Keeping birds as pets inside households is not only a very popular tradition in Indonesia, it's a symbol of class and status. "It's an important custom for us,  and their singing is beautiful", a local tells me.

 

These birds in Malang's market, live in rough conditions, including endangered species captured in the wild such as owls. The rarer the bird, the higher its market price. Since the market sells birds the most, it is named ‘bird market’ by the locals despite it also sells other species or wildlife, such as mammals or reptiles.

 

With such confrontation between tradition and animal rights, controversy is served. The main causes of wild animal extinction are the habitat loss or destruction and poaching for trade. Now, wildlife trade poses serious threat to the Indonesian animals survival. More than 95% of the traded animals are caught from the wild instead of captive-bred.