New Straits Times 16 Dec 10;
MIRI: Another two locations in the state are now officially homes for the orang utan.
These are the Sebuyau and Sedilu peat swamp areas which were recently gazetted as sanctuaries for them. Studies show there are about 2,400 orang utans in the two areas.
Sarawak Forest Director Datuk Len Talif Salleh said the studies by forestry agencies spanned 20 years.
Sebuyau was gazetted a sanctuary in July and Sedilu earlier this month. Sebuyau covers a land mass of more than 20,000ha, while Sedilu has more than 5,000ha.
The two areas are an extension of the Sebuyau virgin forests.
With the two new additions, they are now six orang utan sanctuaries in the state.
Speaking after launching a hornbill workshop themed "Managing Ecosystems for Sustainability" here yesterday, he said the target was to make 1.2 million hectares of land and water totally protected areas (TPAs).
Sarawak now has 750,000ha of TPAs, of which 550,000ha are land-based.
"We are heading there and there are places that we have identified. We are now mediating with the local population on the gazettement proposals as some of the locals may not understand the concept.
"They must be educated on maintaining the sustainability of the forests.
"For example, fish bombing is the easiest way to harvest fish, but it is not sustainable for the ecosystem."
There are 34 TPAs in Sarawak, which are equivalent to 2,400km stretch of road and there are six million permanent forest estates for logging, oil palm and agriculture crops.
"We are making sure that the state's development is in tandem with the conservation efforts of the ecosystems."
The Sarawak Forestry Corporation is currently undertaking studies on the marine and aquatic wildlife in the state and more estuaries will be proposed as protected areas in the near future.
Virgin forests in Sri Aman gazetted
Rintos Mail The Star 15 Dec 10;
THE Sebuyau and Sedilu virgin forests in Sri Aman are the latest to be gazetted as a Natural Wildlife Sanctuary, making them a Totally Protected Area (TPA) in Sarawak.
The former was gazetted as TPA in July while the latter, this month.
Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) managing director Datuk Len Talif Salleh said the two were gazetted following recommendations during the Orang Utan International Con-vention in Kuching last year.
Some 20 recommendations were put forward by experts for the conservation of the orang utans’ natural habitats during the conference.
Len said the Sebuyau Wildlife Sanctuary covered an area of about 20 hectares while the Sedilu Wildlife Sanctuary, which is contiguous to the former, covered an area of 5,230 hectares.
“Works at the two sites as well as sightings of orang utans will be done after this,” he reporters after the launching of the 10th Hornbill Workshop in Miri yesterday.
Other gazetted Natural Wildlife Sanctuaries in Sarawak are Lanjak-Entimau and Batang Ai, both in Sri Aman.
Len said the estimated number of orang utans in Sarawak, including those at the Matang Rehabilitation Centre and Semenggok Wildlife Centre, was 2,500.
He said the state government was targeting to gazette one milion hectares of forest reserve and land as TPAs.
He said currently 750,000 hectares had been gazetted.
“Actually we have identified 450,000 hectares of land and forest to be gazetted as TPAs.
“If everything goes smoothly, we can even exceed our target of one million hectares hopefully in three years’ time,” he added.
