Best of our wild blogs: 17 Nov 11

A little thorn
from The annotated budak

Should conservationists give up?
from The Biology Refugia

十月华语导游 Madarin guide walk@SBWR,Oct (XXIV)
from PurpleMangrove

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Saving Bukit Brown

Terence Chong & Chua Ai Lin, For The Straits Times 17 Nov 11;

IN LAND-SCARCE Singapore, the tension between heritage and modernity is not unusual, as the on-going debate over Bukit Brown cemetery demonstrates. This debate is the latest in a long line of struggles over important national spaces such as the National Library building in Stamford Road and Bidadari cemetery in Upper Aljunied Road, both of which have been irretrievably lost to the nation.

In July this year, the Urban Redevelopment Authority announced that Bukit Brown would be needed for future housing and in mid-September, the Land Transport Authority revealed plans to begin constructing a dual four-lane road through Bukit Brown in early 2013. The road will affect about 5,000 of the approximately 100,000 graves.

Critics in cyberspace and the mainstream media have made three primary arguments for the destruction of Bukit Brown.

The first is that Bukit Brown is a burial ground for the elite, and that most Singaporeans do not have genealogies that link them to the cemetery. Advocates of this argument assert that many of the prominent pioneers like Chew Boon Lay and Cheang Hong Lim interred there have streets and places named after them, and there is thus no further need to preserve their graves. This assertion is short-sighted as the graves allow Singaporeans to draw links between abstract street names and real people.

The elitist accusation is reverse snobbery. We would never contemplate selling the Padang to a condo developer just because neighbourhood boys do not play football there. And just because most Singaporeans do not have ancestors interred there does not mean they cannot claim the space for strolls and jogs, appreciation tours, or to enjoy the rich flora and fauna there.

Tens of thousands of ordinary migrants are also buried at Bukit Brown. Furthermore, in preserving the graves of ordinary people we are acknowledging the blood, sweat and toil of those who have contributed to the development of our city port. Such a move will enrich and democratise the Singapore story.

The second argument by critics of Bukit Brown is that the loss of the cemetery can be adequately mitigated by virtual mapping and documentation. The assumption here defies all logic for heritage preservation. After all most historic monuments from Stonehenge to Angkor Wat have lost their functional value but are no less important as signposts to past communities.

The heritage value of Bukit Brown is conveyed to us in the provincial origins of the dead, the names of their descendants, as well as the tomb design, artistic embellishment and fengshui orientation. The sacredness of Bukit Brown can be found in the practices of people who continue to pay their respects to their ancestors in the form of ceremonial rituals as well as highly personalised ways. Such sacredness is not static or dead but embedded in living habits of people.

Bukit Brown is sacred also by virtue of its biodiversity. Of the 85 species of birds that have been recorded there, two are deemed 'vulnerable', six are 'endangered', and three are 'critically endangered'. Bukit Brown has been designated a Tree Conservation Area by the National Parks Board under the Parks and Trees Act. Virtual technologies and documentation cannot replace the loss of ecology.

Bukit Brown is also valuable to the broader nation-building project. Much has been made about how Singapore is becoming more hotel than home for many citizens and many worry that Singaporeans are but rootless 'cultural orphans'. The expressions of identity and culture found in Bukit Brown are unique to local communities, reflecting the history of the Straits Settlements and broader Nanyang. They are specific to the region, differing from those in South China where most of our forefathers came from. In short, Bukit Brown anchors firmly our sense of belonging to this region.

The third, and most commonly heard, argument is that 'the dead have to make way for the living'. This argument makes matters seem more urgent than they may be - without destroying Bukit Brown, there would be no space for the living. But has every other space for housing been considered before turning to Bukit Brown?

It also assumes that continued population growth is inevitable. And yet there is no public discussion on the optimal population size that the island and infrastructure may accommodate before the space crunch is felt. Population projections by government agencies are not yet widely circulated for debate.

Ultimately, the struggle for Bukit Brown goes beyond saving a few graves or greenery. It is the struggle for the soul of Singapore. The decisions we make will determine the value we place on our collective identity, our multi-textured heritage and our sense of belonging. They are decisions we will have to explain to our children.

Terence Chong is a sociologist and Chua Ai Lin is a historian, writing on behalf of the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS). SHS is co-organiser of the Bukit Brown Symposium to be held at the Asian Civilisations Museum on Saturday.

