Malaysia: Sabah poachers persist despite crackdown

RUBEN SARIO The Star 22 May 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s endangered wildlife continue to be the target of poachers as recent raids by authorities here over the past week have shown.

Sabah Wildlife Department rangers stumbled on three carcasses of bearded pigs and a mousedeer when they stopped a four wheel drive pick up truck along the Paitan-Kanibongan road in northern Sabah on Saturday.

Department director William Baya said the three people who were inside the vehicle had been detained for further investigations under Section 41 (2) of Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 for illegal possession of protected wildlife.

He said more wildlife species were seized in a joint enforcement operation by the department, Forestry Department and police in Tawau between May 20 and 22.

Baya said three groups of individuals were detained after they were found to be in possession of the carcasses of a civet cat, a flying fox and bearded pigs.

Stressing that the department was continuing its crackdown against poachers, he said hunters should apply for the necessary permits first.


Poachers still targeting Sabah’s endangered wildlife
The Star 24 May 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s endangered wildlife continue to be the target of poachers as recent raids during the past week here have shown.

Sabah Wildlife Department rangers discovered three carcasses of bearded pigs and that of a mousedeer when they stopped a pickup truck along the Paitan-Kanibonganroad in northern Sabah on Saturday.

Department director William Baya said the three people who were inside the vehicle have been detained for further investigations under Section 41(2) of Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, for illegal possession of protected wildlife.

He said more wildlife species, including civet cats and flying foxes, were seized in a joint enforcement operation by the department, Forestry Department and Police in Tawau between May 20 and 22.

Baya said three groups of individuals were detained after they were found to be in possession of the carcasses of a civet cat, a flying fox and bearded pigs

He said the department would continue its crackdown against poachers, and added that hunters should apply for the necessary permits first.


Bearded pig, mousedeer carcasses found during roadblock
OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 22 May 16;

BELURAN: A roadblock along the Paitan-Kanibongan road here yesterday morning turned up unusual discoveries in the form of exotic animal carcasses.

Three people were arrested by the Sabah Wildlife enforcement team when the carcasses of three bearded pigs and a mousedeer were found in their 4WD vehicle.

The trio will be investigated under Section 41(2) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 for possession of protected wildlife product without permit. Elsewhere, three other groups of people were arrested for similar offences between May 20 and 22 in Tawau.

The joint operations between the Wildlife, Forestry Department, police and Sabah Foundation yielded wildlife species such as bearded pigs, civet cats and flying foxes.

State Wildlife director William Baya, in a statement today, reminded the public to obtain permits when engaging in protected wildlife related activities to avoid enforcement action. Between Jan 2014 and Sept 2015, more than 20 people were charged with possession of wildlife.