Last-Ditch Attempt By Malaysia To Prevent Sumatran Rhinoceros’ Extinction

Source: Bernama

Published on 31st March, 2015

KOTA KINABALU, March 31 (Bernama) — Malaysia has opted to prevent extinction of Sumatran Rhinoceros through application of advanced reproductive technology.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said Malaysia in particular the Sabah government will make a last-ditch attempt to create a Sumatran rhino embryo in the laboratory.

In this regard, the government has turned to specialists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Germany) and Avantea laboratories (Italy).

Also involved in the initiative are local financial supporter Sime Darby Foundation and non-governmental organisation Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA).

“In 2014, preliminary attempts were made in Europe using Sumatran rhino eggs and sperm from Sabah, while this year we plan to pursue this effort in Malaysia through further collaboration,” he said.

Malaysia introducing tough new wildlife laws

Source: Mongabay.com

Published on 20 May, 2012 by Jeremy Hance

By the end of the year, Malaysia will begin enforcing its new Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 including stiffer penalties for poaching and other wildlife-related crimes, such as first time punishments for wildlife cruelty and zoos that operate without license.

Dr. William Schaedla, the director of the wildlife-trade monitoring groupTRAFFIC Southeast Asia, told mongabay.com that “the new law represents the first major revamp of the national wildlife law in over 30 years.” The bill will replace the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

To better combat ongoing poaching problems in the Southeast Asian country, penalties have been boosted: killing a Sumatran rhino, a Malay tiger, a clouded leopard, or any protected wildlife will now bring a maximum fine of RM 100,000 (31,000 US dollars) and five years in jail or both if they are female or young. The maximum fine drops to RM 50,000 (15,500 US dollars) for male animals. In addition, for the first time setting snares, hunting, or keeping certain species captive—such as rhinos and tigers—comes with mandatory jail time.

A Bornean rhino, a subspecies of the Sumatran rhino, in captivity in Borneo. Researchers believe there are only some 250 Sumatran rhinos left. Photo by: Jeremy Hance.

“There are areas where the law could be much better organized and tightened, but as it stands, this bill is a vast improvement on the existing law,” says Schaedla. “This is because it shows greater recognition of current threats facing wildlife and addresses problems that have plagued enforcement agencies trying to protect wildlife.”