Stranded Chinese boat removed from Philippines marine sanctuary

MANILA: A Chinese fishing boat found carrying thousands of kilos (pounds) of scaly anteater meat has been removed from a Philippine marine sanctuary where it run aground last week, a coast guard spokesman said yesterday.
The boat was towed yesterday to the Palawan provincial capital of Puerto Princesa southwest of Manila, a day after it was extricated from the Tubbataha National Marine Park, Lt. Cmdr. Armand Balilo said.
The boat’s 12 Chinese crewmen have been in custody since they struck the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site on April 8 and charged with poaching. Balilo said the boat will be held in custody by the coast guard and will be checked again for any hidden compartments.
Authorities found no fish or any contraband on board during an initial inspection when they boarded the boat for the first time a day after it struck the reef.
During closer inspection days later, coast guard officers discovered 400 boxes, each containing 25-30 kilograms (55-66 pounds) of frozen pangolins, or scaly anteaters, with their scales already removed.

Wildlife officials are still trying to determine which of the four Asian pangolin species the meat comes from. The International Union of Conservation of Nature lists two as endangered: The Sunda, or Malayan, pangolin, and the Chinese pangolin. Two others, including the Philippine pangolin endemic to Palawan, are classified as near threatened.