Protected birds and marine wildlife found at two houses on Bang Na - Trat Rd

SAMUT PRAKAN, 19 June 2013 (NNT) – The Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division together with the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plants raided two houses on Bang Na - Trat Road, finding 15 protected birds and hundreds of marine wildlife suspected to be kept for sale to the local black market. 

The raid, conducted at the houses in Bangplee District under the Samut Prakan Court's search warrant, followed a complaint that the houses were keeping protected animals illegally. 

In the first house, several hundreds of marine animals, suspected of being endangered species, were found along with a large cage containing 2 Hornbills, which are rare and protected birds. 

The house owner, Surin Arparatwilai, said that he had been breeding marine animals for sales for over 40 years, exporting them mostly to Japan. He also claimed that he has the appropriate license for owning the rare birds. 

In the other raid, authorities found more than 30 cages of exotic birds, 7 Red Whiskered Bulbuls, 2 Phasianidae, and 6 Turnicidae. The latter 2 are considered protected species under the 1992 wildlife protection law. 

The house keeper, Surapon Puphalee, said that the house, as well as all of the animals, is owned by Tongsuk Juuprajak, an elder brother of Mr. Surin. All of the birds found there were to be sold to local and foreign customers. 

Officials said that only Mr. Surapon was to be charged with illegally possessing protected animals, adding that further investigations will be conducted to determine whether or not the marine animals are protected.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/newsen/NewsDetail?NT01_NewsID=WNSOC5606190010001

Black market in rare birds suspected in northern district

A BLACK market for rare and expensive birds is operating in the northern district, warns Eastwood resident Ian Sheffield president of the Parrot Society of Australia (NSW).

Ten of his exotic birds were stolen from the aviary in the backyard of his Eastwood home while he slept about a month ago.

A pair of breeding Alexandrines, their three baby Alexandrines, one immature male Alexandrine and two breeding pairs of Plum head parrots went missing,

"I was just devastated when I walked outside and they were missing," he said. "The value of the birds varied, but to me they were priceless."

The estimated value could exceed $60,000 in the bird's breeding lifetime," he said. "The big thing is the dollar value is there because we can't import them anymore. So we have got to breed good ones from what we have."

Police are investigating the theft of birds from residential aviaries or cages over the past six months.

Continued:  http://northern-district-times.whereilive.com.au/news/story/black-market-in-rare-birds-suspected-in-northern-district/