(MY) - from the DG of Wildlife department

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Letters- The New Straits Times

 

When do-gooders may do more harm

DATUK MUSA NORDIN Director-General Department of Wildlife and National Parks

Peninsular Malaysia

 

Sept 26:

--

 

 

MALAYSIA is one of 12 megadiversity countries and all of us have the

responsibility to protect our national heritage. The illegal wildlife trade,

however, is a serious threat to Malaysia’s wildlife.

The Department of Wild- life and National Parks in peninsular Malaysia is

concerned about two recent cases that have been highlighted by the local

media.

 

The first case involves a tiger cub which was " rescued " by an individual who

paid more than RM10,000 to save it from slaughter for the exotic meat

industry.

 

The second involves three people who paid RM3,000 to prevent a reticulated

python from suffering the same fate.

 

The department appreciates the good intentions of these well-meaning

individuals.

 

However, some clarification is necessary.

 

While they saved the individual animals, their actions meant they had

directly supported the illegal wildlife trade. Whatever the intention,

buying and selling wildlife without the permits is a serious offence under

the Protection of Wild Life Act 1972.

 

The illegal traders made their profit. And now, these traders have another

market to make their profits from: the " rescuers " . They will now seek to

prey on the goodness of well-meaning Malaysians.

 

While one animal might be saved this way, it means that more animals will be

illegally taken from the wild.

 

The main culprits here are illegal wildlife traders and the public must

assist the department in having them charged, prosecuted and sentenced.

 

Do not take matters into your hands but report immediately to the

authorities who have the power to do something about it.

 

Notify the departmental office closest to you if you have information on

anyone selling or trapping protected species, or trading in their parts and

products.

 

 

 

Call authorities

 

 

 

LAST month, the local media hailed an individual who paid more than RM10,000

to buy a tiger cub from an exotic meat restaurant to save it.

 

Last week, in similar fashion, three individuals paid RM3,000 to a wildlife

trader for a reticulated python to save it.

 

These individuals should be commended. Their actions were a fine display of

the Malaysian spirit of caring for wildlife.

 

We are concerned, however, about the legal and conservation implications,

and fear that their actions may have started a worrisome trend, contributing

to a much larger problem of illegal wildlife trade.

 

The fact remains that these restaurants operate openly and rescuing

individual animals does nothing to solve the problem.

 

Besides feeding the market for exotic meat, traditional medicines, trophies

and collectible items, illegal pet and zoo collections and souvenirs, they

now have a brand new category of buyers — the rescuers.

 

The traders walked away from the deals with large profits. To them, it

matters not what the motives of the people who paid for the animals were.

And because of the media coverage, poachers now know that caring Malaysians

are willing to pay a higher price than illegal restaurant owners.

 

 

So what is the public to do? Do not support the illegal wildlife trade.

 

Contact the authorities immediately if you have any information.

 

The general misconception that the authorities do not act fast enough to

handle these cases must be corrected.

 

The authorities will act on reports, depending on the urgency of the case

and quality of information provided.

 

 

Notify the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia at

03 – 9075 2872 if you have any information on anyone selling or trapping

protected species, or trading in their parts and products.

 

Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers

 

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