Malaysia: Exotic pet shops in Miri raided

The Star 21 Jul 19;

MIRI: More then 50 endangered or exotic animals have been seized from seven pet shops here during raids by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).

The premises were a front for the illegal wildlife trade. The seized animals included long-tailed macaques, hill mynah, rare parrots and exotic Indian star tortoises.

The raids followed complaints from the local community and expatriates that many pet shops in Miri were selling animals in cruel, cramped conditions.

“Acting on the information, we inspected and raided seven pet shops in Miri from July 15 to 18 and seized the animals,” SFC chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton told a press conference yesterday.

“They can be fined between RM10,000 and RM50,000 and jailed between one and five years.”

It is learnt that among those who frequently buy these animals are foreigners, who smuggle them to a neighbouring country, where they fetch a high price and are considered prized trophies by the rich.

Members of the public who have information about wildlife abuse are urged to call the SFC hotlines immediately.

Kuching SFC hotlines are 019-885 9996; Sibu 019-819 0140; Bintulu 019-822 3449; Miri 019-822 4566 and 019-829 0994.


Pet shops busted for selling endangered wildlife in raids in Miri
stephen then The Star 20 Jul 19;

MIRI: Some 54 endangered wildlife of various species have been rescued from pet shops here following a major raid by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) enforcement units.

The raids against these pet shops, believed to be acting as fronts to sell wildlife for huge commercial profits, were carried out in seven premises in Miri.

Among the totally-protected and protected wildlife rescued were long-tailed macaques, rare big-bird Hill Myna, near-extinct birds like Budgies, Love Birds, Red Whiskered Bulbul, rare parrots, exotic Cherry Head, exotic Indian Star Tortoises, Red Footed Tortoises and rare green lizards.

SFC chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton said the raids were carried out following public tip-offs about the illegal activities taking place in these Miri petshops.

"Acting on information from the public, we inspected and raided seven pet shops in Miri on July 15 to 18.

"We rescued 54 wildlife animals. Commercial transaction, illegal procession of wildlife contravenes the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998.

"Procession of these wildlife illegally is a serious crime," he told reporters here Saturday (July 20).

Zolkipli warned that anyone who caught and supplied wildlife to these pet shops were also committing a serious crime.

"Anyone who hunts, trap, capture, kill, import, export, possess, offer for sale and sell any totally protected and protected animal or the body-parts are committing a serious crime too.

"They can be fined between RM10,000 to RM50,000 and jailed between one to five years," Zolkipli added.

Members of the public who have information about these wildlife abuses are urged to alert the SFC hotlines immediately.

Kuching SFC hotlines are 019-8859996, 016-8565564; Sibu 019-8190140, 019-8894474; Bintulu 019-8223449, 019-8332737; Miri 019-8224566 and 019-8290994.

There have been many complaints from locals and expatriates that many pet shops in Miri were selling animals in cruel, cramped conditions.

The Star learned that among those who frequently buy these wildlife were foreigners from a neighbouring country who would buy from the pet shops and smuggle them across the border into Brunei.

These animals fetched thousands of Brunei dollars each as they are considered priced trophies by the rich people there.

It is said that a baby Hornbill and baby macaque can fetch up to 5,000 Brunei dollars each.