Life History of the Knight
from Butterflies of Singapore
The Not So Common Paradise Flycatcher
from Life's Indulgences
Uninteresting Old Tree Trunks?
from Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature
Chek Jawa: Monkeys and Memecylon
from wild shores of singapore
The Lion of Tor
from Ubin.sgkopi
Beting Bemban Besar is huge!
from wonderful creation
123 New Species Discovered in Heart Of Borneo
from SiputKuning.com
Sleeping birds at Kinabatangan, Sabah
from Bird Ecology Study Group
With less than one-third of target reached, public donation drive is on
Tan Dawn Wei, Straits Times 25 Apr 10;
A race is now on, against a June deadline to put $35 million into the kitty so that Singapore's own full-fledged natural history museum can be realised.
And two of the prime movers behind this idea have pledged $20,000 each to kickstart a public donation drive.
Meanwhile, the big sums, from corporate donors and foundations, have been taking their time coming in, despite a boost from an undisclosed donor who wrote a cheque for $10 million in January.
The $35 million target has to be met before the National University of Singapore (NUS) provides land for the new museum.
The somewhat modest Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR), which will evolve into the new natural history museum, is now housed in the NUS biological sciences department.
In the last six months, a five-man team has managed to secure $10.7 million. Besides the $10 million donation, only an additional $700,000 was raised through private donors and corporations.
The public donation drive kicked in three weeks ago, and the new museum's champions, Professors Leo Tan and Peter Ng, have each pledged $20,000.
Said Prof Ng, 50, head of the RMBR and the Tropical Marine Science Institute: 'You walk the talk. If you have the audacity to ask for donations for something you believe in, you have to put in your pound of flesh too.'
Both men have been knocking on the doors of foundations and companies. The plan was to finish this core fundraising drive before going on a public campaign.
'There is a timeline because the land in NUS is disappearing at a horrendous rate,' said Prof Ng, half in jest. NUS has set aside land within its new University Town for the museum, provided the RMBR hits its funding target by June.
The team has started sending appeal letters to business leaders, friends and colleagues. It has also started an online donation portal for individual donors at http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/buildingfund/index.html.
Prof Tan, 65, director of special projects at the NUS science faculty, said public donations are just as important as the big sums that he hopes will come in from the foundations and corporations.
'It's a national natural history museum. It's the people's property. Singaporeans have a stake in it, so we ask you to contribute to the upkeep and development of it.'
The efforts to build a museum to showcase some 500,000 specimens of mammals, birds, amphibians and other invertebrates began to gather steam after media reports last year highlighted the little- known collection.
Less than 1 per cent of the entire collection, one of the oldest and largest of South-east Asian animals in the region, is on display at NUS because of a lack of space.
The new museum will have at least 7,000 sq m of space, with a minimum of 2,000 sq m - or 10 times the current museum's size - devoted to exhibition space.
The team is hopeful it will meet its target. Food and beverage chain The Wine Company has stepped in to sponsor 50 sets of dinner for two worth $260 in appreciation of donors who give at least $500.
'It's for Singapore, for our future generation,' said Ms Belinda Lim, 50, one of the owners.
Tourist attraction Underwater World, too, started a donation drive through an interactive fortune wheel in February which raised almost $1,000. It topped this up with another $10,000.
'With our exhibits, we're able to educate people to appreciate the marine and aquatic life we have today. RMBR showcases what we've lost in the past,' said Mr Peter Chew, 39, its deputy general manager, adding that it is exploring other ways to help raise funds.
Besides pledging the land, NUS has set aside an endowment scheme, while the Government has come in with a matching grant which will be used to support the development of the museum.
RMBR's efforts have moved retiree and active museum volunteer Kok Oi Yee, 68, so much that she donated $20,000 to the cause.
'This is not charity. If it's the last thing I can do, I would like to do something for it,' said the former principal lab officer of the NUS biological sciences department.
Camp my style
Why stay cooped up at home when camping is a breeze with facilities and attractions in the parks
Veronica Koh Straits Times Life 25 Apr 10;
Instead of letting his seven-year-old twin sons stay at home playing computer games, Mr Ivan Lim has got them clicking with nature. He takes them camping at East Coast Park.
Along with his wife and parents, he heads to the park once a month to show the boys how to pitch a tent, cycle and swim too.
Mr Lim, a 36-year-old project director who lives in a condominium unit in Yew Tee, says: 'It started out as a family outing earlier this year, but my kids had so much fun that we made it a routine.
'I get them to try new activities and they're also picking up survival skills.'
His wife Esther, 35, an accounts manager, says: 'Our jobs prevent us from taking long vacations. Camping provides a quick getaway to spend time with the family.'
