Latest news with #Kalaivanan
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
NGO lodges police report over dog being skinned alive in Melaka
MELAKA: An animal welfare group has lodged a police report after a dog was allegedly skinned alive in an industrial area in Krubong here. Melaka Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Christopher Patit confirmed the matter when contacted. "The police report is currently being lodged," he said on Sunday (Aug 17). Earlier, Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia (SAFM) president R. Kalaivanan condemned the act, believed to have taken place on Friday (Aug 15), as 'merciless and inhumane.' "The dog has been euthanised by a veterinarian,' he said when contacted. Kalaivanan called on the Veterinary Services Department to investigate, stressing that acts of animal cruelty should be punished. 'This is a clear case of abuse, and the perpetrator must face the full force of the law,' he said. He said animal abuse is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2015, carrying a penalty of up to three years' jail, a fine of RM100,000, or both, upon conviction. Kalaivanan also appealed to the public for help. "We urge witnesses to come forward and help stop such cruelty,' he added.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Wildlife rescue group Acres hopes to send 30 endangered freshwater turtles back to Indonesia
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The thirty pig-nosed turtles under Acres' care are slated to be repatriated to Indonesia in January 2026. SINGAPORE - Wildlife rescue group Acres is looking to send 30 endangered pig-nosed turtles, seized from the wildlife trade in Singapore, back to Indonesia in January 2026, The Straits Times has learnt. The planned repatriation of these freshwater turtles, so named for their large, fleshy noses that resemble a pig's snout, will be one of the group's biggest and most ambitious yet, its CEO Kalaivanan Balakrishnan told ST. Acres, or the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, has repatriated more than 70 animals since it was formed in 2001. This includes sending 51 Indian star tortoises, considered vulnerable to extinction, back to India in 2018 , and two critically endangered giant Asian pond turtles to Malaysia in 2019 . But sending the pig-nosed turtles home will be far more costly, Mr Kalaivanan said. He expects the repatriation of these hefty turtles to cost at least $40,000 , for two flights and a boat ride. Each pig-nosed turtle weighs around four to six kilograms each. They are also fully aquatic , and have to be exposed to moisture throughout their journey home - making the commute expensive and complicated, he said. The cost of repatriating animals to Malaysia were much lower, Mr Kalaivanan said without citing figures. This is because the animals only had to be transported across the border, he added. Pig-nosed turtles are naturally found in Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea. They have a very restricted range, occupying only freshwater and estuarine habitats in the Northern Territory of Australia and New Guinea's southern lowlands . But they are often traded internationally as exotic pets, due to their unique appearance. It is illegal to keep pig-nosed turtles as pets in Singapore. Only two turtle species - the red-eared slider and the Malayan box turtle - can be legally sold as pets here. As the pig-nosed turtles are poached in large numbers for the pet trade and the consumption of its meat, its numbers in the wild have been in steady decline. In 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - a global conservation organisation - upgraded the species' conservation status from vulnerable to endangered. This reflects the greater threat that human activity is posing to their numbers. Acres has s ince 2009 rescued its 30 pig-nosed turtles in batches. Some were surrendered by pet owners, while others were found in local water bodies including Kallang River and East Coast Park. They have since been housed in the organisation's wildlife rescue centre in Sungei Tengah, which is 0.5ha - roughly the size of half a football field. Due to the turtle's highly territorial nature, they are individually kept in small pool tubs with not much room to swim around. 'They are the only animals that I was not able to help in any way, because we didn't have enough space,' Mr Kalaivanan said. The pig-nosed turtles, which are not native to Singapore, should also not be released into water bodies here, as they may interact with and impact local ecosystems and turtle populations, said Mr Kannan Raja, the president of the Herpetological Society of Singapore. Mr Kalaivanan said that Acres has since the 2010s made multiple attempts to repatriate the turtles, although they were unsuccessful. But a new contact within the Indonesian government has made Acres' latest attempt its most optimistic yet, Mr Kalaivanan said. He added that the turtle's uplisting on the IUCN's Red List of threatened species from vulnerable to endangered could have made the case for their repatriation stronger. Many of Acres' successful repatriations were also for species considered endangered or critically endangered, he added. Acres' CEO Mr Kalaivanan Balakrishnan holds up a pig-nosed turtle housed at its premises in Sungei Tengah. