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SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 1984
THE LAW PROVIDES FOR A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5 000 ON CONVICTION OF FIRST OFFENCE AND UP TO $10 000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT FOR SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT OFFENCES. THE ILLEGAL ARTICLES ARE FORFEITED.
MR LAU SAID ITEMS COMMONLY SEIZED INCLUDE STUFFED SEA TURTLES AND CROCODILES BROUGHT BACK BY TRAVELLERS AS SOUVENIRS FROM SOME SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES AS WELL AS OWLS, EAGLES AND LIVE PANGOLINS FROM CHINA.
+PLANTS ONLY ACCOUNT FOR A SMALL PORTION OF THE ARTICLES AMONG THEM ARE AMERICAN GINSENG AND WILD ORCHIDS,
SEIZED. HE SAID.
+
CAMPAIGNS LIKE THE +LET THEM LIVE - PROTECT THE ENDANGERED SPECIES+ EXHIBITION HELD IN 1981 BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG ARE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORT TO PROMOTE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION.
+ THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IS TO ENSURE THAT RARE SPECIES WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO FLOURISH IN SUITABLE ENVIRONMENTS, MR LAU SAID.
+ IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONVENTION, HONG KONG HAS BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH THE OTHER SIGNATORIES OF THE CITES FOR LIVING SPECIES SEIZED HERE TO BE SENT BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND OR TO SUITABLE ORGANISATIONS WHICH HOLD BREEDING GROUPS OF THEIR KIND,+ HE SAID.
A CONSIGNMENT OF 57 RADIATED TORTOISES WAS SENT TO THE JERSEY ZOOLOGICAL PARK IN THE UNITED KINGDOM FOR BREEDING IN 1982.
CLOSE LIAISON BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND CHINA HAS ALSO RESULTED IN THE RECENT DESPATCH OF AN UNUSUAL CONSIGNMENT OF ENDANGERED ANIMALS INCLUDING A BROWN BEAR, MONKEYS, CAIMANS, PYTHONS AND RADIATED TORTOISES.
+A NUMBER OF LIVE PANGOLINS, TURTLES AND WILD BIRDS HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN HONG KONG, + MR LAU SAID.
+CONF ISCATED LIVE ANIMALS ARE USUALLY ACCOMMODATED IN GOVERNMENT KENNELS PENDING RELOCATION FOR BREEDING OR ADOPTION BY LOCAL ZOOS,+ MR LAU SAID,
DEAD SPECIMENS ARE SENT TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES AND MUSEUMS, OR MADE AVAILABLE TO OTHER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITIES FOR REFERENCE OR FOR TRAINING WORK, HE SAID.
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