KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 – Malaysia’s authorities arrested 151 individuals over 2023 as part of efforts to stem the illegal wildlife trade, an official said.
Besides the arrests, 270 traps were destroyed and seizures amounting to 32.3 million ringgit (6.84 million U.S. dollars) have been recorded, wildlife and national parks department deputy director-general Fakhrul Hatta Musa said in an interview with Bernama news agency in conjunction with World Wildlife Day marked on March 3.
He added that these efforts have been aided with drones to monitor land-use changes and prevent unauthorized encroachment within national parks, wildlife reserves, and wetland areas.
“The innovative use of digital technology will significantly improve the execution of wildlife conservation programs, encompassing enforcement, research, communication, in-situ activities like wildlife tracking and inventory, and DNA analysis, thereby enhancing their overall effectiveness,” he said.
