馬來西亞官員救出兩千多隻蜥蜴免成盤中飧2009-01-13 中國時報【中廣新聞／謝佐人】
馬來西亞野生動物官員破獲大批野生動物走私，解救了兩千三百多隻稀有蜥蜴，使牠們免於被送進野味餐廳，成為盤中飧。馬國官員表示，他們在一個貨櫃中發現許多巨大蜥蜴被關在籠子中，這些動物都準備送往馬來西亞國內外許多野味餐廳。除了兩千多隻稀有蜥蜴外，還有三百多隻貓頭鷹屍體，二十多隻熊掌，這批動物，不論死的活的，總共價值五十萬馬幣，約合(美金十四萬元)新台幣四百六十多萬元。有關當局已逮捕三名涉嫌走私這批動物的男子，他們可能被判處三年有期徒刑。[註: 根據外電報導這些巨蜥是指瀕臨絕滅的雲斑巨蜥 (或稱點斑巨蜥, 暗色巨蜥]
Huge haul of dead owls and live lizards in Peninsular Malaysia
Almost 900 “oven-ready” plucked owls and other wildlife were seized during raids in Malaysia Click photo to enlarge ©Chris R Shepherd / TRAFFIC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 12 November 2008—Over 7,000 live Clouded Monitor Lizards and almost 900 dead owls plus other protected wildlife species have been seized in two raids in Peninsular Malaysia.
On 4 November, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) staff raided a house in Muar, in the state of Johor, and found in a freezer and storage room 796 Barn, 95 Spotted Wood, 14 Buffy Fish, 8 Barred Eagle and 4 Brown Wood Owls, 2 Crested Serpent Eagles, 51 live Clouded Monitor Lizards, 4 live juvenile Wild Pigs, plus parts of one or more Wild Pig, Malayan Porcupine, Reticulated Python, Malayan Pangolin, Sun Bear and Greater Mouse Deer.
A local man was arrested and remanded in custody for three days, but pleaded not guilty and was released on bail of MYR19,000 (USD5,300). Information obtained during the raid led to a second raid on a storage facility in Segamat, Johor, on 7 November 2008, when 7,093 live Clouded Monitor Lizards were seized, but no arrests made. “The number of owls and monitor lizards seized is truly staggering,” said Chris R. Shepherd, Senior Programme Officer for TRAFFIC’s Southeast Asia office. “This is the first time we know of where ‘ready-prepared’ owls have been seized in Malaysia, and it may mark the start of a new trend in wild meat from the region. We will be monitoring developments closely.” All the animals seized are believed to have originated in Malaysia and were probably bound for China, to be sold in wild meat restaurants.
All are protected to some degree under Malaysian national legislation, and most are listed in CITES (the Convention on Illegal Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), with Clouded Monitor Lizard and Sun Bear in Appendix I, which prohibits international trade, whilst most other species, including all the owls, listed in Appendix II, which restricts such trade.
“Malaysia is home to a vast array of amazing wildlife,” said Shepherd. “However, illegal hunting and trade poses a threat to Malaysia’s natural diversity. “TRAFFIC applauds the actions taken by Perhilitan, and urges the public to report cases of illegal hunting and trade to the authorities. “TRAFFIC also encourages countries where these cargoes are bound to be vigilant to prevent the illegal import of wildlife from Malaysia and elsewhere.”
Malaysia is a member of the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN), a partnership that seeks to end illegal cross-border wildlife trade in the region.
For further information:
Chris R. Shepherd, Senior Programme Officer for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (in Malaysia) tel: +603 78803940, cell: +6 012 234 0790, E-mail: cstsea@po.jaring.my
Richard Thomas, Communications Co-ordinator, TRAFFIC. Tel: +44 1223 279068, mob + 44 752 6646 216. E-mail richard.thomas@traffic.org
圖片連結: wildlifeatrisk.org
