Animals sold by Singapore poachers as delicacies

Victoria Barker, my paper 13 Jan 09 on www.soshiok.com

Animals popular with poachers include pythons, soft-shell turtles and monitor lizards.

Singapore, January 13, 2009 - POACHING in densely-populated Singapore? You bet.

Every day, Nature Trekker Singapore, a nature-appreciation group, receives at least one call about animals trapped in pockets of vegetation all over the island.

While the group pointed out that not all of these trapped animals had been poached, its founder, Mr Ben Lee, believes that poaching is “prevalent”.

Figures from the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority reveal that there were two cases of poaching last year. There were five in 2007 and one in 2006.

The latest case was discovered on Sunday, when a Malayan Water Monitor was found trapped and bound in a bush at Changi Village.

Mr Lee told my paper: “The lizard was found in some bushes near a carpark. It could have been dumped there so that the poacher could return to pick it up later.”

The animal was eventually untied and set free by policemen, who released it at the edge of a canal nearby.

“Incidents such as this are just the tip of the iceberg,” he said, adding that “animals such as the monitor lizard usually end up on the black market, where they are sold as delicacies”.

Other animals popular with poachers include pythons and soft-shell turtles.

“Sometimes, members of the public may be mistaken, but we always tell them it is better to make sure, and they are doing the right thing by calling,” said Mr Lee.

But not all would know who to turn to even if they come across such incidents.

Animal lover Ryan Siew, 28, said: “I don’t think it’s that common here... but most Singaporeans won’t know who to call.”