KUCHING, April 17: A concerned citizen have surrendered three protected bird species, the Collared Scoops Owl, to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).
The three owlets were found in front of a shop lot at Taman Tunku, Miri, yesterday, said its chief executive officer Zolkipli Mohamad Aton.
He added that the owlets are kept at Piasau Nature Reserve before releasing it into the wild.
Zolkipli, who is also the state Wildlife Controller, expressed gratitude towards the individual for her act of consciousness in protecting the wildlife.
“The public willingness to surrender the animals showed that our society at large is now more aware of their responsibility in conserving the existence of our wildlife.
“Wild animals are best to be left undisturbed in the wild, as part of the forest communities,” he said in a statement.
The owl is a totally protected animals under the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998. Any person found keeping protected species could face a RM10,000 fine and 12 months’ imprisonment if convicted.
Members of the public with information of wildlife sighting can contact SFC hotlines at 019-8859996/016-8565564 (Kuching), 019-8190140/019-8894474 (Sibu), 019-8223449/019-8332737 (Bintulu) and 019-8224566/019-8290994 (Miri). — DayakDaily