Increasingly, more Singaporeans are in Mr Lim's camp, as camping takes off. Since April last year, the National Parks has allocated 21,000 camping permits to campers, which works out to 57 permits a day.
Suppliers of camping equipment which LifeStyle spoke to agreed that camping is becoming more popular.
Sports and camping equipment shops Adventure 21 and Camper's Corner reported an increase in sales in the past five years. Sports Connection's camping gear sales have risen 100 per cent from 2008 to last year. The shops declined to give figures.
Campers have a choice of heading to the parks at East Coast, Pasir Ris, West Coast and Changi Beach if they have a permit. They can pitch a tent without a permit on Pulau Ubin, although they must inform the police.
Go to East Coast Park over the weekend and you will see a sea of tents along the shoreline, sometimes numbering up to 50.
However, Singapore-style camping is not exactly roughing it out. Camping areas come with stores and toilet facilities.
Some campers bring their own food from home or go to nearby eateries, especially if they are at East Coast Park where there are plenty of choices, or Changi Beach Park, where Changi Village Food Centre is a 15-minute walk away.
Today's tents are a breeze to set up compared to old-style heavy canvas, multiple tent poles and hammering in pegs.
Camping instructor Winnie Tan, 19, who goes camping at East Coast Park, says: 'My friends and I can go camping and not worry about food or forgetting a toothbrush because we know the food centre and convenience store is nearby.'
Camping permits here are free, which appeals to bigger groups on a budget.
When it comes to organising a camping trip, no one does it quite like sales coordinator Suzi Sairi, 25, and her extended family of more than 50 members. The youngest is two years old and the oldest, 65. Pitching 12 tents at a go, her family shares tasks such as food, trash duty and games. They have a Facebook group for their camping trips at various parks.
She said: 'For a big family like ours, camping is less restrictive than being cooped up in a chalet. There may be problems such as rainy weather, but it's going through these experiences that helps our family to bond.'
Marketing coordinator Nur Khamisah Dawood, 51, is also into family camping. She goes with her extended family of over 30 relatives.
She says: 'Chalets cannot fit everyone and overseas holidays are expensive. Camping is a vacation at a lower cost.'
The activities of Pasir Ris Park spurred engineer Tan Choon Liang to take his two daughters, aged seven and 10, camping instead of spending the weekends at their five-room flat in Hougang. They enjoy playing at the park's extensive playground and feeding the ponies at the park stable.
Mr Tan, 45, said: 'Instead of just lying around in a tent, it's good that the park has attractions to keep my children occupied.'
For businessman Terrence Lim and his wife Fanny, it is never too early to start camping. They take their 16-month-old son Elliot every weekend to Pasir Ris Park, pitching tent near the beach so that he can play in the sand.
Mr Lim, 37, said: 'We don't want him to merely watch TV, so we started this as soon as he could walk.'
Camping is also popular for couples seeking a romantic getaway.
Student Veronica Neo, 19, goes camping with her boyfriend whenever they can. They pack a picnic and spend the night at the beach. She said: 'People always associate camping with roughing it out, but they forget that the beach is a very romantic place as well, especially at night.'
Once a fortnight, pest control operator Azman Sahlan and his wife head to a remote area of Pasir Ris Park, where they pitch a tent and fish together.
Mr Sahlan, 40, said: 'It's just us, the sea and the fish. It gives us a chance to spend time together without the distractions of the outside world.'
Some, such as 18-year-old student Adeline Wan, pitch a tent just to study. 'It's a refreshing change from studying at home or at the library,' she said.
Student Melissa Chua, 20, combines her love for camping with her passion for photography. Once every few months, she camps at Changi Beach Park and spends the day taking photographs.
'I take whatever captures my eye... aeroplanes, boats, the sea, the sunrise.'
Some campers venture beyond Singapore and actually rough it out.
Once a month, insurance agent Ngoh Seh Suan, 31, goes on an overnight cycling trip with his friends to Johor, covering up to 220km and going as far as Kota Tinggi and Jason Bay.
They take their own stove and mess tin to cook, buying oil and eggs from nearby villages. He relies on a GPS device to find his way around.
Adventures have included having to hide food from wild boars.
'It's hard to have a quiet getaway in Singapore as the camping areas are overcrowded. I enjoy discovering new places overseas and the challenge of seeking out good camping spots.'
Pitch your tent here
Campers need to apply for a camping permit, which are available from an AXS machine or go to www.axs.com.sg
Designated camping areas
# Changi Beach Park: between Carpark 1 and 4 and Carpark 6 and 7
# East Coast Park: Areas D (near Carpark D) and G (near Carpark G)
# West Coast Park: Area 3 (near Carpark 3)
# Pasir Ris Park: Area 1 (near Carpark A) and 3 (near Carpark D)
# Sisters' Island and Pulau Hantu at Sentosa: Overnight campers have to notify the executive management of Sentosa by sending an e-mail to administrator@sentosa.com.sg for a camping permit.
