Car wash worker fined RM35,000 for having sun bear

In safe hands: The sun bear resting in a cage after it was rescued by officials from the Wildlife and National Parks Department in Larkin.

JOHOR BARU: A car wash worker was fined RM35,000 in default eight months’ jail by the Sessions Court here after he pleaded guilty to possessing a sun bear.

Mohd Roshdam Bilal, 29, admitted having the protected animal at around noon on May 13 at a shoplot in Susur 4, Jalan Tun Razak, here.

He was charged under Section 68 (1)(a) of the Act, which carries a maximum fine of RM100,000 or a jail term of not more than three years or both upon conviction.

Mohd Roshdam did not settle the fine. Sessions judge Azura Alwi ordered the jail term to begin from the date of arrest. Wildlife and National Parks Department prosecuting officer Shamsul Hakim Ahmad prosecuted the case while Mohd Roshdam was not represented.

It was previously reported that the two-year-old sun bear was found locked in a cage in the shoplot and was probably in the midst of being sold to local restaurants in the area.

The sun bear is a protected species under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 but is often hunted for its paws, which are used to make medicinal soup. There has been no study to prove that the soup has medicinal value but each bowl can be sold at between RM400 and RM900.

Source: thestar.com.my

World Tapir Day

Some interesting facts about World Tapir Day -

World Tapir Day has been established since 2008, to raise awareness about the four species of tapir that inhabit Central and South America and South-East Asia. Each of the four species is in decline and is threatened by human activity such as mining, deforestation, farming and hunting.

Tapirs play an important role in their ecosystems and are one of the oldest surviving genera in the animal kingdom, but despite their size, history and ecological importance, tapirs remain one of the least recognised species of animals. In comparison with other animals, tapirs feature little in the collective consciousness and are frequently misidentified by zoo visitors. Even in their home ranges, tapirs receive little attention, with exotic species featuring more prominently in zoos, children's books and the media.

The plight of tapirs is symbolic for the wider threat to their habitats specifically, and the world's ecology in general. The decline of tapir populations is indicative of the general health of their ranges - their disappearance from their home ranges often marks a point of 'no return' for the natural environment. The destruction of forests into small, isolated enclaves and the encroachment of human activity into pristine forests affects all native species. However, as the largest - yet one of the most secretive - of animals in their ranges, tapirs' disappearance is often not noticed until it is too late.

All tapirs are endangered species. Saving tapirs helps to save the rainforest. Saving rainforests helps to save the planet.

Sources: tapirday.org

Did you know that 'World Tapir Day' falls on the 27th of April every year? 

Do you know what a tapir is? What does it look like?

Pangolins: ‘The New Rhinos’

The Indian Pangolin:

Seized Pangolin scales

Few of us know about this animal called the pangolin, or scaly anteater, found in the tropical forests of Africa and Asia, including India. It’s an odd creature, donning an armour – not unlike a knight of the medieval ages. It has a very narrow, long tongue that extends over 15 inches, coated with a gluey substance to enable it to probe nests, mounds and suchlike for ants, termites, etc. that make for its unique insectivorous diet. The pangolin has impressive digging powers, can live deep underground, is a capable swimmer, yet may be found up a tree, as it’s an agile climber as well. In fact, India’s pioneering naturalist and officer of the Imperial Forestry Service FW Champion said of the pangolin, “this astonishing survivor of the past ages may well be the most remarkable animal found in the Indian jungles.” Pangolins are nocturnal, shy, and when threatened they curl up into a tight ball—which offers excellent protection, even from predators like lions and tigers.

But not from man.

An ugly truth about the pangolin is that currently it is the ‘hottest’ item in the illegal wildlife market, so much so that it is now considered the ‘new rhino’ – a species traditionally in demand and slaughtered ruthlessly for its horns, pushing one species of rhino (the Javan) in Asia to virtual extinction with less than 50 remaining in the wild. The Vietnamese subspecies of the Javan rhino has been pronounced extinct after the last rhino was found dead with its horn removed. In Africa too, the Western black rhinoceros is now extinct, while other rhino species are being massacred at unprecedented scales. The slaughter of the pangolin is on similar scale, only its plight has failed to grab headlines or attention. All eight sub-species of the pangolin, across their range in Asia and Africa are in trade, and in dramatic decline, including the Indian pangolin. 

Read more:

Source: conservationindia.org

New app to build awareness and information on illegal wildlife trade in South-East Asia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 9th April 2014—From bear paw soup to pangolin scales, people can now report suspected illegal wildlife trade in South-East Asia using a smartphone app developed by the Taronga Conservation Society Australia in partnership with TRAFFIC.

