Malaysia, Johor: Police seize RM1 million worth of wildlife parts

Bernama New Straits Times 15 Jul 18;

JOHOR BARU: Police, together with the Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department crippled a syndicate involved in smuggling of wildlife parts in two raids last Thursday.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abdullah said the success led to the seizure of RM1 million worth of wildlife parts, which included skull, tooth and horn.

He said the first raid was conducted at a house in Taman Johor Jaya, here, where four local men were arrested and the second was at a house in Ulu Tiram which led to the arrest of a local man.

All the suspects, aged between 29 and 72, have been released on police bail, he said, adding that they were believed to be members of a wildlife smuggling syndicate which had been operating since 2010.

He said the syndicate was believed to have used Johor as a transit to smuggle in the wildlife parts from Indonesia for export to China.

Police are investigating the case under Section 68 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, which provides a fine of between RM100,000 and RM500,000 and imprisonment for not more than five years, if found guilty. - Bernama

Cops seize wildlife parts in Johor
zazali musa The Star 16 Jul 18;

JOHOR BARU: Police have crippled a syndicate believed to be involved in smuggling wildlife animal parts to Johor from Indonesia.

Officers seized wildlife parts worth RM1mil destined for China.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Comm Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abdullah said the syndicate had been operating in the state since 2010.

He said five local men aged between 29 and 72 were detained during Ops Rimau last Thursday, which was carried out with the Johor Wildlife Department.

Comm Zulkifli said a suspect was caught at a house in an orchard in Ulu Tiram and 23.5kg of wildlife parts were seized.

“The wildlife parts have a street value of RM1mil and they are believed to be bound for the China market,” he told a press conference at the Seri Alam district police headquarters here yesterday.

Also present were Johor police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd and Johor Wildlife Department director Jamalun Nasir Ibrahim.

Comm Zulkifli said among the seized wildlife parts included tiger, bear, porcupine, Javanese wild bull, mountain goat bones, internal organs, skulls, tusks, testicles and genitalia.

“We believe the seized items are to be sold in the Chinese market as the animal parts are known to be used for medicinal purposes or as sex stimulants and ornamental items there,” he added.


‘Probe wildlife parts smuggling case’
zazali musa The Star 21 Jul 18;

JOHOR BARU: A conservation group is urging the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to probe the smuggling of 37kg of wildlife parts into Johor last week.

Green Earth Society Johor president P. Sivakumar believes that corrupt officers in security agencies could be in cahoots with smugglers.

“It didn’t make sense at all that our police – together with the state Wildlife Department – only recently crippled the syndicate, which had been operating since 2010,” he said.

Sivakumar believes that the syndicate had been raking in millions of ringgit over the years using Johor as a transit point to smuggle wildlife parts from Indonesia.

In the first raid, four men were detained in a house in Taman Johor Jaya with 13.8kg of wildlife parts, including internal organs.

Another man was later caught at an orchard in Ulu Tiram with 23.3kg of wildlife parts.

The seizure included parts of tigers, bears, porcupines, Javanese wild bulls as well as bones, skulls, testicles and genitalia of mountain goats with a street value of RM1mil.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Comm Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abdullah told reporters that the syndicate had been operating in the state since 2010.

Sivakumar said there was also a need for tighter border patrolling in Johor, especially along the coastline.

Johor Consumers Movement Association chairman Md Salleh Sadijo also believes it is an organised syndicate involving corrupt officials from both Malaysia and Indonesia.

“The authorities who were supposed to monitor the entry and exit points have failed to prevent the wildlife parts from entering Johor,” he said.

Md Salleh also urged for enforcement to be stepped up, adding that there could possibly be other syndicates going after wildlife and agarwood in Johor jungles.

Read more!

Malaysia: Marine police foil attempt to smuggle 2,850 turtle eggs

Poliana Ronnie Sidom New Straits Times 15 Jul 18;

SANDAKAN: Marine police foiled an attempt to smuggle 2,850 turtle eggs in waters off Kampung Forest here this morning.

A patrol unit taking part in Op Pensura intercepted a pump boat, which appeared to be coming from the direction of the Philippines, at 3.30am.

The vessel tried to flee but got stuck in an area of shallow water.

Sabah marine police region 4 commander Assistant Commissioner Mohd Yazib Abd Aziz said the skipper jumped into the sea and disappeared.

“We found five gunny sacks of turtle eggs worth RM5,130 believed to be smuggled from a neighbouring country.

“The enforcement officers seized a wooden boat and a 13-horse power engine,” he said, adding that the seized items had been taken to the marine police base here for further investigation under the Conservation Wildlife Enactment 1997.


