30 wild animals rescued in five nationwide raids (Videos)

PUTRAJAYA: Five nationwide raids under Ops Taring 4 by the Wildlife Department, on Wednesday, saw 30 endangered and exotic animals being rescued.
Speaking during a press conference, today Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said among the animals seized include a dwarf caiman, an owl, a Mollucan Cockatoo and a bearcat.
The raid which was conducted in Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan saw the arrest of five people.
"Despite the arrests, most of those caught will eventually come up with the money and pay fines up to the maximum RM500,000," he said.
As such, Wan Junaidi said that ministry will consider making it an offence punishable with a mandatory jail sentence instead for only fines for those caught with endangered species.
"Animals do not like to be caged. I believe the perpetrators will not like (a similar fate) too," he said.
In addition Wan Junaidi told reporters that a female tiger cub which was rescued during a raid at a private residence in Hulu Langat was worth between RM150,000 and RM200,000 in the black market.
He added that the authorities also detained a foreigner at the Kuala Lumpur International Aiport (KLIA) on Wednesday for allegedly trying to smuggle out body parts believed to be from a tiger.
The raids were carried out following a three month-long surveillance and intelligence gathering by the Wildlife Department.