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN But much is left to do before the turtles can possibly return home next January . This includes applying for import and export permits, purchasing transport cages, and assessing the animals' ability to swim, forage and survive in the wild, Mr Kalaivanan said . Pig-nosed turtles are listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), an intergovernmental treaty which Singapore is party to. This means that they can only be traded internationally with permits from exporting countries. Mr Kalaivanan added that the turtles' diet is also being modified to match what they eat in their natural habitat. They are currently transitioning from a captive diet made up of fruits, vegetables, dead prawn and fish, to a more naturalistic one that includes wild figs and other wild-type fruits. Mr Kalaivanan said repatriation efforts not only help the wild animals return to their natural habitat, but also frees up space at Acres' wildlife rescue centre to take more animals in. 'It's a continuous cycle, until people stop smuggling wildlife,' he said. Ms Xie Renhui , the National Parks Board's (NParks) director of wildlife trade, said the Board has a multi-pronged approach to guard against illegal wildlife trade. Its initiatives include actively enforcing laws, surveilling online and physical marketplaces and taking enforcement action. 'These efforts are aimed at protecting wildlife species, not just iconic species, and are crucial for the biodiversity in our region and beyond,' she said.
The Sun
28-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
Pop-up zoos condemned for exploitative practices
PETALING JAYA: Leashed to a chair and pacing beside a donation box, a meerkat at a Kuala Lumpur mall has become the face of growing public outrage over animal exploitation in Malaysia's booming pop-up zoo industry. The TikTok video that exposed the scene lasted less than a minute but the backlash was swift. Viewers flooded the comments, calling the display 'cruel', 'heartbreaking' and 'a disgrace'. In the background, shoppers walked by, seemingly unfazed by the small, visibly distressed animal tethered in place for public amusement. Animal welfare groups say what the public saw is just the surface of a much darker problem. 'These animals are not suited for confined spaces or constant human interaction,' said Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia president Kalaivanan Ravichandran, condemning the use of exotic species in temporary public exhibits. 'Using them for entertainment disrupts their natural behaviour, and causes physical and psychological stress.' He said the conditions in many of these pop-up exhibits amount to prolonged suffering for the animals. Often operating in legal grey areas, these setups use exotic species as photo props with little oversight or enforcement. 'Most of these setups prioritise profit over proper animal care. We often see signs of stress in the animals, inadequate enclosures and a lack of veterinary oversight,' he said, adding that their use is often unethical and lacks genuine educational or conservation value. He questioned whether operators comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which outlines minimum standards for housing, handling and exhibiting animals. Under the law, organisers must obtain permits from the Veterinary Services Department and Wildlife and National Parks Department, with regular inspections. 'All parties involved, such as event organisers, zoo operators and venue providers, must be held accountable. Organisers must uphold ethical standards, operators must ensure the animals' welfare and venues must enforce compliance with the law.' Kalaivanan also called for stronger enforcement by authorities. 'Laws are only effective when properly enforced. We urge both departments to adopt a firmer stance.' He appealed to the public to report suspected abuse and stop supporting entertainment that exploits animals. 'Animals deserve to be treated with dignity. If you witness mistreatment, do not stay silent. Speak up and report it. Together, we can create a society that protects and respects all living beings.' Veterinarian Dr Salehatul Khuzaimah Mohamad Ali said exotic animals, such as meerkats, are especially vulnerable to stress in captive environments. 'Meerkats are highly sensitive and could develop chronic stress when subjected to unfamiliar environments and constant human interaction. This stress weakens their immune system, making them more susceptible to illness.' She added that such animals may exhibit stereotypic behaviours (repetitive, unnatural actions, such as pacing or head bobbing), which are signs of mental distress. Without appropriate shelter or hiding places, they could become aggressive or withdrawn. Long-term confinement could even erase natural behaviours, such as burrowing, climbing or basking. Salehatul warned that cramped conditions and improper flooring could cause musculoskeletal issues while poor diets and irregular feeding may lead to obesity or malnutrition. 'Temporary setups often fail to maintain species-appropriate temperature and humidity. This increases the risk of dehydration, respiratory distress and even organ failure.' Inadequate hygiene and close public contact also raise the risk of parasitic infections, skin diseases and the transmission of zoonotic illnesses. 'A high standard of veterinary care is essential when displaying exotic animals in public settings.' She added that this includes health screenings, regular checkups, behavioural monitoring and proper documentation. 'A veterinarian must assess whether an animal is fit for public display. No animal should be forced to interact or perform under stress or poor health conditions.' She noted that event operators are required to have a qualified veterinarian either on-site or on-call throughout the exhibition period. She urged the public to reconsider the ethics of these exhibits. 'We need to move away from wildlife encounters that prioritise entertainment over welfare. It is time to shift public perception and stop supporting such practices.'