# Jelutong, Noordin and Maman Beaches at Pulau Ubin: Camping permit not required, but campers should inform officers at the Pulau Ubin Police Post on the day that they are camping.
The Star 24 Apr 10;
MALACCA: The east coast shores of Malaysia is the landing spot for four of the seven turtle species in the world, including the biggest one — the Leatherback (Dermochelys coreacea).
The other three are the Greenback (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill (Eratmochelys imbricata) and Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys Olivacea).
The head of the Hawksbill Turtle and Sea Terrapin Conservation for WWF in Malacca, Lau Min Min said turtles played a significant role in maintaining the marine ecological balance.
He cited as example the Leatherback which fed on jellyfish, thus helping to control the jellyfish population.
This was because jellyfish ate fish eggs and a rise in jellyfish number could reduce the fish population, he said.
The other turtles too have a role. Among others, said Lau, the Hawksbill ate sea sponges that were present in the reef ecosystems. The sea sponges compete with other corals for space, and they protect themselves with sharp and poisonous spines.
“As such, the Hawksbill’s diet helps to keep the balance in the reef ecology. Fish can feed on the sponges after the turtle devours the spiky surface of the sponge.
“In the absence of the Hawksbill, the sea sponges will spread aggressively and eliminate the diversity of the reefs that provide food and shelter for marine life,” he explained.
Most importantly, he said, the turtle served as an indicator species where its presence or disappearance indicate changes in the environment.
The Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre (Tumec) research officer in Rantau Abang, Terengganu, Syed Abdullah Syed Abdul Kadir said that as the food chain within the marine ecosystem linked all marine organisms, when one member within the chain was missing the others would be affected as well.
“For example, the Olive Ridley feed on aquatic invertebrates (squids and jellyfish) while the Loggerhead Turtle feeds more on crustaceans (lobsters and crabs), jellyfish, sea sponge and soft coral on the sea bed.
“Their diet can help dictate the number and diversity of species in the shoreline ecosystem.
“Then there are turtles that feed on red algae which otherwise will spread and choke the reef ecosystem, which in turn will kill the fish population in that habitat.
“Also, the turtle’s soft shell provides shelter not only for other animals but also sea plants. A total of 100 types of marine animals and plants that survive on the shell have been recorded,” he said.
Even the turtle’s waste served as fertiliser for seaweeds and other marine plants, he added.
“It is obvious how the future of many species is strongly linked to the turtle’s survival. If the turtles become extinct, then the marine ecosystem will witness serious destruction.
“Humans will be affected because of the diminished fish population,” Syed Abdullah warned.
Dr Juanita Joseph, a researcher at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu’s Sea Turtle Unit (Seatru), said that although turtle conservation was started in the 1950s, the results were yet to be seen as it took between 25 and 50 years for turtles to mature.
“Seatru has been stepping up turtle conservation efforts in Pulau Redang since 1993. The turtle hatchlings that we released into the sea that year have yet to return,” she said.
She cautioned that Malaysia might one day witness the permanent loss of the Leatherback and the Olive Ridley if people and the authorities did nothing to protect them now.
“The Greenback and the Hawksbill still land here but their numbers have dwindled compared to the 1950s.
“Their dwindling numbers have been recorded in other countries as well but we hope that the conservation efforts will help reverse this trend,” she said. — Bernama
Eliswan Azly, Antara 25 Apr 10;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Illegal fishing in Indonesian waters is no longer an open secret, as this largest archepelagic country with its vast territorial waters has been the target of foreign poachers.
Recently, some poachers from neighboring countries like the Philippines and Vietnam were captured by Indonesian naval patrol boats during routine operations.
Indonesian naval patrol boat KRI Kakap-811 was reported to have caught four Filipino boats poaching in Sulawesi waters this week, Eastern Fleet`s spokesman Lt.Col.Toni Saiful said in Surabaya on Friday.
The fishing boats and their crew had been brought to the Nunukan naval base in East Kalimantan for investigation. The captured boats were identified as FB-Conie 5, FB-Conie 4 FB-Conie 10, and FB-Philcon 3, he said.
"The boats did not have permits for fishing in the Indonesian economic zone. Their skippers and crew members are all Filipinos," he said.
When questioned, they confessed their offense. They sailed from General Santos in the Philippines for fishing in Indonesia, he said.
In the meantime, ten boats manned by Vietnamese fishermen had reportedly been seized by a patrol boat of the ministry of marine affairs and fisheries for illegally fishing in Indonesia`s Exclusive Economic Zone in Natuna waters.
