u/Turbowoodpecker

A Mandalay-Yangon express train was pelted with stones by a group of individuals at a location before reaching Bago on June 6 2026. The train reversed to search for the perpetrators. Although most of them fled, one of them was successfully apprehended. The train went onto Mandalay without further incident. Throwing stones at a train is a major criminal offense carrying a prison sentence of 5 to 20 years, plus heavy fines. The courts strictly enforce these laws to protect public safety, with past offenders receiving up to 15 years in prison as it could lead to causing causing bodily harm or death.

He’s 8 years old and has spent his whole life living in Kalaw with his family. His father, meanwhile, has been living there for the past 12 years. He also has German and Swiss friends around the same age growing up in Kalaw.

YB Naing Lin Htun

The most heavily trafficked mammal on Earth is being wiped out from Myanmar's forests, and a major part of the tragedy is how clueless the people catching them actually are. Local poachers and handlers have absolutely no idea how to take care of these highly sensitive animals. While being held or smuggled on the long road to China, these creatures are treated like disposable cargo starved, stuffed into cramped mesh sacks, and subjected to extreme stress that kills many of them before they even reach the border.

Myanmar sits at a dangerous crossroads in this illicit trade. It is both a source country home to the critically endangered Sunda and Chinese pangolins, as well as the endangered Indian pangolin and a massive transit pipeline to China. International syndicates exploit porous border regions to funnel thousands of tons of pangolins from South and Southeast Asia directly through the country to insatiable black markets across the border.

Wildlife conservationists report that illegal poaching and trafficking of Myanmar’s wild turtle and tortoise species are surging, pushing them toward extinction as traffickers exploit the country's weakening rule of law.

Conservationists state that illegal trading via social media platforms and smuggling routes has escalated significantly due to the breakdown of law enforcement in Myanmar.

Because a lucrative market exists both for consumption and the pet trade, rare "Burmese Star Tortoises" found exclusively in Myanmar alongside other small land tortoises and freshwater turtles, are being aggressively harvested and killed away from the public eye.

"Mass exports to foreign countries especially China pose the greatest threat of extinction," a wildlife conservationist explained. "Some turtle species are smuggled to be kept as pets, while others are shipped for meat consumption. The unchecked smuggling operating right now is far more alarming than before."

Prior to the 2021 military coup, hundreds of turtles and tortoises were routinely intercepted and seized in bulk at the Myanmar-China border checkpoints. However, in the years following the coup, political instability has virtually halted these enforcement efforts.

Conservationists warn that Myanmar’s turtle and tortoise species face imminent extinction due to a combination of habitat destruction driven by human expansion and the rampant illegal trade.

Another turtle conservationist shared: "Lately, we are seeing people film videos of themselves hunting and capturing turtles to post online. Eating turtle eggs on camera is something that should absolutely not be done; viewers who don't know any better might copy this behavior. Compared to other animals, turtles are highly neglected. No one pays attention to the death of a turtle the way they would if a tiger died."

Under Section 37(a) of the Conservation of Biodiversity and Protected Areas Law, anyone found killing, injuring, collecting, or trading completely protected wildlife species can face a prison sentence ranging from a minimum of 3 years to a maximum of 10 years.

Myanmar is home to 26 species of freshwater turtles and land tortoises, the majority of which are currently facing the threat of extinction.

"We need to understand that we must not harm the environment through our own actions," another wildlife conservationist emphasized. "During these challenging times, it is vital that individuals change their habits, educate those around them, and recognize the necessity of environmental conservation. Wildlife must be protected, no matter the time or circumstance."

Conservationists are urgently calling on the public to completely refrain from buying or supporting the trade of rare wildlife, and to actively participate in protecting them.