Illegal animal traps found on Pulau Ubin

One could hold a wild boar, and two others, 15 each - such traps are a threat to endangered animals
Sumathi V. Selvaretnam, Straits Times 19 Dec 07;

VOLUNTEER nature guide Ben Lee, 45, has very sharp eyes - he spotted three illegal animal traps recently.

On his monthly walk with his team on Pulau Ubin, he makes it a point to veer off the beaten track to enter a forested area along Jalan Ubin.

On Sunday, he found a large wooden door partially concealed by a patch of overgrown grass.

Probing further, he found a trap the size of a large dog's kennel. Made of wood and green wire fencing, it could trap a full-grown wild boar.

The other two traps, discovered in September, were even bigger - they could hold more than 15 boars.

Poaching in parks and nature reserves, including Pulau Ubin, is illegal under the Parks and Trees Act. Offenders can be fined up to $50,000, or jailed up to six months, or both.

On the occasions when the National Parks Board (NParks) needs to set traps, its traps carry its logo. Also, traps set up by researchers carry a permit number.

But the illegal poachers' traps are crude and may endanger the trapped animals, including rare species like the leopard cat.

When an animal enters the trap and eats the bait, a string is released, and the heavy wooden door slams shut, said Mr Lee, who is the founder of Nature Trekker, a local non-profit group that organises nature appreciation tours.

The group, which has some 1,800 registered members, launched a park policing programme in July.

Its members visit parks and nature reserves once a week and keep a lookout for poachers and their illegal traps.

Mr Koh Soon Kiong, acting director for conservation at NParks, said: 'Singapore's rich biodiversity is a great achievement for an urban city. Taking the animals away from their natural habitat...will also adversely affect Singapore's natural heritage.'

He added that NParks will be dismantling the trap found on Sunday.

Nature Society conservation sub-committee chairman Ho Hua Chew said the traps were likely used to capture wild boars, a traditional delicacy here and in Malaysia.

While wild boars are not endangered, rare animals like the leopard cat, as well as the civet cat, pangolin, long-tailed macaque and the Oriental small-clawed otter might get ensnared too.

Eleven cases of illegal animal traps were reported to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) this year, up from two last year.

Apart from the penalty for illegal traps in parks and nature reserves, it is generally an offence to trap or kill any wild animals and birds in Singapore. If convicted, the offender will be slapped with a fine not exceeding $1,000.

The AVA can be contacted on 6227-0670.

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