New Straits Times
04-06-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Animal rights groups call for action after lizards smuggled from India
KUALA LUMPUR: Animal welfare groups are calling for greater public awareness of the consequences of wildlife trafficking, following reports of a passenger smuggling two monitor lizards from Malaysia to India. They described the incident as an act of cruelty and stressed the urgent need for stronger enforcement and better public understanding of the impact of such crimes. Malaysia Animal Association president Arie Dwi Andika said the authorities must better educate the public and traders on the proper procedures for obtaining licences for exotic animals, to prevent illegal smuggling. He said the individual involved could face charges under two provisions of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Peninsular Malaysia), for smuggling and animal cruelty. He added that those who deal with or trade in wildlife need to ensure all activities are carried out lawfully, to avoid breaching both local and international laws. "The issue now is that by breaking the law, it's not just our domestic regulations that are violated, but international implications are involved as well, and this ultimately harms the image and credibility of the government," he told the New Straits Times today. These comments come after Indian customs officials intercepted a passenger arriving at Tiruchirappalli International Airport from Kuala Lumpur with two monitor lizards hidden in his checked baggage. Photos released by authorities showed the two reptiles with their mouths and limbs tightly bound and wrapped in black cloth. Meanwhile, the Stray Animal Association of Malaysia president R. Kalaivanan said public education campaigns are essential to raise awareness of the environmental and legal consequences of trafficking. He said transporting them in confined and unnatural conditions cause extreme suffering, stress, and often death. Kalaivanan said the association strongly opposes such inhumane acts and remains committed to protecting vulnerable wildlife from exploitation. "It is imperative that authorities and airlines take immediate and comprehensive actions to prevent wildlife trafficking. "We urge for the implementation of cutting-edge technologies and stronger inspection protocols at all entry points, and staff must be thoroughly trained to identify and report suspicious activities, with heightened vigilance during peak travel periods," he said. Kalaivanan said the association is also committed to working with local and international agencies to push for policy reforms that prioritise wildlife protection at all levels. Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim had said they have yet to receive any reports on the smuggling.
New Straits Times
24-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Animal lovers outraged as man spray-paints monkey
KUALA LUMPUR: Two viral video clips circulating on social media showing a man spray-painting a monkey have sparked anger from animal lovers. In the clips, purportedly filmed in a residential area in Sungai Buloh, the monkey can be seen struggling in a cage as paint is sprayed on its body. The Stray Animal Association of Malaysia (SAFM) president, R. Kalaivanan, condemned the man in the video and called for action to be taken against him. "SAFM urges witnesses to step forward and lodge a report with the police and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) so that action can be taken," he said in a statement. Kalaivanan said SAFM also wants Perhilitan to investigate the matter and take swift action. He said that under Section 86 of the Wildlife Conservation Act, the perpetrator can be fined up to RM50,000, jailed for up to a year, or both, if convicted. "There is no room for cruelty against wildlife, and we will continue to monitor the development of this case," he said. Many social media users condemned the man's actions, describing them as a form of abuse and calling on the authorities to rescue the monkey before more harm comes to it.