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New infrastructure, but at what cost?

Letter from Sandra Jayandran Today Online 17 Nov 11;

I refer to reports about the construction of the North-South Expressway (NSE) and the buildings that will be affected, in particular Rochor Centre ("Paving the way for a smoother ride", Nov 16).

The building, with its unique architecture and quirky colours, is to me a cheerful sight along that stretch of road. Areas like this on the fringe of the city add colour and life to our city state.

In fact, the whole Rochor/Beach Road and Bugis area is slowly being transformed into yet another upmarket area that I feel this country does not need.

We already have the whole of Orchard Road, all the way to the City Hall area, for the likes of tourists and locals to shop and dine in style. Why this need to always keep meddling with areas that are working well and, organically, have become part of people's lives?

What's next, I wonder: More "upgrading" for other historic areas? What about the older parts of Beach Road like the food centre and Golden Mile Complex? Will these parts of town be deemed too "unglamorous" and need to be refurbished?

I cannot help feeling that the authorities are too keen to bulldoze buildings that have little economic value, all in the name of increasing traffic flow and speeds. The same can be said of the removal of tombs from Bukit Brown cemetery, which the authorities say is necessary in order to build a road to ease traffic congestion at Adam/Lornie roads.

We need to seriously reconsider ways to improve the public transport system, rather than falling back on building more roads, in the process ruining our landscape and losing our history.

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Consultant sought for study of new JB-Singapore rail link

Lynn Kan Business Times 17 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE and Malaysia have opened up a tender to appoint an architectural and engineering consultant for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) that will link Singapore with Johor Baru.

The consultant will evaluate the technical aspects of the RTS to allow it to be run as a convenient and cost-effective system, integrated with transport services on both sides.

Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Malaysia's Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (Land Public Transport Commission) will launch the tender tomorrow.

The call will close in early 2012 and will be followed by the tender for the RTS civil engineering contract.

Singapore and Malaysia agreed on the RTS as part of a landmark land swap deal concluded in September last year that laid to rest a decades-long issue.

Singapore received six Marina South and Ophir-Rochor land parcels, which the Malayan Railway had owned for about 20 years.

In exchange, Malaysia got land sites in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji, Woodlands and Bukit Timah.

The RTS link is expected to be ready in 2018.

Terminal stations on the RTS will be at JB Sentral, Johor Baru and on the Singapore side, near Republic Polytechnic.

There are plans to integrate RTS with Singapore's Thomson Line at its northernmost terminal station.

Also, the RTS link will have co-located customs, immigration and quarantine facilities in Singapore and Johor Baru so that commuters can clear immigration at a single location for travel in either direction.

Joint tender call for Johor-Singapore rail on Friday
Channel NewsAsia 16 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE: The Malaysia-Singapore Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia has appointed Malaysia's Land Public Transport Commission (Malaysia Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat ) and Singapore Land Transport Authority to jointly call for the tender for Architectural and Engineering Consultancy services to develop possible alignments and proposals for the Rapid Transit System Link.

Last year, the committee agreed to carry out a joint engineering study to determine the technical parameters for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link.

The tender will be called on 18 November 2011 in both Singapore and Malaysia.

In May 2010, the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia agreed to jointly develop the RTS Link to enhance connectivity between Iskandar Malaysia in Johor and Singapore.

The terminating stations will be at JB Sentral on the Johor side and Republic Polytechnic on the Singapore side.

- CNA/ck

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Singapore investing heavily in cruise infrastructure

Channel NewsAsia 16 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE: Singapore is investing heavily in cruise infrastructure as a strategy to ensure the industry becomes an engine of growth for the tourism sector.

Speaking at the inaugural Cruise Shipping Asia 2011 Convention, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Mr Teo Ser Luck said upgrading work at the International Cruise Terminal will see the number of berths double by the second quarter of next year.

The Terminal will also be able to accommodate the largest cruise ships of today.

It's location near the Marina Bay will also mean cruise passengers can have easy access to iconic attractions like Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort.

Mr Teo said Singapore is also committed to developing a robust ecosystem to support the local cruise industry.

It is working with stakeholders to ensure that ships enjoy high service standards when they call here.

Singapore is also working closely with ASEAN partners to spur investments in infrastructure to string together cruise itineraries.

Mr Teo said the intention is to create a "cruise playground" in the region to take advantage of the varied landscapes, tropical climate and multi-cultural appeal.

