Lack of awareness a challenge to curb wildlife hunt
PETALING JAYA: Lack of awareness among locals makes curbing hunting wild animals a challenge, said the Sarawak Forestry Department.
Its director, Sapuan Ahmad, told theSun the fight against poaching for wild animals, especially protected species, is a huge problem for the department.
“These are poor people who hunt. To them the animals are meat, a source of protein. When we tell them that the animals are protected or endangered species, they tell us they didn’t know,” Sapuan said.
“For example, even if we give the natives synthetic feathers of hornbill for free, they will not accept it. They would want to hunt for the real thing,” he said.
He also clarified that it is rare for protected and endangered species to be hunted.
Usually animals like the wild boar, which are abundant in Sarawak, that are targeted.
Sapuan added that under the state’s law, natives of Sarawak have the right to hunt.
Animals hunted must be for consumption and not for trade or profit.
On the wildlife hunting posts that have since gone viral, Sapuan said the enforcement division will be working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to track down these group of people who posted the photos.
“Once we have the response from MCMC we will lodge police reports and call the perpetrators for questioning,” he said.
Sapuan said as long as there is a demand for exotic meat and wildlife animal body parts, clamping down on hunters and poachers will remain a challenge.
Danau Girang Field Centre director Dr Benoit Goossens said protected animals are very often hunted to be sold for their meat and body parts.
“The posts on Facebook are more like trophy shots and definitely not for sustenance.
“Protected animals, like the clouded leopard, pangolins and sun bears, are in demand in traditional medicine.
Animal parts like sun bear paws, pangolin’s scales and the leopard claws, are sought after in Chinese medicine,” he told theSun.
“These animals are being openly sold on Facebook and sometimes in public. It is definitely not for sustenance,” he added.