Cambodia finally tracks down and jails infamous tiger hunter

[Guest guest]

By Jan McGirk in Bangkok

 

 

Published: 03 September 2005

 

The Cambodian forest police have finally caught their prey. It was Yor Ngun,

the notorious tiger killer of Koh Kong, no ordinary poacher. He was a

stealthy tracker and legendary shot, who is thought to have killed 600 wild

beasts since 2000 and countless more in the past three decades.

For years, Ngun, now 58, has headed the Most Wanted Killers list posted by

regional conservation groups in South-east Asia, who hailed yesterday's

surprise verdict in a court in the coastal town of Koh Kong, which jailed

Ngun for seven years.

The clandestine hunter was found guilty of slaying 40 leopards, 19 tigers,

30 elephants, and 43 bears. In addition, Ngun rustled 500 head of wild

cattle called banteng. " Even though he is too old to be in jail, he deserves

it for what he did, " Judge Sim Soung said.

Ngun has roamed for decades across 10 provinces, sticking to the remote

rainforests and stands of bamboo. He was caught in north-eastern Cambodia a

year ago but let go when he signed a promise not to destroy any more

protected animals.

After that, conservation charities say, Ngun carried a wad of bills stuffed

in his pocket, even though he pleaded poverty. But instead of pocketing any

bribes, this time the officials charged Ngun with crimes against wildlife.

" His photo was sent across the country, but we lost track until he was

arrested early this year, " said Sun Hean, a Phnom Penh conservation

activist.

Ngun's primary market is in China, where extravagant sums are paid for body

parts of wild animals, used for trophies, amulets, or in traditional

medicine and aphrodisiacs.

Animal rights supporters say it is consequently premature to celebrate this

court verdict. One group, WildAid, says there are at least 700 other known

traffickers in Cambodia - the hub of the criminal syndicate trading in

endangered species.

After the genocidal regime of the Khmer rouge and decades of civil war,

Cambodia had large tracts of virgin forest well-populated with wildlife.

Illegal logging, poaching and illegal building are, however, taking a heavy

toll. The Cambodian wilderness protection mobile unit, working with the San

Francisco-based conservationist group WildAid, keeps a blacklist of wildlife

traders, from whom they have rescued more than 28,000 live animals. Few can

be prosecuted, however, and when they are the penalty is usually a derisory

fine.

" Formerly staunch communist countries like Laos and Cambodia have become the

newest links in the supply chain for the animal underworld, " said Ben

Davies, a Bangkok-based Briton who researched Asia's clandestine wildlife

trade for three years while writing a book, Black Market.

Whether the arrest of one hunter will make any difference remains to be

seen. Urban middle men and customs officials make far more money from

endangered species than the trappers and shooters such as Ngun.

The Cambodian forest police have finally caught their prey. It was Yor Ngun,

the notorious tiger killer of Koh Kong, no ordinary poacher. He was a

stealthy tracker and legendary shot, who is thought to have killed 600 wild

beasts since 2000 and countless more in the past three decades.

For years, Ngun, now 58, has headed the Most Wanted Killers list posted by

regional conservation groups in South-east Asia, who hailed yesterday's

surprise verdict in a court in the coastal town of Koh Kong, which jailed

Ngun for seven years.

The clandestine hunter was found guilty of slaying 40 leopards, 19 tigers,

30 elephants, and 43 bears. In addition, Ngun rustled 500 head of wild

cattle called banteng. " Even though he is too old to be in jail, he deserves

it for what he did, " Judge Sim Soung said.

Ngun has roamed for decades across 10 provinces, sticking to the remote

rainforests and stands of bamboo. He was caught in north-eastern Cambodia a

year ago but let go when he signed a promise not to destroy any more

protected animals.

After that, conservation charities say, Ngun carried a wad of bills stuffed

in his pocket, even though he pleaded poverty. But instead of pocketing any

bribes, this time the officials charged Ngun with crimes against wildlife.

" His photo was sent across the country, but we lost track until he was

arrested early this year, " said Sun Hean, a Phnom Penh conservation

activist.

Ngun's primary market is in China, where extravagant sums are paid for body

parts of wild animals, used for trophies, amulets, or in traditional

medicine and aphrodisiacs.

Animal rights supporters say it is consequently premature to celebrate this

court verdict. One group, WildAid, says there are at least 700 other known

traffickers in Cambodia - the hub of the criminal syndicate trading in

endangered species.

After the genocidal regime of the Khmer rouge and decades of civil war,

Cambodia had large tracts of virgin forest well-populated with wildlife.

Illegal logging, poaching and illegal building are, however, taking a heavy

toll. The Cambodian wilderness protection mobile unit, working with the San

Francisco-based conservationist group WildAid, keeps a blacklist of wildlife

traders, from whom they have rescued more than 28,000 live animals. Few can

be prosecuted, however, and when they are the penalty is usually a derisory

fine.

" Formerly staunch communist countries like Laos and Cambodia have become the

newest links in the supply chain for the animal underworld, " said Ben

Davies, a Bangkok-based Briton who researched Asia's clandestine wildlife

trade for three years while writing a book, Black Market.

Whether the arrest of one hunter will make any difference remains to be

seen. Urban middle men and customs officials make far more money from

endangered species than the trappers and shooters such as Ngun.