Poachers in Malaysia are using fishing boats to smuggle tiger body parts to Vietnam, according to a new study. The research found that fishing vessels are a preferred method for trafficking. Boats can carry larger shipments, are cheaper, and face fewer customs inspections than land or air routes. The study was done by conservation organizations Panthera, ZSL, and Malaysia’s Sunway University.
By interviewing over 50 people involved in the illegal trade, researchers uncovered that poachers use steel snares to trap tigers in the forests of Malaysia. The animals are then killed, and their bones are boiled into a glue-like substance believed to have medicinal properties. Other parts, like claws and teeth, are used to make amulets.
Malaysia’s tiger population has dropped from around 3,000 in the 1950s to only 150 today. The species has already gone extinct in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Poaching, habitat loss, and disease continue to threaten their survival. Researchers also discovered that poachers smuggle other wildlife, including bear paws, pangolins, and wild boar, using the same fishing routes.
In response, Malaysian and Vietnamese authorities have increased maritime controls and strengthened penalties for wildlife crimes. However, the study highlights that the masterminds behind these operations often evade capture and quickly recruit new poachers.
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