AR-News: Malaysia wildlife being plundered

[Barry Kent MacKay]

Wildly destructive

A DRIVE along Karak Highway will bring to one’s attention a most depressing
state of affairs concerning the plundering of our natural heritage and the
ready market for the spoils of environmental pillage.
   
All along the highway, stalls offer for sale protected or endangered birds
such as the Hill Mynah, as well as orchids, ferns and Baya Weaver nests. The
popularity of Balinese-style gardens has led to a rise in the demand for
such ferns and birds’ nests, but the environmental costs are high. 
  
Also, the Baya Weaver is a bird under increasing threat since its nests are
much sought after and it is always the newly-built nests and not the ragged,
abandoned ones that are taken and put up for sale. Reports of nestlings and
eggs being thrown out of the nests by nest harvesters are not uncommon. It
is a terrible shame that human fads and trends would actually endorse such
acts of mindless cruelty to animals.   

Laws must be put in place immediately not only to restrict but to ban the
sale of weaver nests unless we intend to systemically drive yet another
species to extinction.   

As for Hill Mynahs, there is no point in according these beautiful birds
Protected or Endangered status if there is little or ineffective enforcement
of laws against wildlife trade.  
 
A trade ban can only be as effective as the national and state measures
taken to curb the illegal hunting, plundering and trade of wild flora and
fauna.  
 
Consumers too must re-examine their need to purchase exotic flora and fauna.
  
Exotic plant specimens can be cultivated and propagated in a nursery
environment in compliance with the regulations of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species. Therefore, consumers need to know
that they do have an alternative to purchasing plants robbed from old growth
forests.   

Judging by the number of wildlife species put up for sale at the stalls, one
shudders to think of the countless numbers that are making their way to or
have already ended up in shops and private homes. The impact on wild
populations must be immense.   

Every organism, from the Staghorn Fern to the Baya Weaver, has a role to
play in our complex ecosystem. Habitat destruction is already big enough a
threat to the planet. We really could do without the illegal trade of wild
flora and fauna. The public must be informed and reminded that the purchase
of wild fauna and weaver nests is an abusive practice, while buying
plundered plants is simply ridiculous given that certified and parasite-free
specimens can be purchased legally from conservatories and nurseries. 
  
Those involved in the sale of rainforest spoils are not in it due to
financial desperation. Many of these stalls also offer local delicacies and
orchard fruits for sale and therefore these people do have a genuine choice
as regards their source of income.   

The Government should work together with conservation groups as well as the
public to halt the desecration of our natural environment. 
  
Wong Ee Lynn, Rawang, Selangor
The Star Online (Malaysia), 7 October 2003
_____________________

  Barry Kent MacKay 
  Senior Programme Coordinator: Canada
  Animal Protection Institute 
  www.api4animals.org