Jul 15 2009, 01:11 AM
By the way your CP are really beautiful these days.I'll try to give my 2 cents on some of the unanswered queries here.
QUOTE(slackerz @ Apr 14 2009, 11:00 PM)
i have a question here..if we keep some protected sp., i mean this carnivorous plant la,do we need a license?
The laws and regulations governing wildlife protection and conservation in Malaysia are separated between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. Each of these 3 geographical segment has its own laws and penalties that varies from each other. Each geographical segment is governed by different Act/Enactment/Ordinance/Rules.All Nepenthes are listed as “Protected Plants” while species like N. rajah is listed under “Totally Protected Plants”. Nepenthes species listed in Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) are also protected by the law. Check out the CITES website at http://www.cites.org/ for more information.
The summary of the law states that:
No person shall harvest a plant protected by the law unless he/she obtains a Plant Collection License. However, this license is only applicable to plants under the “Protected Plants” section. No one may harvest plants in the “Totally Protected Plants” section and no license will be issued for this reason. The only exception is when it is a special request that requires approval from the Director of the Government agency (in the respective states) responsible for issuing the license. Any person who contravenes these laws commits an offense and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine of up to RM50,000.00 or imprisonment for 5 years or both, depending on the State in Malaysia. The penalty for harvesting plants from the wild in the “Totally Protected Plants” section carries a heavier sentence.
No person shall bring into the State or take out of the State any protected/wild plant except with an import/export permit/license. Any person who contravenes these laws commits an offense and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine of not more than RM50,000.00 or not more than 5 years imprisonment or both depending on whether the offense is commited in Sabah, Sarawak or Peninsular Malaysia. In some states, the penalty includes a fine of RM2,000.00 or five times the value of the plant imported or exported. However, according to an officer in the Jabatan Kawalan dan Kuarantin Tumbuhan, Ibu Pejabat Jabatan Pertanian, Kuala Lumpur, permit and phytosanitary certificate is required if you are transporting the plants within Sabah & Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia as Sabah and Sarawak are considered a different geographical area from Peninsular Malaysia. To transport the plant within Peninsular Malaysia no permit is required. Since Sarawak have its own wildlife Ordinance and Rules, and Sabah its Enactment, to transport plants within this two state also require permit and phytosanitary certificates.
No permit is required to keep Nepenthes. According to the officer, it has not been the department’s policy to carry out raids on individual premise unless they have prior information that plants are being smuggled. Their main concern is at the entry point such as airport and other checkpoints where plants can be brought in illegally without the import permit In Sarawak, the law states that you have to have a permit for each of your Nepenthes. The cost is (RM10/annually/plant) as stated in the Sarawak Wildlife Protection Rules (1998). You also need to have a permit to sell Nepenthes. According to another officer who works in Jabatan Hutan Sarawak, Wisma Sumber Alam, Kuching, todate they have yet to enforce the rules on the RM10.00 annual permit on individual. What they are more concern about is the collection of wild plants. Previously they have caught people trying to smuggled wild Nepenthes, Orchids etc. at the airport. The rule has been set up in 1998 but they have yet to enforce it.
The rule states:
” To keep in captivity or to possess protected animal or protected plant” the fee is RM10.00 per annum per animal, plants or part thereof."
Quote from the 2nd Schedule of the Wildlife Protection Rules 1998, Fees for License and Permit (pg 16)
QUOTE(slackerz @ Apr 15 2009, 01:17 AM)
because i think some of them protected and endemic here..if u wan to sell it,especially to foreigners,better be careful and better not(i hate to sell something endemic and native here to foreigners).but this is what i like with hobbyist,sometimes we contribute on conserving them by keeping them and 'breed' them.if i am conservationist, one of the strategy to save some endangered species is to attract the interest of hobbyist.so plant can be conserve and produced more until it no longer become endangered.for example,Alocasia melo,not carnivorous plant, but one time become endangered because of habitat destruction(logging in borneo).but fortunately this plant has really unique look,some scientist decide to bring it as ornamental plant..from a few plant available in herbarium,it become a lot and u can even find them in ace hardware sometimes,ha3. this is what wildlife department duwan to see..LOL.. 
