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LequteMan
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A Malaysian court has sentenced two Filipino plantation workers each to two years imprisonment for killing an orangutan in the eastern state of Sabah, a wildlife official said on Friday.
Sabah state wildlife Director Laurentius Ambu said that the two workers on Jan. 29 hunted down and used machetes to attack the orangutan which frequented the palm oil plantation where they were working in Lahad Datu.
Ambu added that the 16 year old male orangutan died a few days later due to severe multiple wounds.
"This should serve as lesson to those who do harm to our wildlife.
"We will punish them to the fullest extent of the law,’’ he added.
The pair said that they attacked the orangutan in revenge for damage it did to the plantation.
According to a witness, they also attacked it because they wanted to eat its meat.
Lahad Datu sessions court Judge, M Rajalinggam, handed down the verdict on the case on Wednesday after the two workers pleaded guilty to the crime.
Report says that conservationists estimated the number of orangutans in Sabah at 11,000 and the number continues to decline due to degradation of forests in the area.
Sabah state wildlife Director Laurentius Ambu said that the two workers on Jan. 29 hunted down and used machetes to attack the orangutan which frequented the palm oil plantation where they were working in Lahad Datu.
Ambu added that the 16 year old male orangutan died a few days later due to severe multiple wounds.
"This should serve as lesson to those who do harm to our wildlife.
"We will punish them to the fullest extent of the law,’’ he added.
The pair said that they attacked the orangutan in revenge for damage it did to the plantation.
According to a witness, they also attacked it because they wanted to eat its meat.
Lahad Datu sessions court Judge, M Rajalinggam, handed down the verdict on the case on Wednesday after the two workers pleaded guilty to the crime.
Report says that conservationists estimated the number of orangutans in Sabah at 11,000 and the number continues to decline due to degradation of forests in the area.
