CITES requirements, where applicable to species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
• Indonesian research-permit requirements, where activities constitute research requiring authorization, including applicable requirements for foreign researchers. The National Research & Innovation Agency (BRIN) administers Indonesia's foreign-research permitting framework.
• Other applicable Ministry of Forestry, Indonesian Quarantine Authority, Customs, protected-area, provincial/local, and institutional regulations.

Participants intending to conduct research or carry scientific specimens, tissues, preserved material, DNA or other biological samples, wildlife products, or regulated research materials into, within, or out of Indonesia are personally responsible for obtaining all permits and approvals applicable to their activities, which may include research permits • wildlife permits • collection permits • possession permits • transport permits • protected-area permits • export/import permits • CITES documentation • quarantine/health documentation • institutional approvals • Customs declarations

Field Activities

Participation in the Asian Herpetology Summer School, Pre-Congress Workshops, ACH field activities, or Post-Congress Biodiversity Expeditions does not constitute a wildlife collection or research permit.

Unless a specific activity is conducted under appropriate permits and participants are expressly authorized under those permits, wildlife must not be collected, removed, retained, transported, sampled, or taken from the field.

Observation, photography, and other activities must follow the instructions of ACH field leaders, applicable protected-area regulations, animal-welfare principles, and Indonesian law.

Crossing the Indonesian Border

Do not carry wildlife specimens or biological materials into or out of Indonesia without confirming the applicable legal requirements and obtaining all necessary documentation in advance.

This includes, where regulated, whole specimens, preserved specimens, tissues, blood, swabs, DNA extracts, environmental samples, eggs, skins, bones, scales, venom, animal products, genetic resources, and other biological research materials.

Indonesia's quarantine framework expressly extends beyond conventional live animals and plants to areas including genetic resources and biological agents.

Important

ACH registration, abstract acceptance, an invitation letter, C10 visa assistance, Summer School participation, workshop registration, or participation in an ACH excursion does not replace or constitute any Indonesian Government research, wildlife, collection, transport, quarantine, CITES, import/export, or other regulatory permit.

The responsibility for ensuring legal compliance rests with the individual participant and, where applicable, their research institution or project.

Because regulations and administrative procedures may change before August 2027, participants intending to undertake research or travel with biological material should verify requirements with the relevant Indonesian authorities well in advance of travel.