Hornbill Caught by Poachers, Poaching Caught on Camera, Poachers Caught by Police, News Caught the Public's Heart

Photo of the 3 idiots posing for the camera, loafing about when they should be working, what more using that time to catch birds. Guy on the far left airing his belly. As that's how he gets nutrients, moisture, and air. By osmosis.

These three persons were seen poaching a hornbill from Piasau Camp on 23rd September, 2013 Monday. A photo was uploaded onto a Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Miri Branch FaceBook page with the following description:

"This three guys happen to have a field day this afternoon. They caught the hornbill by the head and tied it legs. I requested to release and afraid to come close to them. They went away after that."

Hornbills, being wild birds, were not meant to be kept. They can't be kept in captivity. It would be impossible otherwise action would be taken to breed them and increase the population.

Why would you want to catch a hornbill? What's the matter, Angry Birds not entertaining enough??

Members of the public have informed the police that day, and recent news has it that the suspects have been caught yesterday evening. The suspected thieves confessed that the hornbill, affectionately known as "Faridah" had died on the day they caught it, and they led the police to recover the carcass of the bird from the rubbish bin at Jalan Datuk Edward Jeli in Piasau.

Hornbills have lifelong mates. Because Faridah has a mate known - as "Jimmy", Jimmy has since been missing since she was captured. Apparently the pair of hornbills played a big role in maintaining the population of the birds in the park - those two having produced about 56 offspring.

Hornbills are totally protected under Ordinance and the penalties for keeping one as a pet, killing, hunting, capturing, selling, trading or disturbing them, or possessing any recognisable parts of these birds are severe – a RM25,000 fine and three years’ imprisonment.

If there is one good out of this, is that this tragic news had had stirred up quite the interest on the hornbills and birds in Piasau Garden - raising the much needed awareness to the need to protect the state’s wildlife.

Malaysian Nature Society Miri : https://www.facebook.com/MiriMNS

News: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/09/27/hornbill-poachers-arrested/