Hundreds of exotic animal parts seized

Kuala Lumpur – Almost 800 animal parts, including a huge stash of hornbill “ivory”, pangolin scales and deer’s antlers, have been seized in a raid on Borneo island, officials in Malaysia said yesterday.

Borneo’s vast jungles are home to a kaleidoscope of rare creatures but they are frequently targeted by poachers, who sell their parts to collectors and for use in traditional medicine, particularly in China.

The island is shared between Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

Officials uncovered the huge haul on Saturday in a raid on a house in Kapit in Malaysia’s Sarawak state. A 56-year-old man was arrested, senior forestry official Zolkipli Mohamad Aton said.

It included 148 helmet-like blocks of reddish keratin that is found on the front of the skulls of colourful hornbill birds.

Although it is different to ivory from elephant tusks, the material is commonly known as hornbill “ivory” and is in growing demand in China, where it is carved into luxury ornaments and jewellery.

The rest of the stash included hornbill feathers, scales from pangolins – known as “scaly anteaters” – peacock feathers, porcupine quills and deer antlers, Zolkipli said, adding it was the biggest seizure in Sarawak for 16 years.

He said the suspect could be a supplier of animal parts to syndicates exporting them to markets such as China, Hong Kong and Vietnam, and was facing jail for breaking wildlife protection laws.

Elizabeth John, a spokesperson for the wildlife trade watchdog, Traffic, said the hornbill ivory seizure was “very significant” given the rise in poaching

“Seizure data shows China to be a major destination for hornbill ivory,” she said.