MIRI: Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) has successfully rescued barred eagle-owl (Bubo sumatranus) illegally kept at a premises at Jalan Merpati here.
SFC chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton said they received a public tip-off about the case on Oct 27.
“An enforcement team from our Miri regional office went to the premises about 10am the next day and immediately rescued the eagle-owl,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Zolkipli said owls are protected under Sarawak’s Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 1998. Killing, keeping, selling, buying them or their derivatives are prohibited. The perpetrator, if found guilty, is liable to be jailed for a year and fined RM10,000.
He thanked the public who had been very supportive of SFC’s efforts in curtailing illegal wildlife trading in Sarawak.
“We have several tip-offs from the public this year. The public have more confidence with SFC now because we mean business,” he said.
“SFC believes in educating the public on the importance of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998 as well as enforcing the law. It is like the carrot and stick method.”
He urged those unlicensed to keep protected animals to immediately surrender them to the nearest SFC office before action is taken against them.
Zolkipli said whoever has information about anyone keeping or selling protected and totally protected animal species to immediately report it to SFC.
SFC can be reached through its hotlines at 016-8565564/019-8859996 (Kuching), 019-8883561 (Sibu), 019-8223449/019-8332737 (Bintulu) and 019-8290994/018-9799778 (Miri).