Bambang Nugroho, the head of port of control and monitoring of fishery and marine resources (P2SDKP) said on Friday nine of the boats and their skippers were now held at the port while one had been sent home carrying around 61 crew members of all the boats.
Only the skippers would be legally processed because based upon experience, the crew could not be sued. "At the most, they would be charged with violating the immigration law and then deported," he said.
The nine boats arrived at the P2SDKP port at 3 pm under escort of Hiu Macan 001, a patrol boat of the ministry of marine affairs and fisheries.
Bambang further said the Vietnamese fishermen did not resist arrest and everything therefore went smoothly. "We are still trying to find out about the volume of their catch," he said.
Hiu Macan 001 on Sunday (April 11) seized 10 foreign boats belonging to Vietnamese fishermen for poaching in Natuna waters.
He said nine of the boats were now being legally processed while their 21 tons catch seized as evidence had been destroyed because they contained formaldehyde.
Bambang said Natuna, Arafura and the northern parts of the North Sulawesi waters are foreign fishermen`s favorite places for poaching.
Bambang appealed to the people not to buy the catch of Thai or Vietnamese fishermen not only because they had been stolen from Indonesia but also contains formaldehyde which is detrimental to human health.
According to the FAO, Thailand and Vietnam are the world`s biggest fish producers although they have relatively small territorial waters.
The waters in West Kalimantan which are part of Zone III along with Natuna, Karimata and South China Sea are rich with marine resources reaching one million tons a year.
The fish species in these waters include mackerel, tuna and squids.
In 2007 the ministry sent out 21 of its patrol boats and seized 185 foreign boats, and in 2008 its 23 patrol boats caught red-handed 242 foreign poachers, and in 2009 arrested 180 in Indonesian territorial waters.
The potential loss saved from 180 boats was worth around Rp720 billion based upon the assumption of one motor boat incurring a loss of Rp4 billion a year
Based on the fact that a great number fishing boats had been captured, Indonesia is vulnerable to poaching by foreign trawlers.
From January to March 2010, for instance, the Tanjungpinang immigration had deported a dozen foreign fishermen from Riau Islands, including 15 Thais, 17 Vietnamese, and two Malaysians, for poaching in the waters of Natuna Islands.
Lots of foreign fishermen on their trawlers have been poaching in Indonesian waters for decades.
As a result, Indonesia suffers a loss of at least US$ 2.136 million a year.
Under Indonesian fishery Law No. 31/2004 on fisheries, the ministry`s patrol guards are authorized to carry guns. But in particular, the law is designed to accommodate the needs and challenges of developing the fishing industry and prevent, deter and eliminate illegal fishing.
The Indonesian government has been criticized for being "too lenient" in releasing and allowing Filipino fishermen to repatriate and reunite with their families. They would usually give one or two excuses, humanitarian considerations or lack of funds to provide basic needs and shelter.
Unfortunately, until now Indonesia still has not special committee to deal with illegal fishing cases. The government tends to rely on a sectoral approach in handling such cases. Coordination between related government agencies is weak and would not be applied on a regular basis. A fisheries court has not been established either.
Indonesia and the Philippines have established a Joint Commission on bilateral cooperation. The two countries have also signed an MOU on Marine and Fisheries Cooperation in General Santos, the Philippines, on Feb. 23, 2006. However, the two countries have not yet established bilateral arrangements to table particular issues of fishermen.
Besides, hundreds of confiscated foreign-flagged fishing vessels are now crowding dozens of seaports across Indonesia.
They are corroding, if not sinking and already turned to wrecks, while waiting for legal processing, which could take years. But no specific budget has been allocated for the maintenance of these seized boats.
Indonesia, which suffered a loss of Rp 30 trillion a year to poaching, is desperate to beef up its fishing patrol fleet, which currently consists of only 21 vessels. Securing the fishing boats could at least reduce the loss.
Kompas 25 Apr 10;
TAPAKTUAN, KOMPAS.com - Dozens of residents from several villages in East Trumon sub-district, South Aceh district, threatened to kill Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) that destroyed local plantation areas. The wild elephant herd has destroyed dozens of hectares of palm oil trees, bananas, betel nuts, coconuts and local plantations since January, said an East Trumon resident, Syarifuddin, here Saturday.
"We have reported the rampage to the sub-district office and the Natural Resources Conservation Body (BKSDA) but received no response that it will be addressed. So it would not be our responsibility if we later intoxicated or speared the animal," he said.
There have been a lot of material damages the animal has caused suffering the residents and they have no idea where else to complain, he said. Jambo Dalem village chief, Tengku Baili, earlier said that the man-elephant conflicts have resulted in dozens of people coming to his house threatening to hunt down and kill these animals.
