Malaysia: Saleng Zoo in Johor to close

Jassmine Shadiqe New Straits Times 21 Jun 11;

KULAIJAYA: Johor's first and biggest private zoo, the Saleng Zoo, will cease operations following the seizure of more than 60 animals by the Wildlife and National Parks Department yesterday.

The animals seized included Siberian tigers, lions, panthers, wild boar, crocodiles, honey bears, Asian leopard cats, porcupines and birds that required special licences to keep them.

The department's deputy director-general (II) Dr Zaaba Zainal Abidin said the zoo operator, Chai Sit Yee, had been issued with numerous warnings and compounds in the past after he was found to have violated several regulations under the Wildlife Act 1972.

The zoo is registered under T.C. Arapaima and Tropical Fish Sdn Bhd, and has been in operation for 17 years.

"We have seized orang utans, tigers, elephants and wild boar from the zoo in the past, and also had warned them to use larger enclosures for the animals.

"The zoo does not have a veterinarian to ensure that the animals are well kept and healthy. We also found the enclosures too small, cramped, dirty and the animals' health questionable.

"Their licence to operate the zoo was not renewed as they had defaulted on several key elements in running a zoo.

"There have also been many complaints lodged against the zoo."

The raid yesterday morning took the zoo's 10 workers by surprise.

At 5pm, the animals were still being moved into cages by the 64 enforcement officers before being sent to the Malacca Zoo where the animals will be kept in a special enclosure for treatment and observations.

Dr Zaaba said the animals were seized under the new Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Section 716), which came into force on Dec 28, last year.

Under the act, a special permit is required for the operation of circuses and zoos, and failure to comply would result in the cancellation or non-issuance of permit to operate zoos.

Saleng Zoo's animal trainer J. Sivapiran said he had started a signature drive and collected more than 400 signatures in support against the decision to close the zoo.

He said he had tried numerous ways to get help from relevant departments, ministries and also politicians, but in vain.

He denied that the animals were abused and not taken care of.

"The zoo has spent more than RM4 million since it started operations, and another RM30,000 was spent to build larger enclosures.

"We were given a grace period of six months to do the required recommendations, but before the grace period expired, they had seized the animals.

"The zoo started with two tigers and now, we have 34, including two cubs born two days ago.

"I agree that we can do better for the animals' welfare, but there is no way the animals are abused here."

He added that the signature drive would go on and believed that they would get more than 20,000 signatures by the end of the month.

Saleng crocs settling down well at wetlands
The Star 22 Jun 11;

SEPANG: Five crocodiles have been relocated to the Paya Indah Wetlands, near here, from Johor’s Saleng Zoo.

An assistant wildlife officer at Paya Indah said the crocodiles were adapting well to their new home and did not show signs of stress after they were moved there on Monday night.

A visit by The Star yesterday revealed the reptiles have joined 17 other crocodiles in a pond as big as two Olympic-sized swimming pools.

“It took about two hours to release the crocodiles into the pond, starting at 10pm on Monday.

“The new arrivals swam freely and did not show signs of aggression towards the original occupants of the pond – which is a good sign,” said the Perhilitan officer, who declined to be named.

He added that the crocodiles were released at night as the cooler temperature was less stressful to both the animals.

Apart from the spacious pond where the crocodiles have made their home, the Perhilitan-run wetlands appeared to be in dire need of green upkeeping.

Once touted as a potential eco-tourism park covering about 3,100ha, the park holds only a handful species of animals, including three hippopotamus from Botswana and five Malayan porcupines.

Dried vegetation line the landscape, barely providing shelter for picnickers or joggers.

Entrance is free but visitors are required to sign a guestbook and a declaration of indemnity before entering.

First opened to the public in 1997, the park was rejuvenated with a RM10mil allocation which led to its reopening on Oct 20, 2008.

However, a quick browse through the guest book saw only two names slightly after noon yesterday, while about 50 names were signed last Sunday.

Malaysia rescues big cats from 'filthy zoo'
Yahoo News 21 Jun 11;

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Malaysian wildlife officials rescued 32 tigers and a number of lions, along with other animals, from what they called on Tuesday a dirty and cramped private zoo.

Zaaba Zainol Abidin, deputy director general of the wildlife and national parks department, said the animals, including 32 hybrid Siberian-Bengal tigers, were kept at the Saleng Zoo in southern Johor state in filthy conditions.

"The design is bad. The water wasn't being changed, and it's so dirty. Even the droppings they didn't clean," he told AFP.

The rescued animals are being transferred to a public zoo in Malacca and a wetland reserve in central Selangor state over several days, he said.

He put the number of lions at eight or nine, and said crocodiles, bears and a black panther were also rescued after wildlife authorities refused to renew the zoo's permits to keep the mostly endangered animals.

Zaaba said that the zoo had abused its permit in the past by purchasing an endangered tapir, a large forest-dwelling herbivorous mammal, from locals.

Saleng zookeeper J. Sivapriyan said he opposed the seizure of the animals, adding that the enclosure for the animals was being enlarged.

"I take care of the tigers, which are like my children," he told AFP. "I don't abuse the animals."

Malaysia has pledged to better protect animals from abuse and illegal trade.

A new wildlife law, which came into effect late last year, also aims to tighten control on zoos and circuses.

Last year, Malaysia jailed Anson Wong, a rogue wildlife trader described as one of the world's most-wanted wildlife traffickers, for five years.