Sabah freezes issuance of hunting licences following swine fever outbreak

 

State Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said the ban on the issuance of hunting licenses would continue until further notice to help prevent spread of ASF infection to other pig farms across Sabah.

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has frozen the issuance of hunting licenses following the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in Pitas.

State Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said the ban on the issuance of hunting licenses would continue until further notice to help prevent spread of ASF infection to other pig farms across Sabah.

"We advise the people not to hunt without permission. Any hunting activity and sale of wildlife that is against the law must be immediately reported to the Wildlife Department," he said in a statement today.

While warning the people against illegal hunting following the outbreak, Tuuga stressed the department had never issued any statement urging the public not to consume pork.

He said the department would assist the state Veterinary Services Department (DVS) in curbing the transmission of ASF to livestock.

In early February, the state Wildlife Department had warned the public against buying wild game meat after the carcasses of dozens of wild boars were found dead in several forests.

Between Jan 28 and Feb 4, a total of 29 wild boar carcasses were found in Kinabatangan, while another five were found in Sugud and Paitan.

The DVS also reported that several adult wild bearded pigs were found dead in the Kinabatangan region in December last year.

Earlier, state Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said DVS would be culling pigs in affected areas as soon as possible after the department declared an outbreak of ASF in Pitas.

To curb the spread of disease, DVS has also been given authority to control the movement of pigs and the sale of pork products originating from the affected areas. - NST