The ‘Wildlife Witness’ app enables users to report suspected illegal wildlife in trade in the region easily and quickly by taking a photo, pinning the exact location of an incident and sending these important details to TRAFFIC.

Reports by app users will be analysed by a Wildlife Crime Data Analyst and over time, the information will help build data and enrich understanding of illegal wildlife trade across the region, help prioritise response action and highlight areas in need of increased enforcement resources.

Wildlife Witness will also feature information on species threatened by trade, how they are often traded, as well as tips for reporting wildlife crime safely.

Its current focus is the South-East Asian region which serves as source, consumer and transit hub in both the legal and illegal trade of wildlife. 

It is hoped app users will include the growing number of tourists to South-East Asia as well as the region’s own smartphone users and over time will expand on what is known about illegal trade here.

“With just a few taps on their smartphones, users can do two important things—learn how their purchasing decisions influence the illegal trade that threatens wildlife and contribute reports that will help build a more informed picture of this threat,” said Chris R. Shepherd, TRAFFIC’s Regional Director-South-East Asia.

“Being aware, and ensuring you are not supporting the illegal trade in wildlife is essential if people are to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem,” he added.

“Wildlife Witness is the first global community action tool to tackle illegal wildlife trade. The app makes reporting these activities simple for both tourists and locals and will help give TRAFFIC the information they need to help address this global wildlife crisis,” said Taronga Community Conservation Manager, Dr Kira Husher.

The Wildlife Witness app was developed with funds from the Vodafone Foundation’s App Aid competition. The app has been developed for both iPhone and Android devices. 

Wildlife Witness is now free to download from the App Store. It is expected to be available for Android smartphones in the near future.

Download at: itunes.apple.com/us/app/wildlife-witness/id738897823?mt=8

Source: http://www.traffic.org

Jakarta Store Openly Trading in Protected Species

This handout photo taken on June 9, 2013 and released by Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program on June 10 shows a slow loris in a private zoo on the outskirts of Kandang, a town in Sumatra’s Aceh province, where animals are displayed for visitors and buyers. (AFP Photo/Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program/Paul Hilton)

Jakarta. The special crimes directorate of the National Police has closed down a business trading in endangered animal parts, arresting its owner.

“The person is the owner of the ‘Golden Shop’ in Jalan Pluit Timur Raya, North Jakarta, with the initials L.W.,” Sr. Comr. Alex Mandalika, the deputy director of the economic crimes unit, said on Friday. “He has been charged under the 1990 Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Law.”

L.W. faces up to five years in jail, but only a relatively modest maximum fine of Rp 100 million ($9,000). His store allegedly sold tigers’ teeth, shark fins, turtle shells and tobacco pipes made of ivory. Police confiscated several tigers’ teeth and 27 ivory pipes.

“They were sold expensively in rupiah and dollar denominations,” National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said. “The owner also had an online store at www.jakartagoldenkong.com.” Smuggling and trade in endangered animals is rampant in Indonesia and neighboring countries.

Last month, Philippines authorities said they seized nearly 100 exotic animals smuggled into the south of the country, the second such haul in just two weeks. A total of 93 animals from Indonesia and Australia were seized by maritime police in the waters off the island of Mindanao and included vulnerable and critically endangered species.

Among the creatures confiscated were 66 wild birds including a rare Pesquet’s parrot — found only in the New Guinea highlands — as well as assorted reptiles and mammals, including a long-beaked echidna, also native to New Guinea.

The seizure came just a week after wildlife officers, also in the southern Philippines, found almost 100 similar animals from Australia and Indonesia being transported by van to Manila.

In January, Aceh Police said they confiscated specimens of protected wildlife that had been preserved to be sold to collectors. In that case police arrested two people on charges of trading in protected animals.

The stuffed animals seized included two Sumatran tigers, a honey bear, a leopard, a hornbill, a clouded leopard, a muntjac or barking deer, antelopes and two golden cats.

At the time, the Aceh Police said investigators would move to expand the case. Based on information received from the suspects, the preserved animals were meant to be sold to a specific network of buyers of preserved animals. News of further arrests has, however, not been forthcoming.

Police officers said that stuffed Sumatran tigers sell for around Rp 80 million, while a clouded leopard is worth around Rp 20 million. Twice last year Jakarta Police raided warehouses of stuffed protected wildlife, including Sumatran tigers, leopards, deer and antelopes.

Source: thejakartaglobe.com