SFC personnel confiscating the skins of protected wildlife from the premises.
MIRI (Nov 5): The Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) has seized over 20 wildlife parts belonging to protected animals and arrested a man during an operation in Niah near here yesterday (Nov 4) afternoon.
SFC chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton, who is also the Controller of Wildlife, in a statement today said SFC enforcement officers from Miri Regional Office raided a food court in Niah and seized, among others, a sawfish’s head, the skin of a wild cat, two primate skulls, three large carnivore skulls and two tortoise shells that were hidden in a locked room with the 45-year-old suspect.
Zolkipli said wildlife specialists have been called in to verify the species the poached skins and skulls belong to, but some specimens have yet to be fully identified.
A large assortment of skins and body parts of protected wildlife were found at the food court.
“The suspect’s statement was recorded after he was found keeping wildlife parts without valid documentation from the Controller of Wildlife. He is now being investigated under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998.
“The investigation is ongoing and we are taking this case seriously,” said Zolkipli.
He expressed gratitude to Mirians for their tip-off and encouraged members of the public to continue providing leads and information to SFC officers in combating illegal wildlife trade in the state.
He added that SFC enforcement has been proven effective with the high numbers of successful raids.
“We will continue to be vigilant and work closely with relevant agencies and the public at large to curb any illegal wildlife trade,” he added.
SFC hotlines are reachable at 019-8859996 (Kuching), 019-8883561 (Sibu), 019-8332737 (Bintulu), 019-8290994 (Miri).