Perhilitan defends raids on gibbon centre, stresses no warrant needed

 

The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has come forward to explain and defend its raids on Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Grep) centre in Raub, Pahang, in which six gibbons were confiscated from Dec 29 to 31, 2020.

Perhilitan, in a statement today, claimed that the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 allows it to carry out the raid without first securing a warrant.

Perhilitan, which drew flak following the controversial raids, also stated that the six gibbons were not injured or dead during the process.

"An operation to retrieve six gibbons had been carried out by Perhilitan at Kampung Ulu Sungai, Jasu, Raub from Dec 29 to Dec 31.

"The operation used the persuasion method with bait to move the gibbons from the main cage to the cage used to transport them. The cages then were sent using a zip-line method to make it easier to get them across the river and to the truck," said Perhilitan.

The department also denied the accusation that some of the gibbons escaped during the process, saying that they are safe and sound at the National Wildlife Rescue Centre (NWRC) in Sungkai, Perak.

"There were no sedatives used during the recovery process," said the department.

"For now, the gibbons are being quarantined for 30 days to undergo a recovery process under the supervision of a veterinary doctor," said Perhilitan.

"We found that the gibbons are tame, and they do not fear human. A rewilding process will be implemented thoroughly before they are released back to their original habitat," said Perhilitan.

Perhilitan claimed that the gibbons were found to have experienced "stereotyped behaviours" or abnormal behaviour prior to the raids.

Mariani Ramli

Perhilitan raided Grep amidst a legal tussle between the department and Grep founder Mariani Ramli. A former Perhilitan ranger, she had taken the department to court in 2016 after Perhilitan terminated her employment and withdrew her permit to possess gibbons, a wild animal.

The Court of Appeal handed a win to Perhilitan on Nov 15, 2020, but Mariani's lawyers have since communicated their intention to appeal the decision at the Federal Court.

Perhilitan contends that the Court of Appeal decision allows them to seize the six gibbons. - Mkini