Category: Animal Rights EN

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is highly disturbed at news of shark finning carried out regularly in the diving haven of Sipadan, off the coast of Semporna in Sabah. There is no reprieve for sharks as calls from academics, divers, conservationists, social activist and NGOs for a ban on shark hunting have proven futile, following a disclosure from the Sabah Department of Fisheries that a total ban on...

Even scientists were surprised by the release of GM mosquitoes in Malaysia, reports sciencemag.org of The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)*. Medical entomologist Bart Knols of the University of Amsterdam worries that surprises such as the releases in Grand Cayman and Malaysia may erode public trust and provide anti-GM groups with ammunition. Helen Wallace of the...

People are fascinated at the sight and chirping of birds in pet shops and are willing to pay huge sums just to own an exotic species. But "bird lovers" show hardly any concern at the trauma suffered by birds captured in their country of origin, during transportation and mortality before reaching the country of destination. Where the legal trade has decimated wild bird populations, the illegal...

Raju Z Moray I SAW a little red ant crawling up my sleeve. Without batting an eyelid I slapped it out of existence. Nothing unusual? Right! You would have done the same thing yourself? Absolutely! Now just wait a minute. Think of it this way. I just sentenced a living creature to death. It had done me no harm. It was probably just lost and trying to find its way home. To its loved ones, waiting....

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is pleased that the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is reviewing the licences of pet owners in urban and apartment buildings and hopefully will also stop issuing them licences. Apartments and industrial areas are not ideal places for the keeping of macaques. Life in captivity would be stressful for the animals in addition to the stress experienced as a...

Massive clearing of greens and the relentless chopping of trees to make space for frenzied development for hideous concrete structures have taken a toll on birds. Much of the areas that are now urban centres, agricultural and industrial areas used to be wetlands, forests and other habitats for birds. Humans, principally developers are ignorant of the fact that trees provide birds with food,...

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is finally relieved to learn of the revocation of all licences and permits issued to a notorious wildlife smuggler and the confiscation of all his animals and reptile by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Wildlife department. However SAM is extremely concerned that with one wildlife trafficker caught others will fill the void.  The trade in...