KOTA KINABALU: An action plan to fight illegal wildlife trade in Sabah is being mapped out over a period of 10 years, involving stakeholders with a common objective of protecting vulnerable species.
The Sabah Wildlife Department, partnering with WWF-Malaysia along with other government and non-government agencies today, kick-started an initial workshop to the development of the plan here in recognition of the threats.
The growth of organised crime specialised in illegal wildlife trade, the increase in cybercrime activities as well as the expansion of courier and postal services have collectively amplified the threat of Sabah being used as a pitstop for such activities.
State Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said stakeholders from both terrestrial and marine sectors were gathered for the development of the plan.
"Transboundary illegal wildlife trade is a big concern in Sabah. As wildlife traffickers become more sophisticated in their methods, we too must develop quickly and collectively to ensure that we are effective in our efforts to combat them.
"As a start, we will need to develop this action plan. This 10-year action plan is an overarching outlook on how to manage illegal wildlife trade in Sabah.
"It will provide robust support and add value to the existing action plans that is already in place here. It will provide a roadmap for wildlife law enforcement to combat wildlife crime," he said.
Sabah currently has in place five species action plans that have been endorsed for some of its threatened wildlife including the Bornean elephant, the Bornean orangutan, the Bornean banteng, the Sunda clouded leopard, the proboscis monkey and the sea turtle.
However, it does not yet have plans for other species including pangolins and sun bears, both vulnerable targets for illegal wildlife trade.
The plan will be able to address the gap and provide a clear direction on how to manage invasive, alien or other species that are not listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
"Wildlife protection is an integral part of our work within the Living Landscape Approach. Through this approach, we aim to achieve and maintain a delicate balance between economic development and the protection of forests and its inhabitants.
"This action plan will no doubt support the overall protection of wildlife in Sabah," said WWF-Malaysia Sabah conservation head Dr. Robecca Jumin.