Malaysia: 'Pedu land clearing will affect 400 species'

New Straits Times 14 Jan 13;

ALOR STAR: The habitats of some 400 species of animals, including the rare plain-pouched hornbills, are being threatened by the Pas-led state government's agro-tourism project near Pedu Dam.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) research officer S. Mageswari feared that the animals' habitat would be affected by land clearing taking place on a 358ha site near the area.

"During a research conducted on the Pedu forest with the World Wide Fund for Nature two years ago, we spotted a plain-pouched hornbill.

"We feared that the habitat of the hornbill, which is an endangered species, would be destroyed by the development works," she told the New Straits Times.

The land clearing was done to make way for a mango plantation to promote agro-tourism in the state. Mageswari said the absence of the animals would affect the ecosystem in the area.

"SAM is not choosing sides as we will not gain anything by doing so. However, we strongly believe that the state government should consider relocating the project."

State Wildlife and National Parks Department director Rozidan Md Yasin said the animal habitats would be affected by the land clearing.

It was reported that around 12,000 people who were taken for a tour at the site were shocked by the deforestation. The land clearing also irked 60,000 padi farmers, who urged the state government to scrap the project, which they claimed would affect their yield.

A Forestry Department spokesman said the project developer had been instructed to ensure that the land clearing did not trigger soil erosions and landslides.

On claims that rivers in the area had become murky and polluted, he said the department had taken water samples for testing.