The chief said that the elephant-human conflict in the East Trumon sub-district has lasted for about seven years and caused a casualty, after someone was trampled by the elephant in early 2006. East Trumon sub-district chief, H Lahmuddin, said that the conflict has a negative impact on the villagers’ economy, because the crops they harvest are not good.
"I estimate the material losses caused by disturbance of elephants during the last seven years have reached hundreds of million rupiahs. We expect the government to build an elephant prevention post in order to minimize the loss," said Lahmuddin.
Besides Jambo Dalem village, a herd of elephants has also entered the residential population in Naca, Pinto Rimba and Kapa Sesak village.
"Many attempts have been made to drive away the big animals, but have not shown the expected results," he said,
He is hoping for some relevant parties to immediately overcome the problem by driving the herd back to their habitats.
"If it is not done immediately, I am afraid people will take the law into their own hands," he said.
Jakarta Globe 24 Apr 10;
The endangered white-winged wood duck faces a very real threat to its existence in Way Kambas National Park, as its habitat is destroyed by human activity, a park official has warned.
“The number of ducks in the park, last recorded at 75 in 2001, has declined rapidly,” Dicky Tri Sutanto, a park ranger, said on Friday.
He said sightings of the elusive duck (Cairina scutulata) had grown rarer, leading to fears of its imminent disappearance from the national park in Lampung, southern Sumatra
During a recent operation, officials spotted only nine ducks in the 1,300-square-kilometer park, a fall from the 200 seen in an earlier study.
“Future generations may never get to see these rare birds unless serious and immediate action is taken,” Dicky said.
The Way Kambas Bird Lovers Group, dedicated to preserving the area’s native fowl, has made four attempts so far this year to monitor the wood duck population and the biggest threats to its continued survival.
It has singled out fires set by encroaching villagers as being most responsible for the loss of the ducks’ habitat. It also blames the poaching of the ducks and their eggs, for food and as pets, for the decline in its population.
Wildlife Conservation Society executive Doni Gunardi said the wood duck population in the national park numbered in the thousands in 1985, but had since fallen to a few hundred.
He urged an immediate end to the illegal poaching of the highly protected ducks within the national park.
The ducks will sometimes flock together in groups of 50 to 100 in swampy areas in the park toward the start of the dry season, but such sightings are extremely rare, Doni said.
They mate at the onset of the rainy season, and their eggs hatch the following March or April.
Other substantial populations of the white-winged wood duck are found in India, Bangladesh, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Antara
Forest ducks in national park on brink of extinction
Antara 23 Apr 10;
Sukadana, East Lampung (ANTARA News) - Because their habitat is shrinking fast, forest ducks (cairina scutulata) in Way Kambas National Park (WKNP), East Lampung, are now threatened with extinction, a park official said.
"The number of ducks in WKNP forests which in 2001 was recorded at only 75 has decreased rapidly," Dicky Tri Sutanto, a WKNP ranger, said here Friday.
Forest ducks were now rarely seen in the park and it was therefore believed they were on the verge of extinction, Dicky said.
Recently the WKNP management carried out a duck monitoring program in the area but only nine of them were found, whereas at one time in the past the WNKP had 200 forest ducks.
"Our future generations might not be able to witness these rare fowl species unless their fate is improved soon and seriously," he said.
He said the "Way Kambas Bird Friendly Group" which is dedicated to preserving the fowl population in the region, had this year made four attempts to monitor the forest duck population and the biggest threats to their existence.
The monitoring results showed the biggest threat to the forest duck population was illegal activities by humans such as bird hunting and fishing in the area, not to mention damage by forest fires.
The swamp area where the ducks usually nest was also shrinking, forcing the species to abandon their habitat, only to be captured by local villagers, he said.
According to Wildlife Conservation Society Non-Governmental Organization (WCS-NGO) executive Doni Gunardi, the forest duck population in the national park in 1985 ran into the thousands but now only a few hundred had remained.
Doni said forest ducks were highly protected animals, because they had become increasingly scarce and were no longer easily found. During the surveys, they were usually found in groups of 50-100 ducks in one pond.
He called on many parties to be more concerned about the rare fowl by not conducting illegal hunting.
Forest ducks were often to be found in Way Gajah swamps within the national park during summertime when the waters are drying out and they gathered in one location.
The early rainy season was the ducks` mating season and the time for female ducks to lay their eggs that would hatch in March or April.(*)
Yahoo News 24 Apr 10;
TEHRAN (AFP) – Russia has delivered two wild Siberian tigers to Iran in a swap deal in which Moscow has procured two Persian leopards, the official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.
The swap on Friday was agreed earlier this year during a visit of Russian Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutneve to Tehran.
