Illegal wildlife trade in Malaysia under control

Rashvinjeet S. Bedi The Star 12 Sep 10;

PETALING JAYA: Illegal trade in wildlife is happening in Malaysia but it is still under control with effective enforcement, said Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Per­hilitan).

“The department is doing everything within its authority and jurisdiction to curb illegal wildlife trade in Peninsular Malaysia,” a Perhilitan spokesman said.

He said initiatives from Perhilitan include doubling its staff and placing officers trained in species identification and intelligence gathering at the country’s 13 entry points.

It had also reinforced its co-operation through integrated enforcement task force with other agencies like the army, police, Customs, marine police, Malaysian Maritime Enforce­ment Agency, Anti-Smuggling Unit, airport authorities and non-governmental organisations, he added.

“Perhilitan has established 13 border checkpoints at major entry/exit points throughout the peninsula and is planning to set up five additional checkpoints in Kuala Kedah (Kedah), Kuala Perlis (Perlis), Butterworth (Penang), Subang Airport (Selangor) and Labuan for monitoring,” he said in an e-mail interview.

In its effort to combat illegal wildlife trade, especially wildlife smuggling, Perhilitan set up a flying squad, the Wildlife Crime Unit, in 2005.

“The unit has successfully arrested suspected illegal traders and confiscated various wildlife species since its formation,” said the spokesman.

One of the most prominent cases involved the confiscation of 35 tonnes of clouded monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis) worth about RM3mil and the arrest of a suspect in Johor in November 2008, he said, adding that the department was also using a network of informers to provide vital information pertaining to illegal wildlife activities.

“Sales of wildlife over the Internet are also being monitored and several arrests have been made based on that information,” he said.

The spokesman also assured that Perhilitan would actively follow up on information supplied by the public in its effort to enforce the new Wildlife Conservation Act, which was recently passed by Parliament.

“The 24-hour enforcement unit on standby will address all information pertaining to illegal wildlife activities.”

However, he acknowledged that there were shortcomings and difficulties in curbing illegal wildlife trade including smuggling.

“Nevertheless, efforts are being undertaken by the various parties to address these weaknesses.”

Wildlife on the Net
Rashvinjeet S. Bedi The Star 12 Sep 10;

PETALING JAYA: Animal traffickers are becoming bolder – they are trading animals online.

One website offers endangered animals such as radiated tortoises and star tortoises for sale.

The website also provides a wide range of other tortoises, racoons, monkeys, birds, hedgehogs, snakes, geckos, ferrets and birds. Some of these animals require licences from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).

Prices can go into the thousands. For example, radiated tortoises are priced from RM1,300 to RM3,800.

An online wholesaler from Bangkok who is “open to the Malaysian market” is selling star tortoises, leopard tortoises, redfoot tortoises and sulcata tortoises. According to the posting, sales were open to wholesalers and retailers and that all their pets were healthy.

Elizabeth John, senior communication officer for Traffic (The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network), said sales of animals on the Internet was a growing trend and urged the authorities to look into it closely.

Earlier this year, Selangor Perhilitan arrested three men after they were caught peddling wildlife on the Internet.

The department also seized three birds, two iguanas and four snakes in several operations.

On Sept 6, wildlife trafficker Anson Wong was jailed six months and fined RM190,000 for smuggling 95 snakes without a permit.

Most of the advertisements posted on the Internet are from businesses based in Penang. This is followed by Klang Valley and Johor Baru.

Some exotic and endangered animals are also being sold in pet shops although not openly. But, according to a pet enthusiast, these rare species will only be sold to regular customers.

Trade in wildlife products is also going on. Sunday Star purchased a bear tooth and a patch of clouded leopard skin from the Pudu Market for only RM40.

The seller claimed the items were from a jaguar from Indonesia.

Checks with Traffic revealed that it is illegal to sell such items.

Putting more bite into protecting our wildlife
New Straits Times 13 Sep 10;

PUTRAJAYA: The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is stepping up efforts to protect endangered animals.

It has set up an internal audit committee to look into the standard operating procedure involving the enforcement of laws and regulations on poaching.

Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas said the committee would also see the involvement of non- governmental organisations.

"The objective is to review the enforcement of standard operating procedure.

"We will try to find out how to improve enforcement so that loopholes can be tightened."

Douglas said the ministry would rectify weaknesses in enforcement through the findings of the committee.

"We want to see where the weaknesses are. Whether they are internal, procedural, or legal."

He said the other measures being taken to curb poaching included identifying areas where such activities were rampant.

He said the enforcement of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 later in the year, which provides for stiffer penalties, would drive home the point that the country took poaching seriously.

The law, among other things, provides for a fine of up to RM100,000, or a jail term of up to five years, or both, for hunting or keeping female protected wildlife without a licence, or hunting or keeping protected young wildlife without a licence.

It also provides for a fine of up to RM50,000, or a jail term of up to two years, or both, on anyone who hunts or keeps protected wildlife without a licence, or keeps any part of such an animal illegally.