(MY) - wildlife in jeopardy

[Guest guest]

Tuesday November 15, 2005 - The Star

 

Wildlife in jeopardy

 

Newspapers have recently highlighted the plight of wildlife in our

country, with many reports indicating that many species have become

critically endangered.

 

Personally, I believe Malaysia has a good record but there is room for

improvement. I believe in nipping the problem in the bud. The carnage

must be stopped at the habitat of species. Unless wildlife authorities

spend more time in forests, poachers will continue their illegal

activities. Our Government can easily provide an additional RM1mil

annually to pay for travel and allowances of wildlife rangers.

 

Tricks played by illegal traders, such as switching from " allowable "

to " prohibited " species at the last moments, are nothing new. But

Malaysia alone cannot be blamed because the consignments are again

checked at their destinations. People say the authorities are stricter

in Singapore and Hong Kong and if so, the illegal species should be

confiscated and returned to Malaysia as required under the Convention

on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

 

I still go camping in the forests. Last Ramadan, I visited the Jintoh

area of Taman Negara with rangers doing rhino protection.

 

Interestingly, a tiger came very close to our camp. There were three

tiger records in other areas. On the way to Sira Jintoh, I was

pleasantly surprised to see two active dancing grounds of the argus

pheasant but was shocked to find a third one with feathers. The argus

had been snared, roasted and eaten at the same spot. There were Thai

writings on large trees.

 

But nothing can be more shocking than the discovery of a rhino

skeleton in Alam Muda, Pahang, in 2002, six to eight months after it

was killed. Wildlife rangers have records of between five and seven

animals with one young there but these rhinos have since disappeared

deeper into the forests. This killing was again the work of foreign

poachers who were earlier checked but inadequately acted upon.

 

I visited the Sira Kuda salt lick in Temenggor last year and was

shocked to find Thai poachers camping there. They were arrested by

rangers and sent to prison. The number of inprisoned poachers has

reached over 50 since 2002.

 

Success in the forest will reduce the offences committed in villages

and towns. It is in itself an awareness programme and there will be

less need for anti-smuggling activities. Perak game warden Bernard

Thong once took 180 cases to court in one year and reduced the number

of animal dealer's licences to four. Over the next few years the

number of cases drastically declined. We cannot expect all officers to

be like Bernard Thong but they should emulate him.

 

I have raised over RM5mil in the 10 years and gave directly to

Perhilitan and the Sabah Wildlife Department for wildlife protection.

This is the best thing that we can do to protect wildlife but the

authorities must be fearless.

 

I was once asked by the former Science, Technology and Environment

Minister, the late Datuk Amar Stephen Yong, to compound two cases. One

involved four civet cats killed by poachers near Kuala Lumpur and the

other, six stuffed barbets (a species of bird) in Negri Sembilan. The

minister was very understanding when informed that the cases were

already registered with the courts and withdrawing them would

disillusion our wildlife rangers. He agreed.

 

Not many people know of the difficulties and challenges in putting the

tiger on the " totally protected " list. Maju Ternak was losing 150 to

200 heads of cattle a year and there were man-eaters to deal with.

After years of sustained efforts, the tiger was declared a reserved

animal, a status that was also given to the common macaque and monitor

lizard. It was given total protection in 1976 and bounced back from

about 200 tigers to a viable population. It is a good example of

success achieved by an effective Perhilitan with public support.

 

Kampung folks and planters have greatly benefitted from translocation

of elephants. At one time, over RM250mil worth of oil palm was being

destroyed by elephants made homeless by forest clearance. Personally,

I am not happy with putting all our elephants in Taman Negara, Belum

and Endau-Rompin. They should be managed in their former ranges as

recommended by the elephant conservation plan.

 

Seizures of pangolins, exotic meat and tiger skins indicate widespread

poaching. Efforts to catch offenders in cities and forest fringes must

be stepped up to discourage wildlife killings. There should be more

court cases to serve as deterrence.

 

In the old days, we stayed away from animal dealers and zoos so as not

to compromise our position. It was necessary to do the work

efficiently without any fear or threats from these people.

 

I would like to think that the situation is still the same but there

are changes which do not augur well with the work that needs to be

done.

 

Mohd Khan Momin Khan (Perhilitan director-general between 1971 and 1992)