Best of our wild blogs: 2 Sep 13

Residents from nine precincts express concerns to LTA about CRL alternate route suggested by NSS from Love our MacRitchie Forest

We the MacRitchie Lovers
from The Green Beans

Biodiversity for kids during the September school holidays
from Celebrating Singapore's BioDiversity!

Stage flight
from The annotated budak

Mynas having a cool drink
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Lesser Dog-faced Fruit Bat
from Monday Morgue

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NParks says 40 wild boars culled

Evelyn Lam and Olivia Siong Channel NewsAsia 1 Sep 13;

SINGAPORE: It has been about a year since the National Parks Board began culling wild boars at the Lower Peirce Reservoir area.

While not as many wild boars have been sighted in the area as before, the trail the remaining creatures leave behind is still quite a sight. Thus, residents from Kebun Baru Vista have taken on the mission of "patching up" the area.

Patch-Up at the Park is a ground-up conservation initiative by the neighbourhood committee.

Dr Robert Liew, organising chairperson of Patch-Up at the Park, said: "The old wise ones, they're still around. We've even given one a name, his name is Boris - Boris the pig. But the small ones, we haven't seen them around anymore. So that's the effect of the culling I think.

"We want to be able to co-exist happily with the wild boars and other wild animals. So things they've put out of place, it's our job to put it in place again, so we both can enjoy the park."

Armed with shovels and other equipment, some 50 residents from Kebun Baru Vista took on the mission of patching up a field at Lower Peirce Reservoir on Sunday morning.

The NParks, which supplied tools for the initiative, also gave an update on the situation - it has culled 40 wild boars since last year and will continue doing so as “the population of wild boars is still a concern”.

Asked when the culling will stop, Mr Wong Tuan Wah, Director of Conservation at the NParks, said that “the number of wild boars to be removed is dependent on the assessment of the threat to public safety, the impact on the forest and conservation interests”.

As recent as May this year, the agency was still receiving feedback of wild boars colliding with vehicles at Upper Thomson Road. “Damage to the undergrowth also continues to be observed,” Mr Wong added.

The agency could not give an estimate on the current wild boar population in Singapore or within the Lower Peirce area. In June, it said that there were up to 100 wild boars in the Lower Peirce area, based on their observation of “two herds”, and that the ideal number for the area is seven.

The NParks began culling wild boars in the area in August last year after their numbers grew sharply, drawing the ire of conservation and animal rights groups. The culling is limited to a 0.3-sq-km area in the Lower Peirce forest.

Residents have noted that things are improving in the area - the neighbourhood committee has not received any complaints about wild boars in the past six months, this is compared to about three to five complaints a year ago.

While residents previously notice new potholes every other day, residents said they now only see new potholes emerging once a week.

It is hoped that the patching-up exercise will instil a sense of ownership in residents.

The neighbourhood committee which organised the event hopes to carry out such patch-up exercises once a month.

Besides culling, one resident, Russell Ng, also told Channel NewsAsia they have noticed more palm oil palm trees being cut down -- a move that may help keep the wild boars at bay.

He said: "I think they felt that the palm trees were attracting too many wild boars -- and this palm oil is one of their favourite food -- and replaced them with native species that do not attract the wild boars out... to create a buffer zone between the forest and the park itself."

- CNA/TODAY/ac/de


40 wild boars culled: NParks
Kok Xing Hui Today Online 2 Sep 13;

SINGAPORE — As the National Parks Board (NParks) continues its culling of wild boars living around Lower Peirce Reservoir, residents are taking steps to fix some of the damage caused by the animals, while others spoke about how they have grown accustomed to their presence.

Yesterday, nearly 50 residents from the Kebun Baru area came together for the first time to help restore the grass patches overturned by the pigs as they root for food in the ground.

The NParks, which supplied tools for the initiative, also gave an update on the situation — it has culled 40 wild boars since last year and will continue doing so as “the population of wild boars is still a concern”.

Asked when the culling will stop, Mr Wong Tuan Wah, Director of Conservation at the NParks, said that “the number of wild boars to be removed is dependent on the assessment of the threat to public safety, the impact on the forest and conservation interests”.

As recent as May this year, the agency was still receiving feedback of wild boars colliding with vehicles at Upper Thomson Road. “Damage to the undergrowth also continues to be observed,” Mr Wong added.

The agency could not give an estimate on the current wild boar population in Singapore or within the Lower Peirce area. In June, it said that there were up to 100 wild boars in the Lower Peirce area, based on their observation of “two herds”, and that the ideal number for the area is seven.

The NParks began culling wild boars in the area in August last year after their numbers grew sharply, drawing the ire of conservation and animal rights groups. The culling is limited to a 0.3-sq-km area in the Lower Peirce forest.

Mr Chang Nam Yuen, Chairman of the Kebun Baru Vista Neighbourhood Committee, which organised yesterday’s event, said the wild boar situation has improved, thanks to the NParks’ efforts to manage the population.

Another resident, Mr Robert Liew, agreed, saying that he used to see overturned patches “every other day” but now only sees “a small patch of new holes” each week.

While the residents present noted that the wild boar population has given them some problems, they felt that eliminating the animals completely is not the solution. “We find them quite likeable ... We don’t mind having them around,” said Mr Liew. “We’ve even given one a name. His name is Boris. ”

Retiree Russell Ng, who lives less than 1km from the park, said more research should have been done on what contributed to their upsurge in numbers.

“I haven’t seen any convincing arguments for (the culling) yet ... We can live with animals in our midst,” he said, adding he used to see herds of 20 to 30, but now he only sees one, occasionally.

