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WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1989
NEW EFFORTS TO CONSERVE ENDANGERED WILDLIFE * * * * *
MEASURES ENDANGERED OF THE LAW WITH A
THE GOVERNMENT WILL SHORTLY BE INTRODUCING ADDITIONAL ΤΟ FURTHER TIGHTEN UP THE CONTROL
IN TRADE ON THE SPECIES IN HONG KONG AND TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT VIEW TO BETTER CONSERVING ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT SPECIES) ENDANGERED OF
THE CONVENTION ON FAUNA AND FLORA
THESE NEW MEASURES WILL BE PRESCRIBED IN A TO THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION ORDINANCE. THE LOCAL LEGISLATION GIVING EFFECT TO
OF WILD INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES (CITES).
CONSIDERED BY THE
THE
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, WHICH WILL SOON BE LEGISLATURE, WILL SEEK TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR BREACHING LAW BY FIVE-FOLD FROM $5,000 TO $25,000 FOR THE FIRST OFFENCE AND FROM $10,000 TO $50,000 FOR A REPEATED OFFENCE.
THE
EXISTING
CEILINGS WERE
FIXED
IN
WHEN
THE
THE
FINE
1976 ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED. THEY ARE NOW CONSIDERED TOO LOW TO PROVIDE NECESSARY DETERRENT.
A PROHIBITION ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WILL BE
RHINOCEROS ON THE TRADE IN ANY MEDICINAL PRODUCTS CLAIMING TO CONTAIN INGREDIENTS.
THE
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS) OF
(WEDNESDAY} IU, TODAY AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MR K.C.
KOWLOON WEST ABOUT TOLD A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY THESE IMPENDING LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.
OF CLUB
HAD
DISPELLENT HANDLE OF
MR IU SAID IN THE PAST FEW HUNDRED YEARS, RHINOCEROS HORNS BEEN USED IN CHINA AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES AS FEVER AND AS A CURE FOR HEADACHE. THEY HAD ALSO BEEN USED AS THE DAGGERS IN MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES.
SO EXTENSIVELY "BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEMAND, RHINOCEROSES WERE
THE THAT
TOTAL POPULATION WAS POACHED IN THE PRODUCING COUNTRIES
THE BARLY 1970'S ΤΟ LESS THAN DRASTICALLY REDUCED FROM 70,000 IN 10,000 IN 1988.
"IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITES RESOLUTION TO FROM EXTINCTION, HONG KONG STARTED BANNING THE PRODUCTS IN 1979. THE BAN WAS
SAVE THE SPECIES IMPORT OF RHINOCEROS FURTHER EXTENDED IN AUGUST 1988 TO
MR IU SAID.
COVER THE INTERNAL SALE OF SUCH PRODUCTS,
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AMENDMENT WAS
APPROVED, HONG
WHICH EXERCISED A TOTAL
ΤΟ CLAIMING
ITS CONTAIN
PROPOSED HE ADDED THAT IF THE KONG WOULD BE THE FIRST PLACE IN THE WORLD BAN ON
RHINOCEROS INCLUDING
INGREDIENTS.
SUBSTANCES
MR IU POINTED OUT THAT THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE ORDINANCE TO PREVENT AND DETECT ILLEGAL TRADING IN ENDANGERED WILDLIFE.
WAS
"THE GREAT