Taman Negara, Peninsular Malaysia’s premier national park, is celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity centered around a 130-million-year-old tropical rainforest that’s believed to be the world’s oldest. Within it, a remarkable variety of plants and animals take shelter. However, this wealth of wildlife has also made it a target for traffickers, disrupting the park’s delicate ecosystem. A recent analysis by wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC revealed that at least 28 seizure incidents involving wild animals occurred within 30 kilometers (19 miles) of Taman Negara between 2019 and 2024. TRAFFIC data showed that the most-seized parts by volume were from sun bears (Helarctos malayanus), leopards (Panthera pardus) and pangolins (Manis javanica) — species classified as threatened on the IUCN Red List and banned for commercial trade. “The findings show that wildlife-rich areas, whether they are within protected forests or outside it, are always at risk,” TRAFFIC communications manager Elizabeth John told Mongabay by email. John cited the example of a seizure in November 2023 in the town of Panching, about 50 km (30 mi) outside the park, in which authorities recovered 397 sun bear claws, as well as leopard and pangolin parts, potentially from Taman Negara and nearby smaller protected areas. She said incidents like these underscore the relentless threat to biodiversity and the urgent need for continued antitrafficking efforts in the region. Taman Negara, Peninsular Malaysia’s premier national park, is celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity centered around a 130-million-year-old tropical rainforest that’s believed to be the world’s oldest. Image by Vyacheslav…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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