46 pangolins rescued from car boot

ALOR STAR: Forty-six pangolins, worth RM43,000, were saved from the cooking pot yesterday. The animals, which were bound for exotic food restaurants in a neighbouring country, were found in the boot of a Toyota Camry at a traffic light in Changlun near here at 8.30am. Kedah and Penang Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) officers had trailed the car for about 30km from the Hutan Kampung Toll Plaza near here.

The car driver pushed the officers away and fled the scene on foot when the Perhilitan team approached his vehicle. State Perhilitan director Rahim Ahmad said four of the pangolins were juveniles. Rahim said he believed that the pangolins were to be supplied to Thailand.

"Prior to the discovery, we conducted an investigation to locate the poacher following a tip-off from the public." Rahim said the department had lodged a report to seek the police's help in locating the suspect.

Pangolins are much sought after as exotic meat and it is believed the consignment was being smuggled to Thailand. Rahim said the pangolins would be released in the forest reserves of Pedu, Padang Terap and Ulu Muda.

Source: NST

Wildlife Dept Seizes Over 900 Protected Animals

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks seized over 900 protected animals valued at about RM35,000 in a raid on a cowshed in Jalan Lama Riverside, Bedong, yesterday.

Kedah Wildlife and National Parks director Rahim Ahmad said today monitor lizards and snakes were found in a cage that was hidden in a container while tortoises were found in plastic baskets near the cowshed.

He said the raid was conducted at 2 pm after the cowshed was placed under surveillance for several days following a tip-off that wild animals were being kept for sale at the premises.

“Among the animals seized were 287 monitor lizards, 189 snakes, 30 tortoises, 272 coura amboinesis tortoises and 124 big tortoises,” he told reporters.

Members of the public with information on crimes related to protected animals can contact the Kedah Wildlife and National Parks Department at 04-7312200, he said.

Resource: Bernama