Malaysia: 400 protected animals rescued

Adib Povera New Straits Times 27 Oct 11;

ALOR STAR: More than 400 protected animals, including 302 Asiatic cobras, were saved from ending up in the cooking pot in Thailand.

This follows the seizure by the Wildlife and National Parks Department from a house in Kampung Kandis, Kodiang, about 40km from here yesterday.

Acting on a tip-off, a four-man team led by enforcement officer Celescoriano Razond raided the house at 10.25am.

"We also found 146 box turtles and a macaque monkey during the raid. The animals were stashed in cages and several blue-coloured plastic sacks, which were found inside the house," he said, adding that the animals were protected under the Wildlife Animal Protection Act 1972.

The team also arrested a man, in his 30s, and his employer, in his 40s, during the raid.

Celescoriano said initial investigations revealed that the animals would be shipped to other countries, including Thailand, to satisfy the appetite of lovers of exotic food.

He said the case would be investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 and the suspects faced a maximum RM100,000 fine or five years' jail or both, if convicted.

Saved from slaughter
Embun Majid The Star 28 Oct 11;

THE wildlife authorities have rescued 449 protected animals which were destined for the cooking pot in neighbouring Thailand after they raided a house in Kodiang, Kedah, less than 50km from the border crossing.

The animals — 302 snakes of the Naja naja cobra species, 146 tortoises of the Cuora amboinensis species and a monkey of the Macaca fascicularis species — were found inside sacks and cages during the raid by officers from the Kuala Lumpur-based Wildlife and National Parks Department.

The animals were destined to be smuggled out of the country and peddled to restaurants, which specialise in providing exotic dishes to diners who have acquired an adventurous appetite.

The department’s enforcement deputy director Celescoriano Razond told a press conference that the house owner and an occupant were detained during the raid to facilitate the investigation. Both suspects are in their 30s and 40s respectively.

The animals are believed to have been sourced from local wildlife traders in Kedah and Perlis.

The snakes were found inside 80 sacks, while the tortoises were found in 10 sacks and two baskets.

Razond said the two suspects could be charged under Section 60 (1) (a) of the Wildlife Protection Act 2010 which carries a fine of up to RM50,000 or jail of up to two years or both.

He said if the wildlife were of the female gender, the duo could be charged under Section 62 of the same act which carries a fine of up to RM100,000 or jail of up to five years or both.

They would also be slapped with an additional charge for allegedly smuggling the monkey.