Boat full of protected species hits coral reef

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Chinese boat which ran into a reef in the Philippines in the Southwest held evidence of destruction of the environment even more inside: more than 10,000 kilograms (22,000 pounds) of meat from a protected species, the pangolin, or scaly anteater.

The steel-hulled ship hit an atoll 8 April at Tubbataha National Marine Park, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site on the island of Palawan. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said Monday that 400 boxes, each containing 25-30 kilograms of frozen pangolins were discovered during a second inspection of the boat Saturday.

The World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines said the Chinese ship F/N Min Yu Long might be bringing up to 2,000 animals without teeth, eating insects in coils in the boxes, with their stairs already removed.

"It's bad enough that the Chinese have illegally entered our seas, sailed the boat without documents and crashed recklessly a national marine park and world heritage site," said WWF Philippines chief executive officer Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tozzi. "It's just unfortunate that they seem to be posing as fishermen to illegal wildlife trade".

12 Chinese Sailors of the boat are in jail on charges of poaching and attempted bribery, said Adelina Villena, lawyer of the marine park. He said that additional charges are being prepared against them, including damage to the corals and violating wildlife laws in the country for being found in possession of pangolin meat.

It is not yet clear which of the four Asian pangolin species the meat comes from. The International Union for conservation of nature lists two as endangered: the Sunda pangolin, or Malay and the Chinese pangolin. Two others, including the Philippine pangolin endemic to Palawan, are classified as near threatened.

The animals are protected in many Asian Nations and international trade ban has been in force since 2002, but illegal trade continues. The meat and scales of the pangolin fetching hundreds of dollars per kilogram in China, where many believe that cure various diseases.

The IUCN says growing demand for pangolins and lax laws are erasing the Anteaters pilosans from their forest habitat in Southeast Asia.

Alex Marcaida, a government official of Palawan Council for sustainable development, Philippine authorities consider the Philippine pangolin endangered due to illegal trade unabated. He said that Chinese sailors have said pangolins have come from Indonesia, but officials had yet to verify the claim.

WWF-Philippines said that the illegal trade in wildlife is estimated to yield overall at least $ 19 billion per year, which includes the fourth-largest global illicit trade after narcotics, and counterfeit currency and trafficking in human beings. He said that the risks are low compared to other crimes, and that high-level dealers are rarely arrested, prosecuted or convicted.

The Philippine Army quoted the fishermen as saying that wandered accidentally into the waters of the Philippines Malaysia. They were detained in the city of Puerto Princesa's Southwest, where Chinese consular officials have visited them.

Tubbataha is a 97,000-hectare Marine Sanctuary (239,700 hectares) and the popular diving destination 640 kilometers (400 miles) southwest of Manila. The massive reef was already damaged by a ship of the United States Navy who blocked in January and had to be dismantled.

Fishermen face 12 years in prison and fines of up to $ 300,000 for poaching charge alone. For possession of pangolin meat, can be imprisoned for up to six years and fined, Villena said.

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