Marine police seize RM5k worth of turtle eggs being smuggled into Sandakan, Sabah
muguntan vanar The Star 15 Jul 18;

KOTA KINABALU: Marine police seized 2,850 turtle eggs being smuggled into Sandakan on Sabah’s east coast from the neighbouring islands of the southern Philippines.

However, the suspected smuggler managed to dive into the sea and flee under cover of darkness while marine police personnel gave chase in waters off Kg Forest near Sandakan at about 3.30am Sunday (July 15).

Marine Police Region 4 commander Asst Comm Mohd Yazib Abd Aziz said the eggs from endangered turtles were found inside five gunny bags inside the 15 horsepower pump boat abandoned by the smuggler.

Each turtle egg can be sold for RM1.80 in the illegal market, he said, adding that the total value of the eggs was about RM5,130.

ACP Yazib said they also seized the wooden boat worth about RM1,000 and the 15hp boat engine worth RM850.

The case has been referred to the State Wildlife Department for further action under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1997.

“We believe the turtle eggs were being smuggled in from the neighbouring country to be sold locally,” ACP Yazib said.

Read more!

Malaysia: Protected proboscis monkey found dead in wildlife sanctuary

Avila Geraldine New Straits Times 16 Jul 18;

KINABATANGAN: The carcass of a proboscis monkey was discovered in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary here, four days ago.

A Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) research team, which found the remains of the adolescent male near their research centre, performed a post-mortem on it recently.

“According to DGFC’s personnel, the proboscis monkey has an open abscess on its right hip and right lung, which (may have) caused his death,” Sabah Wildlife director Augustine Tuuga said in a statement today.

“(However), a full report on the post-mortem has not been submitted to the department and the cause of its death is not yet determined,” he added.

The department plans to investigate the case, as it involves the death of a totally protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.

Read more!

Malaysia: Semenggoh Wildlife Centre welcomes Sigat

New Straits Times 16 Jul 18;

KUCHING: The Semenggoh Wildlife Centre (SWC) has new bundle of joy – a Borneon orangutan baby named “Sigat”.

The new addition to the orangutan family at the centre is the male infant born to Sadamiah, a 16-year-old orangutan, who has now two offsprings.

Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd (SFC) said after days of noshow, Sadamiah finally appeared wuth her newborn clinging tightly lurking between the lush canopy of the forest at the centre on Mar 27.

“It was a sight to behold indeed since the last birth at the centre was recorded two years ago.

“Since its establishment in 1975, SWC has successfully released 11 orangutans thereat and with the new addition, a total of 24 offsprings is now recorded to date,” said the corporation in a statement.

The birth of Sigat also came to the attention of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Abang Openg, who came to the centre recently and blessed the orangutan baby with his name.


Semenggoh Wildlife Centre’s new bundle of joy, a Borneon male orangutan baby named Sigat, clinging to her mother, Sadamiah. Pic by NSTP/ courtesy of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd
“The word “sigat”, which is from the Iban language, means handsome, smart, beautiful, diligent while never fails to impress.

“The word is also largely used by other ethics in Sarawak in such context.

“On the perspective of conservation, the term “sigat” could not be more appropriate to signify the beauty and majesty of orangutan and reflects the success of SWC as a centre for orangutan rehabilitation for endangered Borneon orangutan,” the statement said.

The corporation also invited the public to part of the orangutan rehabilitation efforts by joining adoption programme offered by SWC.

“It enables ‘adoption’ of specific orangutan for a year by contributing annual amount of RM200 for individual and RM10,000 for corporate bodies or companies.

“Proceeds from the programme will be used to fund conservation activities and the rehabilitation of wildlife in the state,” it said.

Those interested to join the programme can visit SWC or contact the centre at 082-618325 or SFC’s Corporate Office at 082-610088.

Read more!

Indonesia: Plastic garbage and destructive fishing big threat to Indonesian sea

Antara 15 Jul 18;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Marine and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has expressed concern with the "big threat" to ecosystem in the Indonesian sea pointing to plastic garbage and destructive fishing.

Indonesia is one of the biggest contributors to polluting the sea with garbage in the world, the Minister said addressing the launch of a campaign "Healthy Indonesian Sea Movement," here on Sunday.

Polluting the sea with garbage and rampant destructive fishing are among the biggest problems faced by Indonesia in the marine sector, she said.

She said fishermen in a number of areas still use potassium cyanide in fishing.

She said a gram of potassium cyanide could destroy ecosystem in a range of six square meters.

She said sea makes up 71 percent of the country`s territory, "therefore, it is very regrettable if we fail to protect the sea natural wealth."

She said Indonesia should be called a maritime country, instead of an agricultural country.