We are blessed that Malaysia is the center of distribution for the largest carnivorous plant in the world; the genus, Nepenthes… or better known locally as Pitcher Plants, Monkey Cup or Periuk Kera in Bahasa Malaysia. Malaysia is also home to other amazing carnivorous plants such as Drosera and terrestrial or aquatic Utricularia. I totally agree with your conservation view slackerz. This natural heritage that we have will be lost if we do not monitor their conservation status and show sensible conservation practices. Heath and peat swamp forest, secondary vegetation, wetlands and montane forest where Nepenthes and other carnivorous plants grow are being cleared or burned for agriculture or for development, destroying the entire habitat. This might be a “grey” area because when human population increases, more houses or infrastructure needs to be build to sustain the population. But I think more research and consideration has to go into making sure we are not destroying the last habitat of a certain species in our country. It is an irony, because on one hand the law states that these plants are protected and they cannot be removed form their natural habitat. On another hand the government allows and encourage the destruction of habitat for development etc.
The removal of Nepenthes by irresponsible nursery owners and collectors also plays a part in reducing the population of these amazing plants in their natural habitat. This has become more of a threat in recent years for the genus Nepenthes. I have witness a beautiful habitat of highland Nepenthes being destroyed within weeks by poachers and leisure visitors. Some of the plants were pulled out of the ground and dumped aside to die. I doubt that those plants that were brought back would survive unless these poaches live in the highlands as well. It is sad because in recent years a lot of Nepenthes species have become available through tissue culture in nurseries throughout the country and these plants are relatively cheap and affordable. We need to change our mentality and be more conscious of the consequences of our actions. As the Kenyan proverb goes… “Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children”.
Another problem that contributes to the dwindling of carnivorous plant populations in Malaysia is the lack or publicity and public knowledge on these plants. I feel this is one of the main points to consider. Many still do not know what Nepenthes are and if they do it is clouded by misconception and misinformation. Many if not 90% of the population have no idea of what Drosera or Utricularia are. This is bad for the plants because the habitats where they grow could be destroyed for development, farming or agriculture without a thought given about the conservation status of each species or genus.
Regular monitoring of the conservation status of each species is required to enable the government and interest groups to act effectively in the event of sudden deleterious changes. This is particularly important for populations growing outside of forest reserves where enforcement is lacking. Just because they are like “weeds” at our backyard, it does not mean we can continue to ignore the importance of preserving their habitat. There will come a time when it will be too late to do anything. This is also important for the genus Drosera and Utricularia where there is a lack of research and information on their distribution and conservation status. However, it is encouraging to note that FRIM Forest Reserve has embarked on a researh paper on Drosera and Utricularia species in Malaysia recently. Hopefully, this would create some awareness to the authorities and general public.
If you would like to help preserve carnivorous plant populations in Malaysia for future generations, below are some ways in which you can assist in. It might not stop the inevitable from happening, but it will help in some ways to slow down the process or perhaps save some.
Showing sensible conservation practices, even if there is not an immediate connection to carnivorous plants. Develop a conservation ethic regarding recycling, energy use and resource consumption.
Support, volunteer or work for organizations dealing with the conservation of carnivorous plants.
Encourage the conservation awareness of other people by getting them excited about their natural heritage.
Do not disclose the exact location to a carnivorous plant habitat to the public. Once the information reaches the wrong hands, that would be the end for the plants in that habitat.
Take note of the following when visiting a carnivorous plant habitat:
- Minimize the damage from your passing
- Remove any garbage you find
- Resist the temptation to poach any plant
- Be sensitive to all life and do not harass any creature
- Vigorously discourage inappropriate activities by others
This post has been edited by petpitcher: Jul 15 2009, 02:06 AM
Quote
Thanks for the intro tho. You're very kind with your coments, but I am not a CP god laa.
0.0180sec
0.35
7 queries
GZIP Disabled