Malaysia torches seized scales of endangered African pangolins
Business
By
AFP
| Dec 06, 2018
Malaysia on Thursday torched nearly three tonnes of seized scales of endangered pangolins worth $9 million in a bid to deter illegal wildlife trafficking from Africa.
The Southeast Asian nation is battling to clamp down on rife trafficking through its borders of the ant-eating mammals, whose scales are highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine.
"Such a huge seizure and torching of it is definitely a blow to smuggling syndicates," Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim, the director-general of the Wildlife and National Parks Department told AFP.
Some 3,000 pangolins would have been killed to obtain the 2.8 tonnes (2,800 kilograms) of scales, Abdul Kadir estimated.
The scales were confiscated by customs officials at Malaysia's Port Klang between May and September 2017.
READ MORE
Expert: The shilling has regained value, but don't expect it to last
Unearthing the artifacts of WWII: A journey through Matuu and beyond
Roam, County Bus Service partner to deploy 200 electric buses
Budget cuts loom for Parliament thanks to Sh9.6b Bunge Towers
Private sector partnerships important to catalysing sports
Tax stand-off as boda boda riders defy county call to pay
Islamic banking gets traction in Africa as Salaam Bank feted
Data privacy major challenge for Kenya's digital space, report
Angola ICT Minister: Invest in space industry to ensure a connected, peaceful Africa
The animal parts arrived in three different shipments from Ghana and Cameroon, and had false local addresses, officials said.
"Forensic examination of the scales showed that it is from the African species," said Abdul Kadir.
The scales were incinerated at a private waste disposal plant in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
Seized pangolin scales are usually meant for foreign markets including China and Vietnam, where raw pangolin scales are sold for large profits in traditional Chinese medicine.
Last year Malaysia torched eight tonnes of pangolin scales, Abdul Kadir said, adding that wild pangolins in Malaysia have become a rare sight due to rampant hunting and deforestation.
Pangolins are also heavily poached for their meat which is considered a delicacy while products obtained from the animal are thought to increase blood circulation and lactation.
- Expert: The shilling has regained value, but don't expect it to last
- Budget cuts loom for Parliament thanks to Sh9.6b Bunge Towers
- Firm linked to fake fertiliser calls for arrest of Linturi, NCPB boss