New Wild Life Law

YOU CAN HUNT IT,

BUT...

YOU CAN'T
SELL IT!!

THE SARAWAK STATE GOVERNMENT IS IMPLEMENTING A BAN ON ALL COMMERCIAL WILDLIFE TRADE. THIS INCLUDES ALL WILD MEAT AND WILDLIFE PRODUCTS.

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT???

The Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998 says that:

IT IS ILLEGAL TO SELL OR BUY ANY WILDLIFE OR WILDLIFE PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN HUNTED FROM THE WILD ANYWHERE IN SARAWAK. THIS INCLUDES LIVE WILD ANIMALS, WILD MEAT, AND TROPHIES SUCH AS SKULLS, BONES, TEETH, ANTLERS, ETC.

YOU MEAN, I CAN'T HUNT ANYMORE??

• You are allowed to hunt, AS LONG AS IT IS FOR YOUR OWN CONSUMPTION AND THE ANIMAL IS NOT A TOTALLY PROTECTED OR PROTECTED SPECIES.
• It is illegal only when you sell what you have hunted.
• You may hunt it, eat it or use it; but you cannot sell it.
• To make sure that the meat is for you and not for sale, you cannot have more than 5 kg of wild meat in your possession at any one time. The only exception for this is if you are a native in Native Area or Native Customary Land.

WHY HAVE A TRADE BAN?

1. The commercial trade in wildlife and wildlife products (especially the trade in wild meat) is a major cause of decreasing numbers of wildlife in Sarawak.
2. The current wildlife trade is not sustainable. Many species of wild animals are becoming locally extinct because of it. This has an effect on species that are not part of the trade as well; for example, as traded species (bearded pigs and deer) decline, rural hunters are forced to eat larger numbers of smaller species for subsistence, so these species decline too.
3. This will have a detrimental effect on the overall health of the forest as animals which pollinate flowers and disperse seeds disappear.
4. People living in rural areas depend on wild animals such as bearded pigs and deer for food. BUT, if wild meat is sold, there is not enough for rural subsistence hunters.
5. Therefore, stopping wildlife trade is CRUCIAL to maintain our wildlife populations, and to maintain a wild meat supply for rural people who depend on it.

So, we need to stop selling wild meat and wildlife products which have been taken from the wild in order to protect our wildlife effectively.

ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS?

1. Only wildlife that has been captive bred is allowed to be bought or sold, PROVIDED THAT:
   • The breeder has a licence to breed wild animals in his premises;
   • The breeder displays his licence in a prominent area, where it can be clearly seen by potential buyers.
2. Restaurants may sell wild meat, provided that they purchase their supply of wild meat from a licensed breeder, and NOT meat that has been hunted from the wild.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

• As a shop or restaurant owner, YOU must make sure that your supply of wild meat is from a licensed farm, and that you are licensed to sell it.
• As the consumer, YOU bear the responsibility to check where the wild meat in restaurants, shops or markets comes from.
• LOOK for the licence on display each time you buy wild meat.
• The penalty for selling wildlife products or wild meat without a licence is RM5,000.00.
• The penalty for buying wildlife trophies or unlicensed wild meat is RM2,000.00.

YOUR SUPPORT WILL HELP MAKE SARAWAK A WORLD LEADER IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION.

Enforcement Division
Forest Department Headquarters
Wisma Sumber Alam
Jalan Stadium, Petra Jaya
93660 KUCHING
SARAWAK

Information will be kept strictly confidential. Call us today at telephone No. 082-319119 or 319139 or 446426 or hand phone No. 011221724.

* Law passed in May 1998; effective 1 October 1998.

For further enquiries, please contact us