Best of our wild blogs: 11 Dec 13

Singapore's mangrove plant included in Dr Norm Duke's mangrove app!
from wild shores of singapore

Disclaim
from The annotated budak

The Straits Times Causes Week 2013: Love Our MacRitchie Forest from Love our MacRitchie Forest

Top 10 Environmental Stories of 2013
from Mongabay.com news by Jeremy Hance

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Punggol balloon release canned

Grace Chua MyPaper, The Straits Times AsiaOne 11 Dec 13;

While a New Year countdown party in Punggol will still go on, the mass balloon release that its organisers had planned will not.

Environmentalists and nature lovers had voiced concerns that, when released, balloons pose a threat to birds, and to marine life and the environment after they fall into the sea.

Punggol resident Cherh Kah Leng, 29, a marine-biology graduate student, wrote to The Straits Times' Forum page last week about Punggol Vista Community Centre's countdown party to point out that sea turtles may mistake deflated balloons for food, while strings from handheld balloons can potentially entangle birds. "I would not want to see egrets, kites, kingfishers and shrikes at Punggol Waterway being entangled and endangered by balloons," she wrote.

Several others had posted similar remarks on the community centre's Facebook page.

In response, the organisers decided to scrap the balloon release for the party, which will be held next to Punggol MRT station.

Madam Lam Lee Choo, chairman of the countdown party's organising committee, said in a statement: "The organising committee agrees that it would not be appropriate to have a mass release of balloons to mark the new year, as these would pose a hazard to wildlife, as well as result in litter...

"The event and the carnival, together with all the other activities, will proceed, and we will find some other meaningful way to celebrate the New Year as one community. We welcome all residents who have given us feedback to join the party."

Other party activities, such as performances, game booths and lucky draws, will still go ahead.

When contacted yesterday, Ms Cherh said she was glad the organisers have responded to the public feedback.

"I hope this is because they agree with our views and the organisation will henceforth be guided by this new awareness and respect for the environment," she added.

She also suggested that the authorities ban mass helium-balloon releases in future, likening them to "an act of mass littering".

Nature enthusiast Ria Tan, 52, who has found deflated balloons in mangroves and on beaches here, agreed. "Bravo for reconsidering the mass balloon release," she posted on the community centre's Facebook page.

Related link
Help stop mass balloon release at Punggol on 31 Dec 2013 on the wild shores of singapore blog

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Malaysia: Wildlife Department to probe open sale of bushmeat

Muguntan Vanar The Star 11 Dec 13;

KOTA KINABALU: A host of exotic wildlife meat, including those from protected species, are being sold openly at a tamu (weekly farmers’ market) in Sabah’s interior Nabawan town.

Wildlife rangers have been sent to check on the public tip-offs on the open sale of slaughtered protected species at the market, some 200km from Kota Kinabalu.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu said that the species included the binturong or bear cat, common palm civet, banded palm civet, Malay civet, sambar deer, porcupine, blood python and many others.

“These species are definitely hunted from forest reserves and national parks, where hunting is totally forbidden,” said Dr Laurentius, who promised action against those responsible as such acts were “unacceptable”.

He said they would be going after the suspects involved in the selling and hunting of the animals.

The newly-opened Wildlife Health Genetic and Forensic Laboratory would analyse confiscated illegal bushmeat to determine species and origin using genetic tools, he said.

Wildlife department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said there was a clear and present danger to wildlife in Sabah as illegal hunting and poaching was happening at an unprecedented rate that was fuelled by both local consumption and also by international illegal trade in wildlife.

“The department is seriously looking at beefing up the department’s capacity by setting up a Wildlife Enforcement Unit to address this serious issue, which will be very similar to the very successful Department’s Wildlife Rescue Unit,” Dr Nathan added.

Danau Girang Field Centre director Dr Benoit Goossens said there were evidence of illegal hunting and wildlife trade happening in national parks and protected forests in Sabah based on evidence caught by camera traps.

Dr Goossens also cautioned the public who hunt, handle, buy and eat bushmeat that they were not only acting against the law but also risking their lives by handling and consuming wildlife.

“Take the example of ebola, a zoonotic and deadly disease transmitted by bushmeat handling and consumption in central Africa, especially of chimpanzees and gorillas.

“Closer to home, the nipah virus was carried by flying foxes (fruit bats) and then transmitted to pigs. This later affected the people handling or consuming bats or pork, and it proved fatal for many in peninsular Malaysia,” he said.

Wildlife sold in market?
Avila Geraldine New Straits Times 11 Dec 13;

PROTECTED SPECIES: State unit probes into claims following reports made by people

NABAWAN: A TEAM of Wildlife Rescue Unit is investigating claims that protected species are being sold in a market in this remote district.

Today, a Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) enforcement team will make its inspection following evidence given by individuals.

The species involved include the binturong (bearcat), common palm civet, banded palm civet, Malay civet, sambar deer, porcupine and blood python.

Its director, Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu, said these wild animals were slaughtered at the open market which operates every Wednesdays.

"Those species are definitely hunted from forest reserves and national parks, where hunting is totally forbidden.

"This is unacceptable and we need the support from the public to tackle this," he said in a press statement.

There was a clear and present danger to Sabah wildlife, he said, adding illegal hunting and poaching were happening at an unprecedented rate now.

This was not only fuelled by local consumption but also international illegal trade in wildlife, he said.

Danau Girang Field Centre director Dr Benoit Goossens said those who hunted, handled and consumed bushmeat put their lives at risk due to diseases.

