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TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1982
PUBLIC WARNED ABOUT ENDANGERED ANIMALS
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FINES TOTALLING $50 000 WERE IMPOSED LAST YEAR ON 174 PEOPLE CONVICTED OF IMPORTING ENDANGERED ANIMALS AND THEIR PARTS INTO HONG KONG.
THE 174 PEOPLE WERE PROSECUTED UNDER THE ANIMALS AND PLANT. (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE, WHICH IS THE HONG KONG LEGISLATION GIVING EFFECT TO THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES).
THE OFFENDERS WERE MOSTLY HONG KONG RESIDENTS RETURNING FROM VISITS TO CHINA AND OTHER NEIGHBOURING SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES BETWEEN APRIL LAST YEAR AND THE END OF LAST MONTH,
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID THAT DURING MARCH ALONE, EIGHT PEOPLE WERE INTERCEPTED FOR ILLEGALLY IMPORTING PANGOLINS, SEA TURTLES AND OWLS.
DURING THE YEAR, 36 LIVE PANGOLINS AND ANOTHER 13 BODIES OF THE ANIMAL WERE SÉIZED FROM THE TRAVELLERS. OTHER SEIZURES INCLUDED 32 LIVE OWLS AND 78 SEA TURTLE SPECIMENS.
THE SEIZURES WERE VALUED AT $580 000.
FORTY-THREE OTHER CASES STEMMING FROM SIMILAR SEIZURES ARE TO BE HEARD IN COURT.
THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED PEOPLE RETURNING TO HONG KONG AFTER VISITS TO CHINA AND OVERSEAS COUNTRIES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BRING BACK SOUVENIRS OF LIVE OR PRESERVED ANIMALS LISTED UNDER THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE.
SOME RESIDENTS HAD BEEN FOUND IN POSSESSION OF SOUVENIRS, SUCH AS STUFFED SEA TURTLES, CROCODILES, AND TIGER AND LEOPARD SKINS AFTER VISITS TO SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES.
ALL THESE ANIMALS AND SOME RARE PLANTS, SUCH AS WILD ORCHIDS, AND WILD AMERICAN GINSENG ARE ENDANGERED SPÉCIES AND AS SUCH ARE PROTECTED BY LAW,
THE SPOKESMAN WARNED THAT ANY PERSON TRYING TO IMPORT OR POSSESS THESE ENDANGERED SPECIES IS CONTRAVENING THE LAW AND IS LIABLE TO PROSECUTION.
THE LAW PROVIDES FOR A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5 000 FOR FIRST OFFENCES IN ADDITION TO FORFEITURE OF THE ILLEGAL IMPORTS.
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON TRAVELLERS AT ENTRY POINTS IN LO WU, HUNG HOM AND THE AIRPORT, HE ADDED,
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