The minister also defended her policy of destroying foreign ships illegally operating in Indonesian waters.

She said 363 ships caught poaching in Indonesian waters have been exploded in the sea as a deterrent to illegal fishing.

There are much fewer cases of illegal fishing after the policy adopted by the Indonesian government since Susi was named marine and fishery minister.

Earlier, the Indonesian Association of Maritime Scholars (Iskindo) supported the policy adopted by the minister calling on the government to remain tough on illegal fishing.

"Iskindo asked the government to be consistent in its policy against illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing as well as destructive fishing," Iskindo chairman Moh Abdi Suhufan said.

He said currently there are massive degradation of the ecosystem in the sea in several areas of the country damaging the fishery sustainability.

He said results of studies indicated that around 90 percent of global fishing grounds have been over .

Therefore, consistency in the policy against IUU fishing needed to preserve the ecosystem in the country`s sea territory.

(T.M040/AS)
(T.SYS/B/H-ASG/A/E002)
Editor: Heru Purwanto

Read more!

Outrage as Iceland fishermen kill rare whale

Jeremie Richard AFP Yahoo News 14 Jul 18;

Reykjavik (AFP) - Is it a blue whale or not? The slaughter in Iceland of what is claimed was a member of the endangered species has triggered outrage and left experts puzzled about its true identity.

"There has not been a blue whale harpooned by anyone for the last 50 years until this one," Sea Shepherd, an international non-profit marine conservation movement, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The group, which published photos of the mammal being butchered for export at an Icelandic whaling station on the night of July 7, said the fishermen "posed for photos next to and even on top of the whale in a sign they knew very well this was a rare blue whale".

But Icelandic experts are not completely certain whether it is indeed the world's largest leviathan, which the International Whaling Commission has been protecting since 1966.

They're also not sure if it could be the endangered fin whale, the second largest animal on the planet, which can only be legally hunted in Iceland despite an international moratorium on whaling.

Kristjan Loftsson, CEO of Hvalur hf, the whaling station which slaughtered the animal, said they did so believing it was a fin whale.

Most of the fin whales killed are exported as meat to Japan.

"We see blue whales all the time and identify them by their blowholes...but we leave them alone," he told AFP.

- DNA tests -

For Gisli Vikingsson, a scientist at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Reyjkavik, the butchered whale's characteristics are similar to both the blue and fin whale.

"There is a large dorsal side with a small dorsal fin like a fin whale...this explains perhaps why it was hunted as such," he told AFP, adding its "size and markings on the side are like those of a blue whale."

He added the whale could even be a hybrid species resulting from cross-breeding between the fin and blue whale, which is a rare phenomenon.

Since 1987, five such animals have been observed in Icelandic waters and they are known to be infertile.

All killed whales in Iceland undergo DNA tests after the hunting season and the results are released during the fall.

However, due to the controversy surrounding this particular case, a test will be done earlier than planned and the results are expected at the end of July.

But Sea Shepherd said the fishing crew which butchered the animal mixed its parts with previously caught fin whales, making "it difficult or impossible to locate during potential inspections by the authorities".

"This shows how inaccurate and imperfect this hunting is and there is no need to continue it," Sigursteinn Masson, Iceland representative for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, told AFP.

Should the killed whale be confirmed as a hybrid, then things could become even more complicated as there are no laws to protect them.

"Hybrids are much more rarer than the blue whales," Masson said.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 14 Jul 18

Chek Jawa is magnificent again!
wild shores of singapore

Interpretative Signage in Butterfly Gardens
Butterflies of Singapore

Read more!

Malaysia: Stricter law needed to stop wildlife poaching - Lee Lam Thye

Masriwanie Muhamading New Straits Times 13 Jul 18;

KUALA LUMPUR: Animal rights activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye has called on the government to introduce a more stringent law to better curb wildlife poaching activities in the country.

Lee, who said poachers have become more cruel in their technique to trap and capture endangered animals, stressed that there was a need for the government to amend the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

The amendment, Lee said, should include a mandatory minimum jail term not just for those who were found guilty to be involved in poaching activities, but also to those who possess the carcasses of wild animals.

“Although the Wildlife Conservation Act, which was passed in 2010 to replace the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, is tough on lawbreakers, some quarters claim that it does not serve as a strong enough deterrent.

“It is learnt that the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) had proposed the amendment of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 so that poachers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“It will provide harsher punishments and a minimum period of imprisonment will be introduced. Currently, there’s no such provision in the current Act,” he said.

Lee also urged the authorities to be more proactive in their effort to curb the sale and purchase of endangered animals through more effective national and international legislation and enforcement, including the implementation of the latest technology.

