YANGON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's northwestern Chin state government has vowed to crack down on carrying illegal firearms due to excessive hunting across the state, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.
The Chin state government called for wildlife conservation in the state while stressing the need to control carrying guns, warning that those who carry unlicensed guns will get a seven-year prison sentence.
According to the report, individuals in Chin state are allowed to carry licensed firearms and most of the guns are hand-made, especially for hunting. Some villages include shooting as part of their funeral customs.
Meanwhile, Myanmar authorities have also been curbing illegal wildlife trade, seizing some wildlife parts such as leopard and tiger skin, horns, claws, canine teeth and bones in border towns.
According to a survey report, tiger parts were found confiscated in 80 percent cases representing at least 200 tigers, while the most commonly traded parts were from leopards, numbering around 480 animals.
Myanmar's forestry ministry is cooperating with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in protecting Bengal tigers taking shelter at some wildlife sanctuaries such as Hukaung Valley, Htamanthi and Tanintharyi.
