MONETARY REWARD OFFER TO SAVE WILDLIFE

KUANTAN (Malaysia), July 29 (Bernama) -- The Wildlife and National Parks
Department is offering between RM2,000 (US$1=RM3.5) and RM4,000 to people who
give information which can help curb the smuggling of protected wildlife.



"We need the support of the public as the smuggling of protected animals in
the country has become rampant," tts director-general, Abd Rashid Samsudin told
reporters after closing a biodiversity conservation programme on saving
displaced wildlife at the Chereh Dam, here Tuesday.

He said the public should not be worried about their safety as the
department would keep the informer's identity confidential.

Meanwhile, Pahang Wildlife and National Parks director Khairiah Mohd Shariff
said the programme, first organised two years ago, had successfully saved
wildlife from being trapped due to the rising water in the dam.

She said the department had saved 141 deer, 50 porcupines, five civet cats,
two Great Argus birds, a slow loris and an elephant, and added that these
animals had been sent to their natural habitat in forest reserves.

-- BERNAMA