The Cameras have Arrived (Adventures with Indonesian customs)!

We're delighted to let you all know that our camera traps have finally arrived in Indonesia (Seen below with James).

 

Due to the difficulties in importing equipment to Indonesi - Customs will often impound everything pending payment of import duty (which we shouldn't have to pay on research equipment) - we had them sent to nearby Kuala Lumpur (no import duty on cameras in Malaysia) where James went to collect them. After a few hours removing the packaging from everything, and trying (unsuccessfully) to fit 30 cameras, locks, memory cards and 360 AA batteries into one Pelican box, he headed to his flight with 52kg of luggage spread over 4 boxes / bags ready to do battle with Medan Kuala Namu Airport's customs agents!

Upon arrival, as expected, roughly 12 customs agents swooped in on him, and promptly splayed everything in the boxes out on a metal table, while the other passengers watched him warily! James spent the next half-an-hour answering questions on topics including: the camera trap project, his research on orangutans, Ph.D. program, future career prospects, life in America, favourite football team, and plans for marriage. Eventually, drenched in sweat despite the air conditioning, the smile on his face starting to hurt, and running out of Indonesian vocabulary, James received a grunted approval from the Bapak in charge and was finally allowed to leave, with no additional taxes levied! He did, however, have to repack the boxes himself.

For getting the Cams here, many thanks have to go to:

 TrailCam Pro, especially Carl, who helped us meet our study and budget requirements, and could not have been more helpful with assisting us in selecting the cameras, shipping, and throwing in a few free extras!

Lim Wee Siong from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia for being kind enough to collect and hold the boxes for a few days!

Diana and Nova at Yayasin Ekosistem Lestari for supplying us with letters of support to get everything into Indonesia.

Kuala Namu Airport's customs agents. (I had fun guys, let's do it again some time!? JA)

And, most of all: ALL OF YOU! Thank you so much for all your patience and support!

We cannot wait to get started! James is heading to the site today, and John on Monday, and our plan is to get everything set up over the next week, with updates to follow next week!

In the meantime, please like our new Facebook Page, which will have plenty of updates on all our work in the field, as well as the Camera Trap Project!

Also, as always please visit our website (Sikundur.com) and that of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) to learn more about our work.

James, John, and Matt