Retired National University of Singapore professor Lee Seng Luan said he thought it was nice to see the boars and macaques around and that there needs to be a “sustainable number” of them.

The NParks said it has also taken other steps to manage the wild boar population, like removing food sources like oil palm and rubber trees and replacing them with native trees, and working with the community to counter the damage caused by wild boars.

Mr Chang said the organising team hopes to carry out this activity every three months. While residents “can’t do much”, they love the place and want to do something, he added.

Residents repair wild boar damage
Kok Xing Hui Today Online 1 Sep 13;

SINGAPORE — Roughly 50 residents living near the Lower Pierce Reservoir came together this morning (Sept 1) to restore grass patches damaged by wild boars.

The boars overturn grass patches as they search for food in the park, leaving behind an unsightly mess, said the People’s Association.

Mr Chang Nam Yuen, chairman of the Kebun Baru Vista Neighbourhood Committee, which organised the event, said he was aware that the 50 residents “can’t do much” as the task requires professionals, but they wanted to fulfill a desire to help.

Residents TODAY spoke to said they noticed that the wild boar population has fallen since the National Parks Board (NParks) started culling the pigs last year.

Retiree and resident Russell Ng said he used to see herds of 20 to 30 pigs here, but only solitary pigs since the culling started.

Channel NewsAsia reported in June that 20 boars have been culled since last August.

NParks provided the tools for today’s restoration effort.

Residents restore grass patches damaged by boars
Amelia Teng Straits Times 2 Sep 13;

FOR years, wild boars have been trampling the grounds near homes in Kebun Baru, leaving grass patches damaged.

Yesterday, a group of nearly 50 residents decided to roll up their sleeves and repair the damage themselves.

Using shovels and changkols provided by the National Parks Board (NParks), they came together to restore the grass patches in Lower Peirce Park. They worked together in an area about half the size of a football field for about two hours to even out the damaged patches.

The initiative was organised by the Kebun Baru Vista Neighbourhood Committee (NC), which looks into the welfare of residents in private estates and condominiums in the area.

"We are passionate and we have a desire to do our part to improve the park's environment because many of us come here regularly," said Mr Chang Nam Yuen, 62, who is the chairman of the Kebun Baru Vista NC. "It's just like how we would want to sweep our house clean," he said.

Wild boars are a common sight in the Lower Peirce area. NParks estimated last year that there are 100 wild boars in the area, and has since begun culling them.

Said volunteer Lee Seng Luan, 68: "Since we come here, we want to make the park look nice. It's not that we hate the wild boars.

"My view is that we have a sustainable number of them, because maybe this area cannot support so many," said the retired mathematics professor.

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Malaysia: Moderate Air Pollutant Index readings at several locations

The Star 2 Sep 13;

PETALING JAYA: Several locations in Malaysia recorded moderate Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.

The Department of Environment recorded moderate API readings at several locations in Selangor, Malacca, Kelantan and Terengganu.

The highest API was recorded in Bukit Rambai in Malacca yesterday, where the reading remained at 60 from morning until 4pm yesterday. It then dropped a notch to 59 at 5pm.

Residents in Port Klang also experienced mild haze, with the API being recorded at 56 until 1pm, 55 until 4pm and 54 at 5pm despite heavy showers in the Klang Valley.

API reading of below 50 is regarded as good, 50-100 (moderate), 100-200 (unhealthy), 200-300 (very unhealthy), and above 300 (hazardous).

It was hazy in the morning in Tanah Merah, Kelantan, but the situation improved after 3pm.

Kuala Terengganu also experienced haze the entire day, with API readings remaining at 52 from morning till 5pm yesterday.

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Shark fin decline linked to China corruption crackdown

AFP 1 Sep 13;

Conservationists have attributed a dwindling demand for shark fins to China's crackdown on corruption which has forced a decline in lavish banquets.

"We are seeing a reduction in demand from China. Hong Kong is also showing a significant decline in consumption," Angelo Villagomez, a shark specialist with US-based conservation group the Pew Charitable Trusts, said Sunday.

Villagomez was in the Marshall Islands to discuss shark sanctuaries with leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum, the annual summit of Pacific heads of state.

However, he said the decline in shark fin demand over the past year was not directly linked to increasing shark protection by Pacific island governments.

Instead, it was related to the Chinese leadership's crackdown on graft and opposition to extravagance.

"It's not to do with conservation. It's related to a Chinese government anti-graft crackdown, which has cut back on dinners where shark fin soup was featured on the menu," Villagomez said.

"The culture is (also) changing in Asia among younger people. They aren't eating shark fin soup as much."

Historically, high demand in the Asian market has fuelled shark-finning by fishermen on commercial tuna vessels in the Pacific.

But finning is slowly being shut down as the number of islands legislating shark sanctuaries grows.

Villagomez will be meeting this week with Pacific leaders to discuss extending the number of shark sanctuaries.

"The Pacific is leading the world in shark conservation," he said.

"Pew is working with islands that have sanctuaries on enforcement, implementing best practices, and conducting research."

The nearly 300 purse seine fishing boats now plying tuna grounds in the Pacific are required to have independent observers on board and with "100 percent observer coverage, enforcement of shark bans is as good as it will get," Villagomez added.

"The islands now have eyes on the water and in the ports."

Since banning shark fishing in its waters in 2011, the Marshall Islands has arrested two foreign vessels for having shark fins on board and fined them more than $100,000.

"During the next two years, our goal is to create a united Pacific front on sharks," Villagomez said.

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