Three smugglers were arrested on Tuesday the 16th of January 2018 in Melaka, Malaysia, by the Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency. Unfortunately, the authorities intercepted the fleeing boat after the men had thrown overboard 300 birds. Only three of them could be saved from drowning. According to a press statement, the birds were likely smuggled over land from Viet Nam to Thailand before heading to Indonesia for sale on illegal markets. The species are currently being identified but most of them are believed to be Songbirds.
This unfortunate incident is another reminder of the significance of conservation campaigns, such as Silent Forest, launched last September by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, TRAFFIC, BirdLife International and the IUCN Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group. It should encourage us all to work twice as hard to inform on and fight against the trade of these iconic species.
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