Exotic-food lovers beware. The Sarawak Forestry is stepping up checks and patrols of market areas and food outlets to ensure

that protected and totally protected wildlife are not destined for the cooking pot.

Sarawak director of forests and controller of wild life Len Talif Salleh said today that stern action would be taken on those caught keeping protected and totally protected animals as pets or hunting, capturing, killing, selling, importing or exporting them.

“When there is no demand, the trading of wildlife meat will be eventually put to a stop and those who possess any recognisable part of these animals too are actually violating the Wildlife Protection Ordinance," he said in a statement today.

Len Talif said public awareness was critically important in overcoming the demand for exotic wildlife meat as infringement of the law was actually hampering the government’s efforts in ensuring their sustainability.

He was commenting on a recent local news report that protected and totally protected wildlife had become increasingly popular among exotic-food lovers in Sarawak.

The report claimed that wildlife meat could improve one’s sexual prowess and heal various illness and diseases.

In Sarawak, those found guilty of violating the Wildlife Protection Ordinance face a fine of between RM10,000 and RM50,000 and up to five years imprisonment.

- Bernama