Last month, Kee Song Yong, 28, thought he had found a novel way of selling exotic wildlife. He advertised the protected species over the Internet and was overjoyed to secure buyers.
The buyers turned out to be undercover enforcement officers from the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan).
Kee was among nine offenders nabbed by Perhilitan over the past 10 months for selling poached wildlife.
Recognising the emergence of a younger, tech-savvy breed of wildlife traders and pet owners who seek buyers through online sites and blogs, Perhilitan now has set up a task force dedicated to combing the worldwide web to snare offenders.
Perhilitan Legislation and Enforcement Division director Dr Sivananthan Elagupillay said the department’s efforts have paid off, and four offenders — including Kee — have been found guilty of trafficking in wildlife.
Kee, who had 15 snakes from protected species (seven Ball pythons, four Burmese pythons, two Blood python, one Green Tree python and one Carpet python), was fined RM9,300 by a Petaling Jaya magistrate’s court on Nov 19.
Two other perpetrators, both from Puchong, were fined RM3,500 each; one for trying to sell pythons and the other, monitor lizards. The third was fined RM5,400, also for possession of pythons.
"We have found more people, mostly youngsters, trying to earn money this way and Perhilitan is taking this matter seriously.
"We have launched a programme within (Perhilitan) dedicated to investigating this method of selling wildlife," said Dr Sivanathan.
If unchecked, he said, the practice could grow to become a damaging trend in wildlife trade and tarnish the country’s image. The department is bent on curbing the problem in its early stages.
"Anyone in any part of the world with Internet access can view these sites and they may get the impression that such sales (of protected or endangered wildlife) are allowed in Malaysia," he said.
Malay Mail found various sites offering rare animals, including protected python species, for sale at prices ranging from RM500 to more than RM6,000.
Asked about those who claimed not to know the animals were protected, Sivananthan said ignorance was not an excuse as the Protection of Wildlife Act has been around since 1972.
"Everyone says he does not know. However, if you can go online and put all that information up, then checking the legality of the animal for sale at www.wildlife.gov.my is just a click away."
The ministry’s website has instructions on how one can apply for the necessary licences, or they can check with the department via email.
Those convicted of illegal possession of protected wildlife species could face a three-year prison term or a fine or both.
Dr Sivananthan also said the traders conducted transactions with buyers in out-of-the-way places such as toll rest areas and shopping mall parking lots.
"Often the animals concerned are listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora as exotic or foreign species, where one would require proper documentation and licence before being allowed possession of the animal."
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