Malaysia: Horrid sales of wildlife meats in Johore

30 August 2007

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is gravely concerned over shocking report of the availability of an array of fancy exotic wildlife meats to cater for the tastebuds of meat lovers in Kahang town, Johor.

This is a shocking reminder of the vulnerability of our wildlife species and the need for stronger effective protection. The question that comes to mind is how could poaching of so many animals be carried out in the National Parks and forest reserves without a single forest guard, army, wildlife enforcement personnel or villagers realizing what was going on?

The level of preparedness of the Wildlife department and Forestry and army to deal effectively with forest crimes is questionable. International smugglers of animal body parts, including poachers have a sophisticated network, which often catches the authorities unaware. With the influx of poachers with more killing power, the fauna of the forests and national parks now face even greater danger.

Poachers when caught are rarely slapped with severe penalties because cases against them failed to make any impact in the court of law. Penalties posed under the law do not reprimand poaching to a degree that deters them.

A handicapped enforcement, with poor intelligence network to bolster its anti-poaching activities, could sound the death knell for a large number of wildlife in and around the virgin rainforests in the years ahead.

Significantly, the shortage of field personnel has been acutely felt and areas inside national parks and forests require more vigilance.

Smuggling has become so common due to the high market value of many endangered or protected wildlife species that are in demand in mainland China. The scarcity of wildlife in China stemming from the high demand for wild animals for food, means increasing imports of wildlife from other Asian countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Vietnam.

The fight against poaching has been going on for years without much success as criminals have a keen eye to find loopholes in law and in the way law enforcing agencies function.

If our wildlife is to be saved from imminent extinction, enforcement activities need to be beefed up in the long term. Enforcement should be correlated with management effectiveness: the better the enforcement, the more effective the protected area. Well trained, well-equipped and motivated teams of rangers are fundamental. To be effective, the local enforcement effort needs to be backed by a broader environment of good and appropriate governance that ensures that penalties are indeed enforced.

Our national parks and nature reserves are so priceless and valuable that great lengths must be taken to protect them.

S M Mohd Idris
President
Sahabat Alam Malaysia
21 Lintang Delima 15
11700 Penang.
Tel: 04-6596930
Fax: 04-6596931

Source: Sahabat Alam Malaysia - contact