- CNA/fa

Strong wave of growth seen for cruise industry in Asia
Asians expected to make up a third of global passengers by then, from 8% now
Lynn Kan Business Times 18 Nov 11;

(SINGAPORE) The number of Asian cruise passengers could reach 11 million by 2030, up significantly from 1.5 million passengers now.

The Asian explosion will be part of the worldwide passenger increase to 35 million from 19 million now, according to Michael Bayley, executive vice-president of Royal Caribbean International.

This means that Asians would also make up some one-third of the world's cruise passengers in 2030, up from a meagre 8 per cent currently.

'Asia-Pacific is severely under-penetrated,' Mr Bayley said.

The explosion in the numbers of cruise passengers worldwide means that the industry would have to make huge investments.

By some estimates, about US$6.3 billion a year has to be spent just on building cruiseships to support the doubling of cruise passengers.

These vessels may not head to Asia just yet, as many expect cruise lines to deploy their existing tonnage here.

But in time to come, the Asian cruise market may be significant enough to warrant newer ships.

'Brand new tonnage may not come here right away, but that 10-year tonnages are coming here is a positive thing. This region got cruiseships which were 20 years old,' said Steve Odell, senior vice-president for UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific at Silversea Cruises.

Cruise operators at the conference Cruise Shipping Asia agreed that Asia looks increasingly attractive as a source market, because of the two most populous nations, China and India. The region's middle-class growth will also supply cruise liners with plenty of first-time customers.

With Asian destinations getting more attention, and if cruiseships calling at Asian harbours get larger, Asia-bound volumes can only grow.

Next year, Asia will get its largest cruiseship touring the region: the 15-deck Voyager of the Seas, which can take well over 3,000 passengers.

'You don't need many Voyager of the Seas to get the volumes up,' said Mr Odell.

Yet, there are reasons to doubt that an Asian boom might happen quickly. The low awareness among Asians about cruising as a mode of travel is one reason.

'Either they have no perception about cruising or the wrong perception that it is for older people and expensive,' said Mr Bayley.

To fix that, Asian countries need more sophisticated and savvy travel agents to change the image of cruising as more than a casino at sea.

Knowledgeable and well-trained travel agents have been the reason for the European market ballooning to more than five million people from about slightly over one million 10 years ago.

While Asian destinations have proved popular, the on-land facilities and itineraries are less so. Asian governments have been developing harbours and cruise terminals assiduously, without paying heed to the surrounding infrastructure and attractions.

'There is a need for quality infrastructure. There can be many new Asian ports to call at, but we need to take people to places where they feel comfortable,' added Mr Odell.

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Swarm of bees attacks poly students

35 students, three staff stung during PE warm-up
Straits Times 17 Nov 11;

A GROUP of 75 students who had barely warmed up for a physical education (PE) class at Ngee Ann Polytechnic had to break into a sprint yesterday morning to escape a swarm of bees.

Three members of the staff and 35 students were stung, and taken to hospitals, though all 38 were discharged by 2.30pm - even the two members of the polytechnic's staff who were kept back for observation.

One of them was an instructor who had suffered several stings while trying to evacuate the students.

Resting at home later, she was unavailable for comment.

The bees were believed to have come from a hive on a tree near the volleyball court at the far end of the school's sports complex.

The polytechnic's spokesman said the hive, which appeared new, has been removed by pest exterminators.

She added that the pest control company was also directed to check the rest of the campus for other hives, and that sports activities had either been cancelled or relocated.

Students told The Straits Times that the school's sports and wellness class started at 8am, and the students in it were still doing their warm-up exercise when screams were heard.

Miss Charity Chen, 17, said: 'I wasn't sure what happened. We saw the bees and just ran.'

The insects went at the students' exposed arms, legs and necks; some were even stung on their heads as they fled, swatting at the bees with their bare hands or with water bottles.

Another victim said: 'It was quite chaotic because there were so many. The buzzing sound was very scary too.'

The students were at the sports complex for their weekly class, where they were to play soccer, netball and volleyball.

At the other end of the field, a student aged 17 who gave her name only as Xiu Lian was playing soccer when she heard cries for them to take cover.

She said: 'We just ran in all directions. Some of us took cover in the indoor sports hall.'

