(MY) smuggled tortoises

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Hundreds of smuggled tortoises seized - Malaysiakini

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz

Jun 25, 07 2:43pm

 

Hundreds of smuggled tortoises believed to be meant for local pet

stores have been seized in two separate operations at the Kuala Lumpur

International Airport (KLIA), said the Wildlife Department today.

 

The Indian Star Tortoises were confiscated on April 26 by KLIA

officials from an Indian national who was hand-carrying the reptiles

in cloth bags.

 

The reptiles will be flown home tomorrow in an Indian airlines flight.

 

New Delhi had agreed to bear the expense, said the department's law

and enforcement division principal assistant director Haidar Khan in a

press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

 

" Nineteen from the original number of 404 Star Tortoises seized had

died since their confiscation, " he said, adding that the smuggler had

also been deported to India.

 

While Indian Star Tortoises come under the Convention on International

Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's (Cites) Appendix

II - species of which can be traded though under strictly-controlled

provisions - India has banned the export of its Star Tortoises since

2001.

 

Haidar said aside from the Indian Star Tortoises, the authorities at

KLIA had on June 12 seized 76 Leopard Tortoises (photo) - also

categorised in Cites' Appendix II.

 

" They were intercepted by POS Malaysia officials who became suspicious

of two parcels bearing the description 'claypots', " he said.

 

When they opened the packages, they found the reptiles which hail from

Tanzania, he added.

 

Haidar said the Wildlife Department has to wait for the response of

the Tanzanian government before the next course of action can be

determined.

 

Legal loopholes

 

In the meantime, the authorities have begun further investigations

based on the receiving address found on the parcels containing the

Leopard Tortoises.

 

However, Haidar declined to say whether any parties have been brought

in for questioning.

 

He said as opposed to species protected in national laws, however, no

action can yet be taken against any party in view of the lack of legal

provisions in the current 1972 Wildlife Protection Act on the

smuggling of partially-protected species cited under Cites.

 

He added that the drafting of the new Wildlife Protection and

Conservation Act, which would fill the loopholes and contain harsher

punishments for infringements of wildlife laws, were in the final

stages of being prepared.

 

Haidar said if the Tanzanian authorities decline to take back the

Leopard Tortoises, the Malaysian authorities can keep them for

conservation, research or educational purposes.

 

" Alternatively, the tortoises can also be sold or auctioned off to

licensed traders. As a last resort, the tortoises may be euthanised, "

he added.