The overharvest of porcupine species for bushmeat and traditional medicine in Malaysia

Abstract

The commercial harvesting to supply the demands of the regional market and beyond with bushmeat and traditional medicinal products has exerted pressure on porcupine species which have reduced population densities in Malaysia regions. This study determined the over-harvested and poaching of the porcupine species in Malaysia by investigating confiscated data of porcupine species, and their parts from 2011 to April 2021. A total of 31 confiscated cases were obtained amounting to an estimated 320 porcupines. Based on the results, porcupines are harvested for bushmeat, traditional medicines, and trophies. This study proved that porcupines are being illegally poaching and over-harvested in Malaysia because of the poor legislation. Lack of awareness of the implications of unsustainable harvesting and difficulty in monitoring by the relevant authorities and organizations appear to be the main challenges to porcupine conservation in Malaysia. This study highlights the lack of research study documenting the overharvesting of the porcupine and the implication of these results are important for future adaptive porcupine management in Malaysia.

Keywords: porcupine, overharvest, bushmeat, traditional medicine, poaching, confiscates