She added that when she returned to the field unscathed about an hour later, students who had been stung were sitting by the track, waiting to be taken to hospital.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said that it sent 37 of the 38 victims to hospitals - 16 to Alexandra Hospital and another 21 to National University Hospital.

The remaining victim was taken to hospital by a member of the school staff.

It is not known what had set off the bees, but eyewitnesses said the hive could have been hit by a ball.

At about 11am yesterday, dead bees were found scattered on the field and running track, but otherwise, there was little evidence of what had happened there.

Students were going in and out of classes or taking a break in the canteens. Some had not even heard about the morning's incident.

Miss Chen said all that remained of the sting she had was a slight numbing sensation.

She added: 'I was lucky. I only have one behind my thigh. Some of my friends had two or three stings. But we're all okay.'

When bees attack

BEES do not attack for no reason and they usually sting to protect their hives, said Associate Professor Malcolm Mahadevan, head of the emergency medicine department at the National University Hospital.

One possible reason for a bee attack is that when a bee is hurt, it releases a chemical called pheromones which incites other bees to attack, he said.

Some species, such as the giant honeybee, tend to be more aggressive. Others, like carpenter bees, rarely sting.

What should a person do when stung by a bee? Prof Mahadevan's advice is: First, remove any visible stinger within a minute, either by scraping it off or using a pincer. Then apply ice or a cold compress, and elevate the limb if swollen. Anyone who has been stung more than five times should seek medical help, he said.

He also noted that some people may develop a severe allergic reaction, which could be life-threatening. They will experience symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, dizziness and confusion, and should seek medical attention immediately.

Bees at Ngee Ann Poly injure 38 people
Ambiga Raju Channel NewsAsia 16 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE: A group of Ngee Ann Polytechnic staff and student were stung by bees at the school's sports complex.

All of the injured who have been since been discharged from hospital.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call about the incident around 8.30am, while students were playing soccer, netball and volleyball.

Ambulances and two specially-designed Personal Decontamination Vehicles (PDVs) were used to send the injured, 12 at a time, to hospital.

The PDV can be used as a mass-casualty decontamination facility, ambulance and as a transport vehicle.

Sixteen of the casualties were taken to Alexandra Hospital and another 21 to National University Hospital.

Thirty-seven were sent to hospital by SCDF, one staff member later went on his own.

The school said the field was cordoned off, and sports activities were cancelled or moved.

A pest control company later got rid of the bee hive.

- CNA/fa/sf

Ngee Ann bee sting victims discharged
Wendy Wong Channel NewsAsia 16 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE: The 35 students and three staff members of Ngee Ann Polytechnic - who were sent to hospital on Wednesday after being stung by bees in the school sports field - have been discharged.

The incident happened around 8.30am while students were playing soccer, netball and volleyball.

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers were called in, and the group was sent to Alexandra and National University hospitals to be treated for stings on their arms and legs.

The field was cordoned off and a pest control company later got rid of the bee hive.

According to the pest control company, the hive appeared to be a new one.

The school said it is not the first bee hive discovered on campus and there had been two reported cases in the last 20 years. But it said this is the first time people have been hurt.

Doctors said if one is stung by a bee, visible stingers must be removed immediately and ice should be applied to the area.

Those with multiple stings should get medical help.

Associate Professor Malcolm Mahadevan, Head of National University Hospital's Emergency Medicine Department, explained that bees usually sting to protect their hive.

Assoc Prof Mahadevan added that noise, bright colours and perfume may incite stings.

Some people may also develop an anaphylactic reaction which is life-threatening. They will experience symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, dizziness, confusion, and should seek medical help immediately.

- CNA/wk

'I could feel them crawling on me'
Ng Kai Ling Straits Times 18 Nov 11;

THE swarm of bees that attacked a group of Ngee Ann Polytechnic students came out of nowhere, and was soon all over physical education teacher June Phoon.

Most of the 38 students and staff members who were stung in Wednesday's incident were discharged from National University Hospital and Alexandra Hospital by 12.30pm that day, but Ms Phoon was kept back for observation for two more hours, together with a colleague.

She told The Straits Times yesterday that she started running when she saw the bees, but then stopped to help a student who was rooted to the ground, too stunned to move.

'I was asking the students to run,' said Ms Phoon, 34. 'But this one girl was too shocked to move... I stayed with her to try to swipe some bees off her body. That was when the bees started attacking me.'

They were all over her, she said.

