A Kingfisher that was confiscated by a team of enforcement officers from SFD.
KUCHING: Enforcement officers from the State Forest Department (SFD) confiscated a Kingfisher and a tortoise that was put on sale for the public at Pasar Tamu Bandaraya Miri on April 24.
A SFD enforcement officer said that the price offered for the bird was RM280, while the tortoise was priced at RM15 per kilogramme.
“The confiscation is part of the SFD awareness programme to inform members of the public and make them understand that anybody who offer protected wildlife for sale are contravening the Wild Life Protection Ordinance.
“Under Section 29 (2) of the Ordinance, anyone in possession of any protected animals without a license issued under this Ordinance are liable to imprisonment for one year and a fine of RM10, 000,” he said.
“Through such efforts by the department, it is hoped that the general public will be more aware of the importance of wildlife to the ecosystem.”
Apart from Pasar Tamu Bandaraya Miri, other places where such sales are conducted include Bintulu Tamu that sells Borneo short-tailed python, tortoises, tree shrews and parakeets; Simpang Bakun and Pasar Selangau where wild boar meat and pythons are sold.
Other illegal items that are also popular in these markets include venison, bear gall bladder and deer antlers.