Sept 18, 2015 (Friday)
"Zoo closure serves as a reminder"- Sept 19, 2015
KOTA KINABALU: The closure of the "mini zoo" at a school in Tawau should serve as a reminder for the authorities and operators of such private facilities to toe the line.
In saying this Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun yesterday said stern action should be taken against anyone who fail to comply.
Masidi told he was alerted about the deplorable condition of the SJKC Yuk Chin mini zoo via social media, prompting him to order the State Wildlife department to act against the complaint.
“Immediate actions have been taken thereafter. I have also instructed the Sabah Wildlife Department to carry out regular check on all private zoos in the state,” he said.
Over 50 wild animals were rescued from the school and transported by land to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park near here for rehabilitation and eventually, if possible, released to the wild.
Presently seven permits have been issued to private facilities or mini zoos that kept wild animals across the state.
"To those holding such permits, immediate action will be taken if the operators failed to comply with stipulated conditions," Masidi added.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching said it was unfortunate to learn about the lack of maintenance at the mini zoo at the school.
“I believe that it was a result of non-compliance with the standard operating procedures," she said adding action by the Wildlife department to shutdown the facility was the right thing to do.
State Wildlife director William Baya said all the animals from the mini zoo has been secured safely and were on its way to Lok Kawi.
“The animals will be housed there for health screening and observation before being released back to the wild where possible,” he said.
The mini zoo gained international notoriety when Britain’s the Daily Mail published a report about the dilapidated state of the facility and the animals it kept earlier this week.
The report described of alleged abuses including a video of a boy kicking the cage of a monkey as his friends laughed.
William said apart from asking the school to surrender all the animals there will be no further action as the facility was jointly established with the department in 1994.
He explained no permits were issued for the facility because it was not necessary back then.
The Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 was only gazetted three years later.
By Olivia Miwil
TAWAU: A mini zoo operated by a school without any permit here was shutdown yesterday after it was thrusted into the international spotlight for the way its animals were treated.
A blanket order was also handed down to freeze issuance of new permits for such facilities as wildlife authorities scramble an all out operation to check all mini zoos and animals under its care, are properly looked after.
State Wildlife director William Baya said in the operation yesterday over 50 animals were confiscated from the Yuk Chin Mini Zoo, located within a primary school of the same name here.
"Yuk Chin primary school has been operating the mini zoo for more than 20 years and though it's purpose is to educate children about wildlife, there is no excuse for not keeping the animals correctly and humanely," he said.
It was reliably learnt the mini zoo was never issued any permit to run its facility.
The mini zoo came under fire when UK based media organisation, Daily Mail, published a report about the animals kept at the dilapidated conditions.
A video was also posted with the online report of a pupil kicking the metal cage with a frightened monkey inside while his friends laughed.
A team from the department's Wildlife Rescue Unit and its district office were dispatched in the operation that began early in the morning.
"It will probably take at least two days to rescue and translocation the animals from the site. All the animals will be assessed medically and wherever possible, released into the wild," William said.
In responding to the video posted in the report SJKC headmistress Ooi Jin Ee said; "They are children." She declined any further comments though.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming said SJKC Yuk Chin has operated the minizoo for over 20 years but only for its pupils or those from others schools.
"From what was reported to me the facility was never opened for the public and visitors need to get permission from the school to enter the place.
"The lack of recreational facilities in this district is also a reason why it's quite popular," he said.
Pang however stressed there was no excuse for the school to neglect the animals under its care and that action needs to be taken.
In November last year, a mini zoo was also shutdown by the department and over 500 animals rescued after it was found the operator failed to maintain the facility properly.
KOTA KINABALU: The closure of the "mini zoo" at a school in Tawau should serve as a reminder for the authorities and operators of such private facilities to toe the line.
In saying this Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun yesterday said stern action should be taken against anyone who fail to comply.
Masidi told he was alerted about the deplorable condition of the SJKC Yuk Chin mini zoo via social media, prompting him to order the State Wildlife department to act against the complaint.
“Immediate actions have been taken thereafter. I have also instructed the Sabah Wildlife Department to carry out regular check on all private zoos in the state,” he said.
Over 50 wild animals were rescued from the school and transported by land to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park near here for rehabilitation and eventually, if possible, released to the wild.
Presently seven permits have been issued to private facilities or mini zoos that kept wild animals across the state.
"To those holding such permits, immediate action will be taken if the operators failed to comply with stipulated conditions," Masidi added.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mary Yap Kain Ching said it was unfortunate to learn about the lack of maintenance at the mini zoo at the school.
“I believe that it was a result of non-compliance with the standard operating procedures," she said adding action by the Wildlife department to shutdown the facility was the right thing to do.
State Wildlife director William Baya said all the animals from the mini zoo has been secured safely and were on its way to Lok Kawi.
“The animals will be housed there for health screening and observation before being released back to the wild where possible,” he said.
The mini zoo gained international notoriety when Britain’s the Daily Mail published a report about the dilapidated state of the facility and the animals it kept earlier this week.
The report described of alleged abuses including a video of a boy kicking the cage of a monkey as his friends laughed.
William said apart from asking the school to surrender all the animals there will be no further action as the facility was jointly established with the department in 1994.
He explained no permits were issued for the facility because it was not necessary back then.
The Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 was only gazetted three years later.
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