'They were on my face, neck and limbs. I could feel them crawling on me. The buzzing sound was right at my ears.'

After she finally managed to coax the student to run to safety, Ms Phoon made a dash for the showers in the polytechnic's sports complex nearby.

She said: 'You know how people would jump into pools to get rid of the bees? There was no pool nearby, so I went into the shower to flush away the bees.'

There were more than 30 stings on her face, neck, arms, legs, and even her eyelids.

The student she helped managed to get away but was also 'stung a few times'.

Ms Phoon and a colleague, Ms Puvanesvary Alahakone, were put under observation at the hospital to see if they would develop symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, dizziness and confusion, all of which could be signs of a life-threatening allergic reaction. They were both discharged by 2.30pm.

Ms Puvanesvary, who had tried to help Ms Phoon brush off the bees, could not be reached for comment.

Ms Phoon said that everything had happened so fast that she did not even think about her own safety until she got to the hospital.

'I asked the doctor about any possible complications and he assured me that I should be fine if there were no symptoms of an allergic reaction,' she added.

Her doctor prescribed antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication and painkillers.

Ms Phoon said yesterday that other than itchiness where the stings were, she felt fine. She did, however, develop a fever on Wednesday night.

The polytechnic's spokesman said yesterday that the cordon around the sports complex where the incident happened was still up, and would only be removed after the campus is checked thoroughly by the pest control company.

Mr Mun Kwok On, the school's director of student development and alumni relations, commended the three teachers for their 'tremendous courage' in dealing with the sudden bee attack.

He said of Ms Phoon: 'Even while she was being treated in the hospital, June's primary concern was whether the others were all right.'

Looking back on what happened, Ms Phoon said she would not have done anything differently.

'If one of the students had been stung as badly as I was, I wouldn't know how to answer to the parents,' she said.

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WWF-Indonesia Calls for Action to Save Rainforest from Palm Oil, Pulp & Paper Industries

Jakarta Globe 16 Nov 11;

WWF-Indonesia is appealing to authorities to take steps to save a valuable area of Sumatran jungle from deforestation after an “amazing” five of the seven wild cat species found on the island were captured on camera.

The WWF’s systematic three-month survey captured on camera 404 photos of wild cats, including 226 of Sumatran tigers, 77 of clouded leopards, 70 of golden cats, 27 of leopard cats and four of marbled cats.

All of the wild cats were found in an unprotected forest corridor between the Bukit Tigapuluh forest landscape and the Rimbang Baling Wildlife sanctuary in Riau Province. The area is threatened by encroachment and forest clearance for industrial plantations.

“Four of these species are protected by Indonesian government regulations and are listed as threatened by extinction on the IUCN Red List,” Karmila Parakkasi, Coordinator of the WWF-Indonesia Tiger Research Team, said in a statement.

“This underscores the rich biodiversity of the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape and the forest corridors that connect to it. These amazing cat photos also remind us of how much we could lose as more of these fragile forests are lost to logging, plantations and illegal encroachment.”

WWF-Indonesia Coordinator for the Global Forest Trade Network Program Aditya Bayunanda said much of the natural forest landscape was threatened by “large scale clearance for industrial logging, pulp and paper, as well as illegal encroachment for palm oil plantation development.”

“The abundant evidence of these five wild cat species suggests that the concession licenses of companies operating in these areas, such as Barito Pacific, should be reviewed and adjusted according to Indonesian Ministry of Forestry regulations ... which state that concession areas with the presence of endangered species should be protected by the concessionaire.”

WWF-Indonesia has also called on protection for areas bordering Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, either by expanding the park or managing it under the current forest ecosystem restoration scheme,” he continued.

At a November 2nd, 2011 WWF event in Jakarta, Indonesian Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan publicly stated his support for issuing a license for a forest ecosystem restoration scheme in Bukit Tigapuluh.

Bukit Tigapuluh is designated a “global priority Tiger Conservation Landscape” and is one of six landscapes the government of Indonesia pledged to protect at last year’s International Tiger Forum, or Tiger Summit, of world leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia.

After intensive surveys this year of the Bukit Tigapuluh and Tesso Nilo landscapes in Sumatra, the forest corridor between Rimbang Baling and Bukit Tigapuluh was found to contain the most wild cats.

