Article: Wildlife poachers make a killing

Tuesday June 2, 2009

By STEPHEN THEN

MIRI: The illicit trading of wildlife and animal parts has raked in more than RM100mil for poachers and smugglers in Malaysia and four other Asean countries during the first three months of the year.

This illegal money-spinner involved endangered animals, some of which are already on the verge of extinction, according to the latest information gathered by the Asean Wildlife Enforcement Network (Asean-WEN).

Asean-WEN's secretariat, in an e-mail to The Star, said the grouping uncovered and busted more than 15 major networks involved in illegal trade of animals between January and March.

"These operations took place in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam. Some 14.8 tonnes of animals parts were seized. More than 5,410 live and dead animals were recovered and more than 200 tonnes of illegal timber were also seized.

"These items were worth more than US$30mil (RM105mil) in the blackmarket, not including the timber," it said.

Last year, The Star carried a series of articles about the death of sunbears at a farm after a South African expatriate complained about the bears being kept in small cages and denied food and water.

Asean-WEN said the authorities in the five countries made 38 arrests during the first three months of this year.

Among the animals and animal parts confiscated were Bengali tigers, African elephants, black panthers, Malayan sunbears, blood pythons, clouded monitor lizards, civet cats, Sumatran tigers, exotic birds, parrots, cockatoos, leopards, boars, owls and monkeys.

"On Jan 9, police in Penang had a standoff with 12 men during a hostage drama after a wildlife trade went sour. The police eventually arrested them," the secretariat said.

It said Asean-WEN would continue to step up its enforcement raids throughout the region with the help of enforcement agencies.

This article was taken from: The Star Online:News: Nation 2 June 2009