MALAYSIANS were shocked by yet another wildlife crime, as reports streamed in on a 30-year-old male elephant that was shot to death in Gerik, Perak, on March 14.
However, swift action by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) and the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) resulted in the prompt arrests of four armed poachers.
The group was found with deer antlers, suspected tiger bones, weapons (rifles and homemade shotguns), as well as animal snares.
While we mourn the loss of wildlife, WWF-Malaysia wishes to highlight and commend the collaborative efforts by DWNP and RMP in solving the latest incident with immediate arrests.
Protecting our wildlife is a joint effort, which requires collaborations between non-governmental organisations, government and corporate stakeholders and, in some cases, local communities.
During the Royal Belum–WWF Conservation Summit in November last year, the Perak government reiterated its commitment to achieving zero poaching by 2020. This echoed the outcome of the High-Level Dialogue on Enhancing Tiger Conservation Efforts in Perak in July the same year.
The latest arrests by DWNP and RMP are a strong testimony to the commitment of both parties in combating wildlife crime. This is a step towards realising the collective vision of eradicating the threat of poaching.
Poaching is one of the greatest threats to wildlife conservation in Malaysia, including the critically endangered Malayan tiger. The trading of wildlife and their parts is operated globally, the same way illegal drugs and weapons are dealt with by international networks.
WWF-Malaysia has always advocated the need to have more intelligence-based and collaborative teams to support special operations, and this recent operation is a fine example of how joining forces and working together enable the authorities to effectively cripple wildlife poaching in the country.
We urge Malaysians to be more vigilant, aware and practise intolerance towards wildlife crimes, as well as play an active role in the protection and conservation of wildlife for generations to come.
They may report wildlife crime to the Wildlife Crime Hotline at 019-356 4194.
Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma, Executive director and chief executive officer, WWF-Malaysia