“I hope the enforcement agencies can strengthen their cooperation to help cripple poaching syndicates nationwide.

“The agencies involved must also use the latest technology, including drones, remote sensing and camera trapping, to curb poaching and smuggling activities all over the country.

“Greater public awareness, better law enforcement and stronger political will are needed to not only prevent illegal wildlife trade but also to avoid over-exploitation of natural resources. We must leave no stones unturned in addressing the issue,” he said.

Lee, however, stressed that the protection of wildlife is not the responsibility of the enforcement agencies alone, but requires collaborations with various parties including non-governmental organisations, the government, corporate stakeholders and local communities.

“Animal cruelty in whatever form must never be tolerated and we need to care for all them as they also have the right to live and share this planet,” he added.

He also urged Malaysians to play an active role and report wildlife-related crimes to the Perhilitan hotline at 1-800-88-5151 (office hours) or the 24-hour Wildlife Crime Hotline at 0193564194.

The New Straits Times reported on Friday (July 13) that a group of Vietnamese poachers, who were detained in Kuala Lipis on July 4, were found to have been gaining lucrative returns on the black market by harvesting all types of wildlife.

Various wildlife parts including bear teeth and claws, python skins, serow’s tail, wild boar tooth, as well as parts of tigers and clouded leopards were seized from the premises where the poachers were found.

A Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) source said the group, which had been actively involved in illegal hunting activities for several years, utilised a premise located near a sawmill to kill and harvest the animals before selling them to the middlemen.

Read more!

Malaysia: Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre welcomes three newborns

Olivia Miwil New Straits Times 13 Jul 18;

SANDAKAN: Three orangutans raised at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre here delivered infants recently.

Sixteen-year-old Rosa, who lost her mother at a young age, gave birth to a female infant on May 26.

Meanwhile, 11-year-old Cinta had her young on July 3; and 14-year-old Lumiud gave birth to a male a week later.

The three infants are well – however, Lumiud is having difficulties caring for her newborn, which forced the centre to separate and closely monitor the two.

Sabah Wildlife Department spokesperson Siti Nur’Ain Ampuan Acheh said the orangutan’s low reproductive rate is affecting their survival, and the species needs decades to emerge from their endangered status.

“Orangutans are known to (reproduce late in life) compared to other mammals, a factor contributing to their threatened condition in the wild.

“Female orangutans only enter reproductive age at 8 or 9,” she said in a statement, adding that infants stay with their mothers for as long as nine years to learn survival skills.

Siti said the existence of the centre since 1964 has complemented the government’s commitment to prevent the orangutan’s extinction.

“Most of the orangutans brought to Sepilok are young orphans and are unable to survive on their own.

“The centre helps them to develop their survival skills.

“It has also allowed many to witness orangutans in their natural environment, and opened up opportunities (for research and education),” she added.

Read more!

Indonesia: East Aceh police investigates case of dead elephant

Antara 14 Jul 18;

Idi Rayeuk, Aceh (ANTARA News) - An estimated 15-year-old wild elephant was found dead in an inland forest area in Banda Alam Sub-district, East Aceh District, Aceh Province, on Thursday (July 12).

"The dead male elephant still has a pair of ivory tusks, and its carcass has also not rotted," Banda Alam Sector Police Zainir stated here on Friday.

The elephant is believed to have died the day before it was found. The cause of death of the protected animal is yet to be known, and no signs of violence were apparent on the body of the elephant, he revealed.

He added that the case of the dead Sumatran elephant had been reported to the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) of Aceh. The Animal Health Medical Team is also reported to be traveling from Banda Aceh to East Aceh to handle this case.

"We are still waiting for the BKSDA of the Aceh team to conduct a necropsy, so that the results of laboratory tests will be able to ascertain the cause of the elephant`s death," he explained.

The police will continue to investigate the death of the Sumatran elephant in East Aceh.

"If the investigation indicated the cause of death to be deliberate, then in this case, we will process it in accordance with the provisions," he revealed.

Reported by Mukhlis
(T.KR-TQA/INE)
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/C/A014)
Editor: Heru Purwanto

Read more!

Indonesia: Ahead of Asian Games, Air Quality in Jakarta below WHO Standards

TEMPO.CO 13 Jul 18;

Jakarta - Ahead of the 2018 Asian Games, the director general of pollution and environmental damage at the Environment and Forestry Ministry, Karliansyah, said the ministry was currently striving to reduce particulate matter (PM) 2.5 of air quality in Jakarta and Palembang. He explained multiple measures had been underway.

“[Air quality] in Jakarta is influenced by infrastructure development. On average it is measured at 38 micrograms per meter,” said Karliansyah at the ministry building, Friday, July 13.

