Bid to totally protect Sunda pangolins underway

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah wildlife conservationists are seeking to make the fast depleting Sunda pangolins a totally protected species under a measure to check rampant poaching of the nocturnal animal.

The move to push for full protection under Schedule One of the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 will help boost conservation efforts of the pangolins.

The newly formed Sabah Pangolin Conservation Working Group has suggested that a state Cabinet paper be prepared to propose total protection of the animal that is currently listed in Part One of Schedule Two, which means that it can be hunted with a licence and upgrading its status to Schedule One will accord it full protection.

Sabah Wildlife Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said participants at a recent workshop to discuss the fate of pangolins had unanimously agreed that the matter has to be brought to the attention of the State Cabinet.

Apart from seeking full protection for pangolins next steps include starting an awareness campaign with the soon to be established Wildlife Enforcement Unit, an initiative between Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) and the department.

DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens said: “The long term goal which covers a period of two to five years will be to decrease poaching and trade of pangolins, increase ecological and population studies and to look at the possibility of setting up a sanctuary to rehabilitate pangolins.

Dr Goossens pointed out that according to a 2010 report by wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC, some 22,200 pangolins were killed between May 2007 and January 2009 to supply one syndicate, with most coming from the districts of Keningau, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu and Ranau.

The working group was set up at the end of a day-long workshop involving the relevant government agencies, NGOs, research organisations and an oil palm company.