By procuring the Siberian tigers, Tehran hopes to re-introduce the species some 50 years after its extinction in the country.
"In order to re-introduce the species, two Siberian tigers were brought from Russia, including a pregnant tigress expected to deliver a cub in two months," said Mohammad Javad Mohammadizadeh, head of Iran's environmental body.
He said the two animals will remain under observation in Tehran's Eram Zoo for nearly a month, and then be taken to a habitat in the northern Mazandaran province.
"Russian zoologists will manage the tigers' habitat here (in Iran) for five years and we will do the same for our leopards there," Mohammadizadeh said.
He said the Russian plane that brought the tigers was to head back with the leopards, which are to be kept near the city of Sochi.
The reintroduction of the Persian leopard -- extinct in Russia's Caucasus since the start of the last century -- is being championed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Yahoo News 23 Apr 10;
SYDNEY (AFP) – Australian scientists have discovered an unlikely element in the fight against climate change -- whale poo.
Experts from the Australian Antarctic Division have found that whale excrement -- much of which is derived from the huge mammals' consumption of krill -- effectively places a plant-friendly fertilizer into ocean waters.
"When whales consume the iron-rich krill, they excrete most of the iron back into the water, therefore fertilising the ocean and starting the whole food cycle again," scientist Steve Nicol said.
The research suggests that if whale numbers grow, their droppings could help marine plant life flourish, thereby improving the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide blamed for global warming.
Iron is a vital element in the production of marine plants, known as algae, which suck up carbon dioxide as they grow, although it is a scarce element in the "anaemic" Southern Ocean, said chemical oceanographer Andrew Bowie.
"One-third of the world's oceans are low in trace element iron," the researcher at the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre told AFP.
Bowie said whales consumed several tonnes of krill, small shrimp-like crustaceans, each day and this found its way back into the ocean via liquid-form, reddish brown emissions from the giant mammals.
He said while the researchers were pretty confident that whale poo would contain iron, they were surprised at the high concentration, about 10 million times that of Antarctic seawater.
Under IWC proposals countries that hunt whales despite ban would have to agree to catch limits
Emily Beament, guardian.co.uk 23 Apr 10;
An attempt to break the impasse over the global ban on whaling by allowing the first legal commercial hunting of whales in nearly 25 years came under attack from conservationists today.
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has proposed a 10-year "peace plan", which it said would maintain the global moratorium on commercial whaling but allow limited catches for those countries that continue to hunt whales despite the ban.
The plan aims to broker a compromise in the dispute between countries such as Britain which are opposed to whaling and those that hunt the mammals.
Currently Iceland and Norway whale commercially, setting their own quotas, while Japan exploits a loophole allowing it to catch whales under an exemption for "scientific" whaling.
Under the proposals set out by the IWC those countries would have to agree to catch limits set by the commission and based on scientific advice.
The IWC said the plan, which will be discussed at the annual meeting of the commission's 88 country members in June, would mean several thousand fewer whales would be caught than if the current situation continued.
Cristian Maquieira, chairman of the IWC, said: "For the first time since the adoption of the commercial whaling moratorium, we will have strict, enforceable limits on all whaling operations. As a result, several thousand less whales will be killed over the period of the agreement. In addition, no other IWC countries will be permitted to start hunting whales during the period."
The IWC urged countries to put their differences aside to focus on ensuring the world had "healthy" whale stocks.
It also said the plan would mean a whale sanctuary was created in the South Atlantic. But the wildlife charity WWF said the plans allowed for the hunting of endangered fin whales and sei whales whose numbers have been severely depleted by commercial whaling.
It would also endorse whaling in the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, which is an important feeding ground for species including blue whales, humpback whales and fin whales, WWF said.
Heather Sohl, species policy officer for WWF-UK, said: "If there is one place on Earth where whales should have full protection, it is the Southern Ocean.
"Some whales feed exclusively in the Southern Ocean – not eating at all during the winter months when they travel up to tropical waters.
"Allowing commercial whaling in an area where whales are so vulnerable goes against all logic."
She added: "Both fin and sei whale species were depleted to severely low levels by previous whaling that spun out of control, and they remain endangered as a result.
"Allowing new commercial whaling on these species when they have yet to recover from previous whaling is management madness."
The Pew Environment Group also criticised "unacceptable provisions" in the plans.
Susan Lieberman, director of international policy for the environmental organisation, said: "The draft compromise would allow whaling by Japan in the waters surrounding Antarctica to continue.
"The safe haven of the IWC-declared Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary – and the IWC's moratorium on commercial whaling – should be set in stone, not set aside.
"The proposal would phase down but not eliminate the number of whales killed by the annual expedition of Japan's industrial whaling fleet into the environmentally sensitive Southern Ocean and includes a quota for endangered fin whales, which is objectionable.
