THE online sale of exotic wildlife is adopting an intermediary concept through the “dropshipping” method, wherein the seller does not physically possess the wildlife but instead earns a commission on the sale, said Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

He said online wildlife sales encompass licensed sellers, unlicenced sellers associated with poachers or breeders, and syndicates utilising methods like cash on delivery, couriers, and public transportation.

“The widespread use of social media and strict privacy controls make it challenging to track down the actual criminals,” he said in a statement today, in response to an English-language newspaper report on January 12 regarding the increasing online trafficking of exotic wildlife.

He stated that the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) has implemented various measures to address the rampant online sale of wildlife.

This includes strengthening the legal framework through amendments to the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716), adding specific provisions, and increasing penalties to a maximum of 15 years imprisonment and a fine of up to RM1 million as a preventive approach (deterrent).

Under the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 (Act 686), offences related to the import and export of wildlife without a permit can lead to a maximum fine of RM1 million or imprisonment for up to seven years, or both, for individuals. Corporate bodies may face a maximum fine of RM2 million.

According to data from Perhilitan Peninsular Malaysia spanning from 2020 to December 2023, there were 654 reported cases involving the online sale of exotic wildlife through various social media platforms

Primate species, which include mammals like monkeys and lemurs, were the most traded, with a total of 215 animals, followed by small mammal species and birds.

Nik Nazmi mentioned that from 2015 to 2023, a total of 58 cases of online wildlife sales through social media have been addressed by Perhilitan.

Of these, 25 cases have been resolved, while the remaining cases are under investigation and prosecution. – Bernama, January 17, 2024.