KUCHING, Jan 14: Scales, fragments of skin, bones and even worms from the carcass of the giant python discovered at Tanjung Lutong forest in Lingga have been collected by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) for analysis.
SFC officers were immediately dispatched to the site to investigate the case following a video clip that went viral on Jan 8 of the shocking discovery of the snake which was allegedly killed by a group of land surveyors while carrying out works.
“The weather was poor, and it took us four hours from Kuching to Lingga, followed by a 30-minute boat ride to the area and another three kilometres on foot through muddy forest to get to the location at Sg Sekupang where the carcass was left behind,” the statement said.
During the investigation from Jan 8 to 12, SFC officers had also interviewed and interrogated the nine individuals in the viral video.
The case is being investigated under Section 29(2) of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1998.
Any person who hunts, kills, captures, sells, offers for sale or claims to be offering for sale, imports, exports, or is in possession of, any protected animal or any recognisable part or derivative thereof, or any nest thereof, except under and in accordance with the terms and conditions of a license issued under this Ordinance, shall be guilty of an offence.
If found guilty, the perpetrator can be jailed for one year and fined RM10,000.
Assistant Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh had previously emphasised that pythons were a protected species under Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1998.
“Therefore, for safety reasons, the public is not encouraged to handle dangerous wildlife by themselves,” he said.
The incident or any discovery of wildlife should be reported immediately to the authority and SFC hotlines which can be contacted at 016-8565564 or 019-8859996 (Kuching), 019-8883561 (Sibu), 019-8223449 or 019-8332737 (Bintulu), and 019-8290994 or 018-9799778 (Miri). —DayakDaily
