Ban on capture of wild birds should have stayed

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) notes with grave concern and strongly opposes the lifting of an eight year ban on the capture of wild birds by the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan).

The key question is whether Perhilitan has seriously considered the five factors to determine if delisting the birds is appropriate namely: threats to or actual destruction of the habitat needed by the bird species; threats from the over-use of these songbird species for commercial trade and pet purposes; threats from disease and predation; the amount of protection of the species or its habitat provided by other laws and regulations; and any other man made factors affecting the continued existence of these bird species.

It would be disastrous if there were no re-evaluation of the species in terms of these five factors.

This re-evaluation should include an assessment of whether these factors are likely to increase or re-endanger the species that are being delisted.

Read on:  http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/209330