Perhilatan seize rare animals from man suspected of involvement in illegal trading

KUALA LUMPUR: Two protected eagles and six Malayan porcupines were seized from a 40-year-old man by the Peninsular Malaysia Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) in Sungkai, Perak, on Saturday.
The suspect was arrested by a team of Perak Perhilitan personnel at his home after he was found hiding the eagles and porcupines behind his house.
Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the man failed to produce the required permit for keeping them.
"A team consisting of Perhilitan staff found a large cage behind the man's residence, where two eagles and six porcupines were kept in it.
"The man failed to give a reasonable reason for his actions to keep the protected wild animals," he said, adding that the protected animals were to be sold to restaurants dealing in such dishes and to illegal wildlife syndicates.
The man was later arrested and taken to the Tapah district police headquarters, but was released on bail.
"All the seized protected animals were then taken to the Perhilitan office for further action while the suspect will be investigated under Section 68 (2) (a) of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716)," he said.