Meanwhile, Karliansyah added, Palembang had good air quality. Its PM 2.5 was measured at 8 micrograms per cubic.

Karliansyah explained the air quality and pollutants would affect the athletes’ health during matches. Thus, the government strived to reduce PM 2.5 in Jakarta.

PM 2.5 in Jakarta was recorded at 40 micrograms per cubic meter on average, while based on WHO standards, the particulates limit should be less than 25 micrograms per cubic meter.

The director of pollution and environmental damage at the Environment and Forestry Ministry, Dasrul Chaniago, explained particulates matter 2.5 were referred to as fine dust, which could enter the human respiratory system and might cause lung diseases as well as lung cancer.

Read more!

One in three fish caught never makes it to the plate – UN report

Global fish production is at record levels thanks to fish farming, says the UN FAO, but much is wasted and many species are worryingly overfished

Damian Carrington The Guardian 9 Jul 18;

One in three fish caught around the world never makes it to the plate, either being thrown back overboard or rotting before it can be eaten, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Its biannual report on the state of the world’s fisheries, released on Monday, also shows that total fish production has reached a record high thanks to more fish farming, particularly in China, with over half the fish eaten in the world now coming from aquaculture.

In contrast, the amount of wild caught fish has barely changed since the late 1980s and a third of commercial fish species are overfished, the FAO says. Fish farms will continue to expand and the FAO projects that almost 20% more fish will be eaten by 2030, helping sustain the growing global population. However, farmed fish can harm wild populations because often their feed, made from wild fish such as sardines and anchovies, is caught at sea and they can cause pollution.

Fish are a crucial source of nutrition for billions of people around the globe, but overfishing is rife in some regions, with two-thirds of species overexploited in the Mediterranean and Black Seas and the Southeast Pacific. Previous analyses that include estimates for illegal fishing indicate that wild fish stocks are declining faster than FAO data suggest and that half the world’s oceans are now industrially fished.

“Since 1961 the annual global growth in fish consumption has been twice as high as population growth, demonstrating that the fisheries sector is crucial in meeting the FAO’s goal of a world without hunger and malnutrition,” said José Graziano da Silva, FAO director general. Many challenges remain, he said, but recent initiatives to crack down on illegal fishing will mark “a turning point” in favour of long-term conservation.

The FAO reports that 35% of global catches are wasted. About a quarter of these losses are bycatch or discards, mostly from trawlers, where unwanted fish are thrown back dead because they are too small or an unwanted species. But most of the losses are due to a lack of knowledge or equipment, such as refrigeration or ice-makers, needed to keep fish fresh.

The FAO has worked with developing nations to cut losses, including the use of raised racks for fish drying, which resulted in a 50% cut in losses of fish from Lake Tanganyika in Africa. Around the Indian Ocean, better facilities for handling the crab harvest cut losses by 40%.

Aquaculture now dominates the fish people eat, providing 53% of the total recorded by the FAO in 2016, the latest data available (excluding fish not used as human food). Farming also dominates the fishing economy, providing two-thirds of the $362bn (£274bn) earned from sales at the dockside.

The FAO report sets out the huge scale of global fishing: it employs 60 million people and there are 4.6m fishing vessels on the planet. This huge effort is worrying in many places, the FAO says, with too many boats chasing too few fish.

As a result, the number of species being overfished has trebled in the last 40 years. The report also states that climate change will drive fish away from warm tropical waters, where nations are often especially reliant on seafood, towards more temperate regions.

Lasse Gustavsson, executive director of Oceana in Europe, said huge improvements were needed across the fishing industry. “Food waste on a hungry planet is outrageous,” he said. “The fact that one-third of all fish caught goes to waste is a huge cause for concern for global food security.”

On overfishing, particularly in the Mediterranean, he said: “We know the situation, we have the solutions: setting fish catch limits to scientific advice and stopping illegal and destructive fishing. All we’re missing is political action.”

Gustavsson added: “Aquaculture is far from being the magic bullet, as it is often unsustainable. Using 20m tonnes of fish like mackerel, sardines and anchovies to feed farmed fish instead of people is a blatant waste of food.”

Prof Daniel Pauly, at the Sea Around Us research initiative at the University of British Columbia, Canada, has been very critical of previous FAO reports, which he says significantly underestimated the total catch by failing to account for illegal fishing.

But he welcomed the new report for considering a much wider range of information: “The crisis of [overfishing] will be hard to solve. However, collaborations between different stakeholders may help turn around some of the negative trends. This is the best issue of [the FAO fisheries report] that I have ever read.”

Read more!