Three held for hunting without licence

KOTA KINABALU: Wildlife officials have detained three men for allegedly hunting without a licence at an oil palm estate in Tawau.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said the men were arrested during a road block at the area at about 5am yesterday.

Initial investigations found the men in possession of three carcasses of a deer and two wild boars in their four-wheel-drive vehicle, he said in a statement.

The men were not able to produce their hunting licence when asked, he said, adding that a rifle and eight shells were recovered from them.

The men faced charges under the Wildlife Conservation Enact­ment 1997 and if found guilty, they could be fined RM30,000 to RM50,000, or jailed six months up to three years, or both.

Augustine said although deer and wild boar were not on the verge of extinction, the animals were listed as protected to prevent over-hunting.

Deer and wild boar are much sought after animals among natives and exotic food lovers.