"This high seas sanctuary for whales, including endangered fin and humpback whales, must be respected."
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) described the IWC plans as a "whalers' wish list".
Patrick Ramage, Ifaw's whale programme director, said: "It throws a lifeline to a dying industry when endangered whale populations face more threats than ever before.
"This would be a breathtaking reversal of decades of conservation progress at the IWC."
The animal welfare organisation said countries such as Germany and the US were involved in negotiations to draw up the deal.
And Robbie Marsland, UK director of the animal welfare organisation, said: "Whaling is unequivocally banned in EU waters.
"It would be hypocritical in the extreme not to condemn a deal which sanctions whaling elsewhere.
"Instead of twisting arms to get a deal that conserves whaling, the EU should be promoting 21st-century conservation measures and working to end commercial whaling once and for all."
New whaling plan draws fire from all sides
Frank Zeller Yahoo News 23 Apr 10;
TOKYO (AFP) – A "peace plan" by the International Whaling Commission to legitimise but reduce whaling drew fire Friday as Japan demanded higher quotas and environmentalists warned of serious harm to the ocean giants.
The chairman of the 88-nation commission, seeking to end decades of bitter conflict between its pro- and anti-whaling members, unveiled Thursday the compromise proposal to be voted on at a June meeting in Morocco.
Under the draft proposal, Japan, Iceland and Norway would reduce their whale kills over the next decade, subject to tight monitoring, with Japan eventually cutting its Antarctic whale culls by three quarters.
The IWC said in a statement that the "10-year peace plan" would save thousands of whales and present "a great step forward in terms of the conservation of whales and the management of whaling."
But it was roundly criticised by anti-whaling nations and environmental groups, which charged that it would end the moratorium in all but name and risked reviving a dwindling industry in whale meat.
Japan now hunts whales under a loophole to a 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling that allows lethal "scientific research" on the sea mammals, while Norway and Iceland defy the moratorium altogether.
"It will be a major achievement if, despite some fundamental differences ... countries can put these differences aside for a period to focus on ensuring the world has healthy whale stocks," IWC chair Cristian Maquieira said.
Japan reacted by saying it would push for higher cull quotas than those outlined in the proposal.
Japan, which now targets more than 900 whales in its annual Antarctic hunts, would have to reduce that number to around 400 whales in the next season and to just over 200 a year from the 2015-16 season onwards.
It would also be allowed to catch 120 whales a year in its coastal waters.
Fisheries Minister Hirotaka Akamatsu, while welcoming the endorsement of coastal whaling, said: "Regarding the total catch allowed, it is different from Japan's position. We want to continue negotiating with patience."
But environmental groups voiced deep concern.
"This is probably the biggest threat to the ban on commercial whaling that we've faced since it came into force," said Nicolas Entrup of the Munich-based Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
Greenpeace said the proposal would reward whaling nations.
"It's a bit like a bank robber who keeps robbing the bank. You can't actually catch him, so you decide to just give him a big pile of money," said its oceans campaigner Phil Kline.
The World Wide Fund for Nature's species programme manager Wendy Elliott charged that the proposed quotas were "a result of political bargaining which has little if anything to do with the whales themselves."
Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett said Canberra could not accept the proposal and stressed that "the government remains resolutely opposed to commercial and so-called 'scientific' whaling."
In Wellington, Foreign Minister Murray McCully called the catch limits unrealistic and said "New Zealanders will not accept this".
"The proposal to include fin whales in the Southern Ocean is inflammatory," he said, pointing at a plan to allow Japan to catch 10 of the animals annually for three years, and five per year after that.
The United States, which has helped spearhead the compromise, withheld a final judgment, anticipating further negotiations.
"The important thing here is that the IWC isn't working right now," said Monica Medina, the US commissioner to the IWC.
"Even with the moratorium in place, the number of whales being killed is increasing and if we can turn that around and decrease the number of whales being killed, that would be a good thing."
The compromise would also allow the killing of 870 minke whales a year in the Atlantic, slightly down from the current total catch quotas by Norway and Iceland, along with Japan's continued hunt in the Pacific Ocean.
Endangered whales could be killed legally
Thousands of whales could be killed legally for the first time in 25 years under new proposals put forward by the International Whaling Commission.
Louise Gray, The Telegraph 24 Apr 10;
The body, set up to protect the species in international waters, banned the commerical hunting of whales outright in 1986.
But whaling nations like Japan, Norway and Iceland continued to hunt the mammals using a series of loopholes, such as whaling for "scientific research".
The IWC, which is due to meet next month to update the law around the protection of whales, has suggested the only way forward is to set up a series of quotas.
