Illegal wildlife parts seized in Myanmar border town

Myanmar authorities have seized some illegal wildlife parts in Muse, a border town in northeastern Shan state, a semi-official media reported Tuesday.

The seizure, made on a house in the border town, covered leopard and tiger skin, horns, claws, canine teeth and bones of some wildlife hidden in the house's garage, said the Global New Light of Myanmar.

Meanwhile, illegal trade of wildlife parts was also found in shops in Mongla, another border town in the same state, with its sale volume being registered as more than trebled from six in 2006 to 21 in 2014, the report quoted a non-governmental organization, which tracks the illegal wildlife trade, as saying.

According to the report, tiger parts were found in 80 percent of the survey, representing at least 200 tigers, while the most commonly traded parts were from clouded leopards, numbering around 480.

Myanmar's Forestry Ministry is cooperating with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in protecting Bengal tigers taking shelter at the Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary.

The country's population of Bengal and Indo-Chinese tigers is estimated at about 150, of which 50 to 80 exist in Hukaung, while 30 in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary and 50 in Tanintharyi Nature Reserve.

Human encroachment on the tiger's native habitat and hunting for medicinal or consumption purposes are blamed for the drop in the number of tigers.

The authorities have warned that those who are convicted of such crimes as killing, hunting and illegally possessing a tiger or its parts will be imprisoned for seven years. Endi