Malaysia: Stop tiger poaching, NGOs urge govt

New Straits Times 6 Sep 13;

KUALA LUMPUR: Close to 1,000 snares were detected in tiger priority areas nationwide, making poaching the greatest immediate threat to the survival of wild tigers in Malaysia.

Wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC and WWF-Malaysia called on the government to act against poaching by establishing a national tiger task force.

There are three tiger priority areas in Malaysia, namely Belum-Temenggor, Taman Negara and the Endau-Rompin forest complexes.

In a memorandum sent to the Prime Minister's Office yesterday, it was stated that there are now less than 500 tigers left in the wild, with 95 per cent of the country's tiger population having diminished.

The memorandum, which was sent together with 100 cards which carried "save the tiger" messages from the public, also outlined specific mandates of the task force, includes identifying resource needs in terms of personnel, equipment, facilities, training and incentives to combat poaching.

TRAFFIC and WWF said the poaching threat could not be more urgent.

"Most of these poachers are armed and they, especially foreigners, enter the forests without any fear of getting caught. Poor sentences meted out to tiger poachers and low prosecution rates of wildlife criminals are stumbling blocks in the fight to save the Malayan tiger," the two wildlife groups noted.

They said the implementation of a national tiger action plan would only be possible if government agencies, such as the Forestry Department, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks as well as other agencies, such as the Royal Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysians Customs Department and the police are involved.

"These are ambitious initiatives but we are optimistic that with the setting up and effective implementation of the task force, the rampant poaching of tigers and other wildlife can be brought under control."

Assistant director-general of Customs Datuk Zainul Abidin Taib said approximately 45 tonnes of African elephant ivory have either been seized in Malaysian ports, transited through them before being seized elsewhere or been specified to be shipped to Malaysia at the point of origin.

Speaking at a workshop on the dynamics and industry of illegal wildlife trade held by TRAFFIC and attended by 30 of the department's frontline officers, Zainul said airports and ports were inevitable transit points for the trade for most goods between Africa and the Far East.

"While ivory is not traded domestically, the Customs Department is in the position to assist the international community in combating the illegal trade in ivory," he said.

The workshop, which will be held in two phases, will be attended by 70 officers and was the first collaboration between the department and TRAFFIC after the string of large scale ivory seizures.

The officers include those specifically assigned to oversee the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulations as well as risk assessment officers stationed at some of the country's busiest ports, and those who have intercepted ivory shipment in the past.

"Customs has displayed the kind of initiative we need to see throughout the Southeast Asia in order to tackle the severe problem of ivory trafficking between Africa and Asia," said acting regional director for TRAFFIC in Southeast Asia, Dr Chris Shepherd.

"TRAFFIC is excited to be working with the department to ensure that increased intelligence-led enforcement efforts halt the use of Malaysia as a transit hub for ivory."

According to the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), 46.5 tonnes of illicit ivory was seized in 2011 and an estimated 17,000 elephants killed at sites monitored through the CITES-led Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme that same year.

'Tiger task force can pounce on poachers'
Robin Augustin New Straits Times 8 Sep 13;

DWINDLING NUMBERS: Conservation proposal sent to PM's Office

KUALA LUMPUR: INCONSISTENT sentences meted out by courts and insufficient monitoring are hampering Malayan Tigers' conservation efforts.

Alarmed at the dwindling numbers, the WWF-Malaysia and the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, last Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister's Office calling on the government to set up a National Tiger Task Force.

The task force would be responsible for identifying resources needed to combat poaching as well as coordinating efforts by various agencies, the army and police.

Foreign poachers, poor sentences and low prosecution rates were cited as stumbling blocks in conservation efforts.

In response to the memorandum, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said such a system was already in place, giving the Malaysia Wildlife Enforcement Networks as an example.

"Apart from this, there is an enforcement cooperation (1NRE Enforcement Team), which comprises agencies under the NRE and other agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Customs and Excise Department, Anti-Smuggling Unit, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, the army and police.

"Also, NRE and Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) take part in regional and international wildlife enforcement networks."

Palanivel said monitoring and enforcement in jungles were a challenge and efforts would be continually improved.

He said last year, more than 50 deep jungle patrols covering 2,000 sq km of Taman Negara were undertaken, adding the authorities found over 1,400 snares between 2010 and August this year.

Lead research scientist for WWF-Malaysia's Tiger Conservation Programme, Dr Mark Rayan Darmaraj, said the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 was equipped to mete out penalties and jail terms to convicted poachers and smugglers.

"Although the laws are robust enough, the sentencing is inconsistent," he said.

"This year, there was a case where a smuggler caught with tiger parts received a mere 24-month sentence.

"Although we have the 1NRE Task Force, the number of tigers keeps dwindling."

He said the proposed task force, modelled after India's tiger conservation task force, would promote better coordination between NRE, NGOs and the public.

Set Up National Tiger Task Force to Combat Poaching or Risk Losing the Malayan Tiger and Other Wildlife, Urged WWF-Malaysia, TRAFFIC
WWF 4 Sep 13;

4 September 2013, Petaling Jaya: WWF-Malaysia and TRAFFIC today called on the government to set up a National Tiger Task Force to save Malaysia’s remaining wild tigers that are fast declining in numbers.

It is thought that there are now less than 500 tigers left in the entire country which includes the three tiger priority landscapes – Belum Temengor, Taman Negara and Endau-Rompin forest complexes.

The call was made in a memorandum that WWF-Malaysia and TRAFFIC delivered to the Prime Minister’s Office today, together with some 100 cards which carried “Save Our Tiger” messages from members of the public.

The Task Force should be established under the purview of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as the cooperation of multiple departments and agencies is essential to ensure greater and more comprehensive enforcement.

The memorandum, which cited poaching as “the most immediate threat to the survival of wild tigers”, reported that between 2010 and 2011, close to 1,000 snares were detected in the tiger priority landscapes.

Local and foreign poaching syndicates are emptying the forests of tigers, their prey, and other wildlife. Most of these poachers are armed and they, especially the foreigners, enter the forests without any fear of getting caught, mentioned the memorandum.

Poor sentences meted out to tiger poachers and low prosecution rates of wildlife criminals were also highlighted as stumbling blocks in the fight to save the Malayan tigers.

The memorandum also outlined specific mandates of the Task Force which included identifying resource needs in terms of personnel, equipment, facilities, training and incentives to combat poaching; coordinating the joint enforcement efforts between the Forestry Department of Malaysia and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks as well as other agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Customs Department and Royal Malaysian Police; and ensuring the effective implementation of the National Tiger Action Plan for Malaysia.

These are ambitious initiatives but WWF-Malaysia and TRAFFIC are optimistic that with the setting up and effective implementation of the Task Force, the rampant poaching of tigers and other wildlife can be brought under control.