Poachers target rare species through online bird-watching groups

An alarming trend has emerged in Malaysia's fight against the illegal wildlife trade, involving poachers of endangered bird species "spying" on the social media accounts of the bird-watching community in search of their prey, according to conservationists.

Disguising themselves as birdwatching enthusiasts and wildlife photographers, the poachers infiltrate communities, forums and chat groups, befriending genuine hobbyists to gather information on bird locations.

Poachers have increasingly used these tactics to find certain bird species in Malaysia as demand soars, with prices ranging from 500 ringgit ($111) to 200,000 ringgit per bird.

Wildlife conservationist and photographer Peter Ong told The Star that poachers scour social media accounts for photos uploaded by bird-watchers, aiming to obtain the location where the birds were spotted before setting out to source for the animals.

"This is why we should never disclose the location where photos of these birds were taken," he said.

"Just stating the territory vaguely is sufficient — not specific locations. Doing so serves no purpose," said Ong, who has been into wildlife photography since 2018.

Ong, the author of Wang Kelian: The Forgotten Valley, a book on biodiversity and cultural heritage, said he had come across poachers and traces of their presence when he was researching his book.

He found animal traps, discarded food packets and other hazardous items.

Ong said he avoided confronting the poachers who are "armed and dangerous" but reported their presence to the authorities.

Southeast Asian Region of Bird-Life International Asia Council Vice-chairman Henry Goh said the convenience of the internet has also allowed poachers to source for the birds they seek from the wild.

He said social media platform operators should help conserve wildlife by censoring or deleting postings that could lead to poaching.

Goh said that in order to raise public awareness, education on the value of birds in the ecosystem should begin in primary school.

"This way, when they are aware, they can be the eyes and ears of the authorities and feed them information on poaching activities," he said.

"While it is not easy to monitor these activities as they are often committed in forests and parks, there should be greater monitoring and scrutiny at checkpoints in the country where these protected animals are smuggled out.

"There should also be harsher penalties and stricter laws," said the avid birder, who is also a former president of the Malaysian Nature Society.

A spokesman of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia said the authorities are aware of the poachers' tactics and have been vigilant at certain sites around the country.

"They target social media users and groups, befriending them to collect information on bird locations from their posts," the spokesman said.

"Armed with this information, poachers set traps to capture the birds, often focusing on nesting sites. They prefer to find nesting birds and collect their young, catching juveniles just as they are about to fledge." According to the spokesman, bird enthusiasts and photographers have reported to the department that poachers are setting traps near nests, securing nets with nails to keep the birds from fleeing without injuring them.

The spokesman warned the bird-watching community not to post the locations of birds or their nests online.

"This information can be accessed by poachers, leading to the capture and potential endangerment of these species."

To prevent the exploitation of Malaysia's avian wildlife, the spokesman urged bird-watchers and photographers to be vigilant and cautious when sharing sensitive information.

Police and Wildlife and National Parks departments personnel recently conducted a joint operation that resulted in the arrest of six men aged between 20 and 50 during multiple raids, leading to the seizure of 64 hanging and rumped parrots. The suspects sold the birds, estimated to be worth 200,000 ringgit, to collectors through social media platforms.

In April, the authorities seized 43 protected bird species bound for overseas in a special operation at the KL International Airport.

The estimated value of the birds, which included the Ara hybrid, yellow-headed parrot, military macaw, scarlet macaw, blue and yellow macaw, Major Mitchell's cockatoo and golden parakeet, was 800,000 ringgit.

In May, a 28-year-old man in Nibong Tebal, Penang, was nabbed after he was found in possession of 25 protected birds, namely a green-cheeked conure, a masked lovebird, a sun conure, a faced lovebird, a Fischer's lovebird and a ringed parakeet.

The spokesman said those caught possessing or poaching protected birds could be investigated under the law, which carries a maximum punishment of 700,000 ringgit, a jail term of no longer than 10 years, or both.

THE STAR