An Indonesian animal conservation group has accused military officers of being involved in a black-market trade in endangered species.

The group, Animal Conservation for Life, says it has video evidence showing birds being brought from Maluku province to the main island of Java on military warships.

It says hundreds of endangered parrots are trafficked in this way every year in a trade worth $250,000 annually.

The group's chairman, Rosek Nursahid, said the group wants to meet members of the military to call for a ban on the transport of endangered birds.

He said the expensive birds are prized as a status symbol and are kept as pets by businessmen and government officials.

The Indonesian military has yet to comment on the allegations.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service