Indonesia is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, home to numerous
endemic species, including the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica), which plays a
crucial role in maintaining ecosystem balance. However, this species has become
one of the most heavily hunted mammals due to high demand for its scales, which
are used in traditional medicine and handicrafts. To address illegal wildlife trade,
CITES urges the international community to strengthen oversight and control
measures. As a country that ratified CITES through Presidential Decree No. 43 of
1978, Indonesia is obligated to harmonize CITES provisions with its national
regulations governing the trade and protection of protected wildlife species. The
purpose of this research is to analyze how the harmonization of CITES with
Indonesia's national regulations on wildlife protection addresses the issue of illegal
trade, with a specific case study on the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica). This study
employs a normative juridical method to examine the alignment between
international obligations and domestic legal frameworks.