V. Shuman, New Straits Times 21 Mar 10;
KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) rescued several protected animals and seized carcasses of wild animals in two separate operations in Johor Baru recently.
The department's law enforcement director, Saharudin Anan, said a species of the eagle and an ape -- high on the protected list -- were among the animals rescued.
The first operation was conducted at 5pm on Thursday at a wildlife trader's shop after a tip-off.
The officers detained a man in his 40s, who later led the raiding party to his house, where he also kept some of the protected animals.
"We found two monkeys -- a white-handed gibbon and a pig-tailed macaque, a rose-ringed parakeet, three hill mynas and eight parrots from three different species kept in cages.
"We also found animal parts such as a pair of horns from a serow (a type of goat), the skull of a sambar deer and the skin of a barking deer -- both of which the trader had hung on his wall as trophies," said Saharudin at the department's headquarters in Cheras here yesterday.
The trader is being investigated for 10 offences under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act and can be fined up to RM37,000 and jailed for up to 30 years, or both, if convicted.
Saharudin said it was the common practice among licensed hunters to display animal parts as trophies, as proof of their hunting skills.
"But the trader failed to show us any documentation of being a licensed hunter."
In the second raid at a car wash outlet on Friday, the team rescued a protected white-bellied sea eagle, which was confined to a cage.
Investigations showed the female owner of the car wash, in her 40s, had had the bird for more than a year.
She can be fined up to RM3,000 and jailed up to two years, or both, upon conviction.
