SEPT 8 — The Malaysian Nature Society, TRAFFIC and WWF-Malaysia congratulate the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) on the recent string of successful enforcement efforts against illegal wildlife traders.

Among others, three traders of purported tiger parts were arrested in Kuala Lumpur, wild meat sold illegally at restaurants in Pahang, Selangor and Perak were seized, and two juvenile orang-utans were rescued in Selangor before they could be sold off as pets.

While the authenticity of the tiger parts is pending DNA tests, selling fake tiger parts is also an offence under Peninsular Malaysia’s Wildlife Conservation Act 2010, as such items fuel the demand for endangered species.

When totally protected species end up on sale as decorative items, exotic dishes or rare pets, Malaysians who buy them rather than report the crime, must bear some of the responsibility for Malaysia’s vanishing species.

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So, we echo PERHILITAN’s call for the public to take an active stance against the illegal selling of wildlife by channelling information to the authorities. There is a need to overcome public apathy and the trust deficit and join forces to protect our wildlife.

Apart from contacting PERHILITAN directly at 1-800-88-5151, the public are also welcome to send information to the 24-hour MYCAT Wildlife Crime Hotline (019-356-4194 / [email protected] / www.facebook.com/wildlifecrimehotline), where it will be passed to the relevant authorities for action to be taken.

Recently, the Sumatran Rhinoceros was announced extinct in the wild in Malaysia. We must learn from the past, and cannot let this happen to the Malayan tiger, which is now rated as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List. This Merdeka, in spite of all the issues afflicting our nation, let us also spare a thought for the majestic animal that graces our national emblem – the Malayan tiger.

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In June, the National Biodiversity Council approved the National Tiger Survey. The survey will be able to obtain a better estimate on how many tigers we have left, in order to prioritise conservation actions.

But alongside the survey, enforcement efforts also need to be scaled up. More investment is needed for regular patrols in the forest and to build capacity among enforcement officers to conduct intelligence-led investigations.

We look forward to the allocation of necessary financial and human resources under the Budget 2016, and the 11th Malaysia Plan, towards safeguarding Malaysia’s biodiversity for future generations. 

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.