Five rare wild cat species prompt call to save Sumatra forest corridor
AsiaOne 16 Nov 11;

Five of the seven wildcat species found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra were recently caught on camera, prompting the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) to call for the local authorities to take immediate steps to conserve the area.

The cats were captured on camera during WWF-Indonesia's three-month survey of a unprotected forest corridor between the Bukit Tigapuluh forest and the Rimbang Baling Wildlife sanctuary in Riau Province.

The camera captured 404 photos of wild cats - including 226 photos of Sumatran tigers, 77 of clouded leopards, 70 of golden cats, 27 of leopard cats and four of marbled cats.

Four of these species are protected by governmental regulations and are listed as threatened by extinction on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, said Karmila Parakkasi, coordinator of the WWF-Indonesia Tiger Research Team.

The photos underscore the rich biodiversity of the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape and the forest corridors that connect to it, and serve as a reminder of what could be lost to logging, plantations and illegal encroachment, she said.

Much of the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape is being threatened by large scale clearance for industrial logging, pulp and paper, as well as illegal encroachment for palm oil plantation development, said Aditya Bayunanda, WWF-Indonesia's coordinator for the Global Forest Trade Network Programme.

He suggested that the concession licenses of companies operating in these areas, such as Barito Pacific, should be reviewed and adjusted according to Indonesian Ministry regulations.

The regulations state that concession areas with the presence of endangered species should be protected by the concessionaire.

WWF-Indonesia is also requesting the areas bordering Bukit Tigapuluh National Park be protected, either by expanding the park or managing it under the current forest ecosystem restoration scheme.

According to WWF-Indonesia, the forest corridor between Rimbang Baling and Bukit Tigapuluh has been found to contain the most wild cats.

In November 2011, Indonesian Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan publicly stated his support for issuing a license for a forest ecosystem restoration scheme in Bukit Tigapuluh.

Bukit Tigapuluh has been designated as a "global priority Tiger Conservation Landscape", and is one of the six landscapes the government of Indonesia has pledged to protect at last year's International Tiger Forum held in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Five rare wild cat species caught on camera in Sumatra
WWF 16 Nov 11;

Pekanbaru, Indonesia – After an amazing five of the seven wild cat species found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra were recently caught on camera in a tract of forest rapidly being lost to deforestation, WWF-Indonesia is urging companies and authorities to take immediate steps to save the valuable area.

Conducted in a forest of rich biodiversity known as Bukit Tigapuluh or Thirty Hills, the WWF survey captured on camera the Sumatran tiger, clouded leopard, marble cat, golden cat, and leopard cat. All of the wild cats were found in an unprotected forest corridor between the Bukit Tigapuluh forest landscape and the Rimbang Baling Wildlife sanctuary in Riau Province. The area is threatened by encroachment and forest clearance for industrial plantations.

“Four of these species are protected by Indonesian Government regulations and are listed as threatened by extinction on the IUCN Red List,” said Karmila Parakkasi, Coordinator of the WWF-Indonesia Tiger Research Team. “This underscores the rich biodiversity of the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape and the forest corridors that connect to it. These amazing cat photos also remind us of how much we could lose as more of these fragile forests are lost to logging, plantations and illegal encroachment.”

During a three month systematic sampling in the forest corridor this year, the camera trapping resulted in 404 photos of wild cats, including 226 of Sumatran tigers, 77 of clouded leopards, 70 of golden cats, 4 of marbled cats, and 27 of leopard cats.

In May 2011, WWF-Indonesia released video footage from a camera trap of three young tiger siblings playfully chasing a leaf. That footage was taken in the same area of the current batch of wild cat photos.

”Unfortunately much of the natural forest area in the landscape is threatened by large scale clearance for industrial logging, pulp and paper, as well as illegal encroachment for palm oil plantation development,” said Aditya Bayunanda WWF-Indonesia’s Coordinator for the Global Forest Trade Network Programme.

“The abundant evidence of these five wild cat species suggests that the concession licenses of companies operating in these areas, such as Barito Pacific, should be reviewed and adjusted according to Indonesian Ministry regulations, which state that concession areas with the presence of endangered species should be protected by the concessionaire.

WWF-Indonesia has also called on protection for areas bordering Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, either by expanding the park or managing it under the current forest ecosystem restoration scheme,” he continued.

At a November 2nd, 2011 WWF event in Jakarta, Indonesian Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan publicly stated his support for issuing a license for a forest ecosystem restoration scheme in Bukit Tigapuluh.

