Malaysia: Wildlife Department to probe open sale of bushmeat

Muguntan Vanar The Star 11 Dec 13;

KOTA KINABALU: A host of exotic wildlife meat, including those from protected species, are being sold openly at a tamu (weekly farmers’ market) in Sabah’s interior Nabawan town.

Wildlife rangers have been sent to check on the public tip-offs on the open sale of slaughtered protected species at the market, some 200km from Kota Kinabalu.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu said that the species included the binturong or bear cat, common palm civet, banded palm civet, Malay civet, sambar deer, porcupine, blood python and many others.

“These species are definitely hunted from forest reserves and national parks, where hunting is totally forbidden,” said Dr Laurentius, who promised action against those responsible as such acts were “unacceptable”.

He said they would be going after the suspects involved in the selling and hunting of the animals.

The newly-opened Wildlife Health Genetic and Forensic Laboratory would analyse confiscated illegal bushmeat to determine species and origin using genetic tools, he said.

Wildlife department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said there was a clear and present danger to wildlife in Sabah as illegal hunting and poaching was happening at an unprecedented rate that was fuelled by both local consumption and also by international illegal trade in wildlife.

“The department is seriously looking at beefing up the department’s capacity by setting up a Wildlife Enforcement Unit to address this serious issue, which will be very similar to the very successful Department’s Wildlife Rescue Unit,” Dr Nathan added.

Danau Girang Field Centre director Dr Benoit Goossens said there were evidence of illegal hunting and wildlife trade happening in national parks and protected forests in Sabah based on evidence caught by camera traps.

Dr Goossens also cautioned the public who hunt, handle, buy and eat bushmeat that they were not only acting against the law but also risking their lives by handling and consuming wildlife.

“Take the example of ebola, a zoonotic and deadly disease transmitted by bushmeat handling and consumption in central Africa, especially of chimpanzees and gorillas.

“Closer to home, the nipah virus was carried by flying foxes (fruit bats) and then transmitted to pigs. This later affected the people handling or consuming bats or pork, and it proved fatal for many in peninsular Malaysia,” he said.

Wildlife sold in market?
Avila Geraldine New Straits Times 11 Dec 13;

PROTECTED SPECIES: State unit probes into claims following reports made by people

NABAWAN: A TEAM of Wildlife Rescue Unit is investigating claims that protected species are being sold in a market in this remote district.

Today, a Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) enforcement team will make its inspection following evidence given by individuals.

The species involved include the binturong (bearcat), common palm civet, banded palm civet, Malay civet, sambar deer, porcupine and blood python.

Its director, Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu, said these wild animals were slaughtered at the open market which operates every Wednesdays.

"Those species are definitely hunted from forest reserves and national parks, where hunting is totally forbidden.

"This is unacceptable and we need the support from the public to tackle this," he said in a press statement.

There was a clear and present danger to Sabah wildlife, he said, adding illegal hunting and poaching were happening at an unprecedented rate now.

This was not only fuelled by local consumption but also international illegal trade in wildlife, he said.

Danau Girang Field Centre director Dr Benoit Goossens said those who hunted, handled and consumed bushmeat put their lives at risk due to diseases.

"Take the example of ebola, a zoonotic and deadly disease transmitted by bushmeat handling and consumption in central Africa, especially of chimpanzees and gorillas.

"Ebola has killed thousands of people. More close to us, the nipah virus carried by flying foxes (fruit bats) and transmitted to pigs, then to people who handled and consumed bats and pork, killed thousands of people in Peninsular Malaysia."

On Monday, SWD announced the setting up of the Wildlife Health Genetic and Forensic Laboratory together with EcoHealth Alliance (EHA).

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun had said the facility would help counteract the threat of diseases from wildlife to humans.

"However, it cannot stop people going to the forests and slaughtering our wildlife.

"I want this to stop immediately and I will put all efforts and means into place to tackle this issue.

"Sabah will not be a place where our beautiful wildlife and national treasures will be decimated by heartless people."

Sabah declares war on wildlife poaching
Muguntan Vanar The Star 11 Dec 13;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah launched a crackdown on illegal trade and poaching of wildlife as some 160kg of protected Sambar and barking dears were seized from a tamu (weekly farmers' market) in Nabawan.

Three people were arrested and three others escaped as Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) rangers swooped on the tamu on Wednesday following public tip-offs on open sale of slaughtered protected species in Nabawan about 200km from Kota Kinabalu.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun ordered the department to go all out to address the issue of wildlife poaching and trading in the state.

"The war on illegal wildlife trade and poaching has just began, so hunters and poachers in Sabah be warned that there will be no compromise as we will be prosecuting and we will charge them to the highest extent of the law. Be ready to be jailed,” Masidi said.

SWD officer Benedict Jani said that a total of 145 kilograms of Sambar deer meat and 15 kilograms of Barking deer meat was confiscated as they were being sold without valid permits.

He said three other traders managed to escape after the first two were apprehended along with a third individual who resisted arrest and was preventing wildlife rangers from confiscating the bushmeat.

"Nabawan district has become a hotspot for the sale of illegal bushmeat in recent years due to the vast road networks all the way to Tawau and we will not be surprised if this bushmeat was illegally hunted in Maliau Basin or as far as some protected Forest Reserves in Tawau and Lahad Datu,” Jani said.

Deer meat seized in crackdown on illegal wildlife trade
Muguntan Vanar The Star 12 Dec 13;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah wildlife officers raided a tamu (weekly farmers’ market) in the interior Nabawan district and seized some 160kg of deer meat in its crackdown on illegal traders and poachers in the state.

Three people were caught while three others gave the enforcers the slip as the wildlife rangers cracked down on the tamu, about 200km from here, following a tip-off yesterday.

Keningau wildlife department officer Benedict Jani said that of the seized venison, 145kg was that of the sambar deer and 15kg was that of the barking deer.

One of the traders selling the meat without valid permits tried to stop the enforcement officers from taking away his wares but was overpowered and nabbed along with two others. Three others managed to flee.

“The Nabawan district has become a hotspot for the sale of illegal bushmeat in recent years due to the vast road networks, all the way to Tawau,” Benedict said.

He said the department had been clamping down on such activities in recent months, adding that 10 cases were pending prosecution.

Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said samples of the confiscated meat would be sent to its newly opened wildlife health, genetic and forensic laboratory for genetic analysis to see if there were viruses or bacteria that could be hazardous to human health.

Meanwhile, state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun ordered the Sabah wildlife department to go all out to address the issue of wildlife poaching and trading and to slap the fullest extent of the law against those involved.

“The war on illegal wildlife trade and poaching has just begun. Be ready to go to jail,” Masidi said after the seizures.