It is argued that this will limit the slaughter because the killing of whales is controlled under international law.
However the details of the proposals reveal that the quotas will be in the thousands and include endangered species. Papers issued by the IWC suggest thousands of minke whales could be killed in the Southern Ocean over the next ten years. Even fin whales and sei whales, that are officially in danger of dying out, are included.
Environmentalists were outraged, arguing that the killing of whales should never be sanctioned under international law while the species is still under threat of extinction.
Heather Sohl, species policy officer for WWF-UK, said it was "ridiculous" to allow hunting of whales in the Southern Ocean, which is a critical feeding ground for species including blue whales.
"Some whales feed exclusively in the Southern Ocean - not eating at all during the winter months when they travel up to tropical waters," she said.
"Allowing commercial whaling in an area where whales are so vulnerable goes against all logic."
She also criticised the decision to include fin and sei whales in the quota.
"Both fin and sei whale species were depleted to severely low levels by previous whaling that spun out of control, and they remain endangered as a result.
"Allowing new commercial whaling on these species when they have yet to recover from previous whaling is management madness."
Whaling nations like Japan back the IWC proposals and are arguing for even higher quotas.
But critics, including the UK, US and Australia, are against any deal that could cause an increase in whale hunting.
The IWC will meet in in Agadair, Morocco at the end of this month. Nations will decide on whether to set quotas and the catch that will be allowed. There are also proposals to promote whale watching as an alternative source of income for whaling communities and to protect whales from climate change and over fishing.
Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo Yahoo News 24 Apr 10;
KAMOJANG, Indonesia (AFP) – Indonesia has launched an ambitious plan to tap the vast power of its volcanoes and become a world leader in geothermal energy, while trimming greenhouse gas emissions.
The sprawling archipelago of 17,000 islands stretching from the Indian to the Pacific Oceans contains hundreds of volcanoes, estimated to hold around 40 percent of the world's geothermal energy potential.
But so far only a tiny fraction of that potential has been unlocked, so the government is seeking help from private investors, the World Bank and partners like Japan and the United States to exploit the power hidden deep underground.
"The government's aim to add 4,000 megawatts of geothermal capacity from the existing 1,189 megawatts by 2014 is truly challenging," Indonesian Geothermal Association chief Surya Darma said.
One of the biggest obstacles is the cost. Indonesia currently relies on dirty coal-fired power plants using locally produced coal. A geothermal plant costs about twice as much, and can take many more years in research and development to get online.
But once established, geothermal plants like the one built in Kamojang, Java, in 1982 can convert the endless free supplies of volcanic heat into electricity with much lower overheads -- and less pollution -- than coal.
This is the pay-off the government is hoping to sell at the fourth World Geothermal Congress opening Sunday on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. The six-day event will attract some 2,000 people from more than 80 countries.
"An investment of 12 billion dollars is needed to add 4,000 MW capacity," energy analyst Herman Darnel Ibrahim said, putting into context the recent announcement of 400 million dollars in financing from lenders including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
"Field exploration can take from three to five years, suitability studies for funding takes a year, while building the plant itself takes three years," he added.
If there is any country in the world where geothermal makes sense it is Indonesia. Yet despite its natural advantages, it lags behind the United States and the Philippines in geothermal energy production.
Southeast Asia's largest economy and the world's third biggest greenhouse gas emitter exploits only seven geothermal fields out of more than 250 it could be developing.
The case for geothermal has become stronger with the rapid growth of Indonesia's economy and the corresponding strain on its creaking power infrastructure.
The archipelago of 234 million people is one of the fastest growing economies in the Group of 20 but currently only 65 percent of Indonesians have access to electricity.
The goal is to reach 90 percent of the population by the end of the decade, through a two-stage plan to "fast-track" the provision of an extra 10,000 MW by 2012, mostly through coal, and another 10,000 MW from clean sources like volcanoes by 2014.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's pledge to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent against 2005 levels by 2020 has also spurred the push to geothermal.
Many of the best geothermal sources lie in protected forests, so the government aims to allow the drilling of wells inside conservation areas while insisting that the power plants themselves be outside.
Geothermal fans welcomed the recent completion of negotiations between a consortium of US, Japanese and Indonesian companies and the state electricity company, Perusahaan Listrik Negara, over a 340 MW project on Sumatra island.
The Sarulla project will be Indonesia's second biggest geothermal plant, after the Wayang Windu facility in West Java.
"The Sarulla project is a perfect example of how Indonesia can realise its clean energy and energy security goals by partnering with international firms," US Ambassador Cameron Hume wrote in a local newspaper.
Several firms such as Tata and Chevron have submitted bids to build another geothermal plant in North Sumatra, with potential for 200 MW.
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