KAPIT: Three hunters landed in deep trouble when a Facebook posting of one of them posing with a dead Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) went viral recently.
The long arm of the law finally caught up with them in Kapit last week when Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Sibu dispatched their Swift Wildlife Action Team (SWAT) December 8 after earlier investigative work had identified the probable perpetrators of the offence.
All three men had since admitted to involvement in the hunting incident that led to the killing of the clouded leopard which is a ‘Totally Protected’ animal in Sarawak.
“One of the hunters, a man in his 30s, had admitted to pulling the trigger and killing the clouded leopard before disposing the animal’s carcass in a nearby river. Statements have been recorded from all three men involved and the case has been handed over to the Forest Department for further investigation,” said the SFC in a press statement.
Under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 1998, killing a totally protected animal is a serious offense punishable by imprisonment of up to 5 years and fine of up to RM50,000.