NEW STRAITS TIMES (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 12 November 08 Over 7,000 monitor lizards saved from cooking pot
Kuala Lumpur (Bernama): More than 7,000 clouded monitor lizards were saved from being served as exotic dishes in two separate raids conducted by Department of Wildlife and National Parks officers in Muar and Segamat, Johor, two weeks ago.
The Department’s director-general Datuk Abd Rasid Samsudin said during the raids, the carcasses and meat of 13 protected wildlife species were also seized.
He told reporters here that the skinned meat included that of bristlehead birds, bears, snakes and porcupines found in a refrigerator and were believed to be ready to be sold.
Abd Rasid said the first raid was conducted on a house in Muar on Nov 4, where nine endangered species and four protected species were found in a storeroom and refrigerator in the house.
He said a man in his 50’s was also arrested in the raid.
Among the species seized were four wild boars, 51 live clouded monitor lizards, the carcass of an armadillo, carcasses of 999 birds comprising species of bristleheads such as the Brown Wood Owl, Spotted Wood Owl, Barn Owl, Crested Serpent Eagle, Buffy Fish Owl and Barred Eagle Owl which were defeathered and wrapped in plastic.
Abd Rasid said the meat of several skinned animals were also seized which included greater mouse deer, pythons, Malayan bears and Malayan porcupines.
The second raid, conducted on a store in Segamat on Nov 7, resulted in the confiscation of 7,093 clouded monitor lizards, still alive and weighing 35 tonnes, and which could fetch between RM50 to RM80 a kilogramme in the black market.
“Most of these animals are sold to restaurants serving exotic animals as delicacies and some are also used for making traditional medicines,” he said, adding that the animals still alive would be relesased into their habitats, while those already skinned would be disposed of.
Abd Rasid said the man pleaded not guilty at the Tangkak Magistrate’s Court last Friday and was granted bail of RM19,000.
Over 7,000 monitor lizards saved from cooking pot