Bukit Tigapuluh is designated a “global priority Tiger Conservation Landscape” and is one of six landscapes the government of Indonesia pledged to protect at last year’s International Tiger Forum, or Tiger Summit, of world leaders in St. Petersburg, Russia.

After intensive surveys this year of the Bukit Tigapuluh and Tesso Nilo landscapes in Sumatra, the forest corridor between Rimbang Baling and Bukit Tigapuluh was found to contain the most wild cats.

Read more!

Indonesian Police Finally Act in Alleged Orangutan Torture, Killing Cases

Jakarta Globe 16 Nov 11;

Indonesian police have questioned a researcher who uncovered the alleged torture and killing of orangutans in a palm oil plantation area in East Kalimantan.

Yaya Rayadin, a researcher from state-owned Mulawarman University in Samarinda, told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that the questioning took place at Kutai Kartanegara Police headquarters on Monday.

“They asked me about the bones of an orangutan that were taken to my lab for analysis,” Yaya said, adding that the remains were found by locals at a plantation area in Puan Cepak, Muara Kaman district.

“I told them that based on forensic examinations, the bones belonged to an adult orangutan and that it died from unnatural causes. The bones showed marks of sharp weapons,” he said, adding that he had handed remains to the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) for evidence purposes.

It was the first time police have questioned anyone in relation to the alleged killing of the protected animals.

The shocking allegations were first made public in September, though police at the time said they needed more proof before an investigation could be launched.

“We need evidence. Can anyone show us the location of the killing, who did it?” Kutai Kartanegara Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. I Gusti Harryarsama told RCTI recently. “If there are graves, we can exhume the bodies and take photos.”

The TV station has aired chilling images of people torturing and killing the primates, including the plate number of a motorcycle that was used by one of the alleged killers.

The practice of killing orangutans had taken place since 2008, Yaya said.

“The forests are the natural habit of orangutans, including the forests that were later converted into palm-oil plantation,” he said.

“However, they adapt to changes very well and they survive by observing and learning from the environment around them. The only food available is palm so they eat it,” Yaya said.

One orangutan could eat up to 30 to 40 palm trees a day, he said.

“Therefore, plantation firms consider them as pests that must be controlled to prevent losses.”

Meanwhile, RCTI interviewed a former plantation employee who claimed that plantation firms offered rewards for anyone who could capture orangutans dead or alive.

“The order was to capture orangutans and monkeys, bring them to the office. If we brought three, we’ll get Rp 3 million ($333),” the anonymous source said.

The captured orangutans would be caged, beaten and buried.

Read more!

Indonesia: Major Illegal Logging Operation Disrupted

Jakarta Globe 16 Nov 11;

The National Police’s special crimes unit says it has disrupted an illegal logging syndicate with the potential to cause significant damage in the Kubu Raya district of West Kalimantan.

Police say the operation, under way since Monday, has resulted in the seizure of thousands of mahang hardwood logs.

“The timber was still in the form of raw logs, numbering 1,869. We are in the process of measuring and counting them with expert witnesses from the Forestry Ministry,” a police officer taking part in the investigation said on Wednesday.

“The suspect is an individual with the initials A.I. He is not a forestry license holder but a local businessman from Pontianak,” said the source, who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to discuss the case.

A.I. will be charged with illegal logging under the Law on Forestry. He could face up to 10 years in prison or a Rp 5 billion ($555,000) fine if convicted.

Mahang is a “pioneer” species that tends to colonize logged areas. It is used by local residents for temporary structures that are not in direct contact with the ground, as well as for interior moldings. For export it is usually combined with other timber pulp to make particleboard and plywood.

When contacted on Wednesday, the director of the special crimes unit, Brig. Gen. Anas Yusuf, declined to confirm the details of the operation.

Last April, a joint team from the West Kalimantan Police’s criminal investigations unit and their National Police counterparts seized thousands of cubic meters of timber belonging to logging company Wana Bangun Agung.

The timber, believed to have been logged illegally, was found in the possession of a plywood company in Arang Limbung, which, as with the location of this week’s seized logs, is also in Kubu Raya district.

In that earlier operation, the police found numerous logs that were not of the 21 species that are legally allowed to be felled under a 2007 Forestry Ministry regulation. The logs were felled from near Putussibau, in the Kapuas Hulu district of West Kalimantan. Farouk Arnaz

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