U.S. expedition team fined<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Two scientists and 14 cave explorers from
\nthe United States have been fined 20,000 ringgit ($5,260) for
\ncollecting rare invertebrates from a Borneo rain forest without a
\npermit, a government official said Saturday.<\/p>\n
State authorities imposed the maximum fine on the expedition
\nfrom the Alabama-based National Speleological Society after the
\nscientists acknowledged on Friday to collecting 600 biological
\nspecimens from the Gunung Buda Gunung Buda forest reserve in
\nSarawak state, the official said.<\/p>\n
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the
\nscientists did not have proper papers, confirming reports from
\nseveral reports in local newspapers.<\/p>\n
The two men were not arrested when they were caught Thursday.
\nAll 16 expedition members flew back to the United States from
\nSarawak state early Saturday, she said.<\/p>\n
Officials refused to release the names of the scientists.<\/p>\n
The expedition, which arrived here on Jan. 31, had applied for
\na permit to collect wildlife but their applications had not been
\napproved yet. Instead, they were allowed to conduct six weeks of
\nmapping and surveying work in the Gunung Buda.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-expedition-team-fined-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}