Whale Sharks Rescued From Captivity In Maluku

SATURDAY NIGHT CRIME: WHALE SHARKS FREED FROM CAPTIVITY

In a night time raid conducted on a major supplier of large ocean species to the international wildlife trade, Indonesian law enforcement officers found two illegally caught whale sharks being held in submerged pens. The whale sharks had been kept in the pens for three months and were part of a scheme that aimed to export them to Chinese aquatic amusement parks. Thankfully, the whale sharks were unharmed and subsequently released into the open sea.

The whale shark is a protected species in Indonesia and is listed as �Vulnerable� by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). International trade of whale sharks is also regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES).

In Singapore, anyone who imports, exports, re-exports or introduces from the sea any scheduled species without a permit will be liable to a conviction under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act and may be fined up to $50,000 for each scheduled species or to imprisonment for a maximum of 2 years or both. A similar penalty applies for any person who has in his possession, or who sells, or advertises for sale, or displays to the public any scheduled species which has been imported or introduced from the sea.

Everyone has a role to play in combating wildlife trafficking. If you know of anyone who is involved in such activities, please contact the police, the AVA, or our Animal Crime Investigation Unit at acrescrime@gmail.com.

Click here to read full article: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/05/28/whale-sharks-rescued-from-captivity-in-maluku.html

#ACRES #ACIU #WhaleSharks #Captivity #CITES #IllegalWildlifeTrade #Trafficking



Officials from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry and environmentalists have rescued whale sharks being kept in a floating cage in Maluku by a Singapore-based businessman, who allegedly intended to sell them to China.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/05/28/whale-sharks-r..

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ACRES

ACRES (Animal Concerns Research & Education Society) is a pioneering Singapore-based charity and Institution of Public Character, founded by Singaporeans in 2001 with the aim of promoting animal welfare.

ACRES has six focus areas: Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, Wildlife Crime Investigation, Zoo Animal Welfare, Humane Education, Community Outreach and Promoting Cruelty-Free Living.

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