"Take the example of ebola, a zoonotic and deadly disease transmitted by bushmeat handling and consumption in central Africa, especially of chimpanzees and gorillas.

"Ebola has killed thousands of people. More close to us, the nipah virus carried by flying foxes (fruit bats) and transmitted to pigs, then to people who handled and consumed bats and pork, killed thousands of people in Peninsular Malaysia."

On Monday, SWD announced the setting up of the Wildlife Health Genetic and Forensic Laboratory together with EcoHealth Alliance (EHA).

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun had said the facility would help counteract the threat of diseases from wildlife to humans.

"However, it cannot stop people going to the forests and slaughtering our wildlife.

"I want this to stop immediately and I will put all efforts and means into place to tackle this issue.

"Sabah will not be a place where our beautiful wildlife and national treasures will be decimated by heartless people."

Sabah declares war on wildlife poaching
Muguntan Vanar The Star 11 Dec 13;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah launched a crackdown on illegal trade and poaching of wildlife as some 160kg of protected Sambar and barking dears were seized from a tamu (weekly farmers' market) in Nabawan.

Three people were arrested and three others escaped as Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) rangers swooped on the tamu on Wednesday following public tip-offs on open sale of slaughtered protected species in Nabawan about 200km from Kota Kinabalu.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun ordered the department to go all out to address the issue of wildlife poaching and trading in the state.

"The war on illegal wildlife trade and poaching has just began, so hunters and poachers in Sabah be warned that there will be no compromise as we will be prosecuting and we will charge them to the highest extent of the law. Be ready to be jailed,” Masidi said.

SWD officer Benedict Jani said that a total of 145 kilograms of Sambar deer meat and 15 kilograms of Barking deer meat was confiscated as they were being sold without valid permits.

He said three other traders managed to escape after the first two were apprehended along with a third individual who resisted arrest and was preventing wildlife rangers from confiscating the bushmeat.

"Nabawan district has become a hotspot for the sale of illegal bushmeat in recent years due to the vast road networks all the way to Tawau and we will not be surprised if this bushmeat was illegally hunted in Maliau Basin or as far as some protected Forest Reserves in Tawau and Lahad Datu,” Jani said.

Deer meat seized in crackdown on illegal wildlife trade
Muguntan Vanar The Star 12 Dec 13;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah wildlife officers raided a tamu (weekly farmers’ market) in the interior Nabawan district and seized some 160kg of deer meat in its crackdown on illegal traders and poachers in the state.

Three people were caught while three others gave the enforcers the slip as the wildlife rangers cracked down on the tamu, about 200km from here, following a tip-off yesterday.

Keningau wildlife department officer Benedict Jani said that of the seized venison, 145kg was that of the sambar deer and 15kg was that of the barking deer.

One of the traders selling the meat without valid permits tried to stop the enforcement officers from taking away his wares but was overpowered and nabbed along with two others. Three others managed to flee.

“The Nabawan district has become a hotspot for the sale of illegal bushmeat in recent years due to the vast road networks, all the way to Tawau,” Benedict said.

He said the department had been clamping down on such activities in recent months, adding that 10 cases were pending prosecution.

Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said samples of the confiscated meat would be sent to its newly opened wildlife health, genetic and forensic laboratory for genetic analysis to see if there were viruses or bacteria that could be hazardous to human health.

Meanwhile, state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun ordered the Sabah wildlife department to go all out to address the issue of wildlife poaching and trading and to slap the fullest extent of the law against those involved.

“The war on illegal wildlife trade and poaching has just begun. Be ready to go to jail,” Masidi said after the seizures.

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Malaysia: Shabery Cheek Illustrates Scale Of The Devastating Floods

Bernama 10 Dec 13;

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- As the situation in the four flood-hit states passed the critical phase and the evacuees began to return to their homes, a clearer picture emerged as to the scale of the floods.

Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek had some information that shed light on the extent of the natural disaster which struck Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor.

He said that on Dec 3 alone, the Jabor area in his parliamentary constituency of Kemaman was pulverised with 777mm of rainfall. In three days, 1,662mm of rainfall was recorded.

Ahmad Shabery spoke to reporters after launching the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Fund for Flood Victims at his ministry, here.

Ministry deputy secretary-general II Datuk Che Azemi Haron and representatives of agencies under the ministry were present. Bernama was represented by its general manager, Datuk Yong Soo Heong.

Ahmad Shabery said the floods were the worst in 100 years because many areas usually free of the natural calamity were flooded.

He said it was normal for aid to be delivered to the flood-prone areas, but this time many other places were submerged and the authorities were faced with the gargantuan challenge of evacuating 22,000 people from their homes in boats in a matter of just 30 hours.

The natural disaster exposed the need for much improvement in flood relief efforts, such as an early warning system, and better facilities at the relief centres, such as the provision of sleeping bags which can serve as mattresses as well as blankets, he said.

The minister said now the time had come to consider post-flood measures, including the process of cleaning up the houses and assessing the damage and loss suffered by every family.

He also condemned users of social media websites such as Facebook who had drawn comparisons between Malaysian and overseas relief centres.

Citing the example of the tsunami which hit Japan in 2011, he said the victims stayed at evacuation centres for as long as two or three months and it was necessary to provide them with tents.

On the other hand, flood victims in Malaysia stayed at relief centres only for about a week, he said.

"I feel that in the first week of the tsunami, the situation was also chaotic in the sense that lives had to be saved. The pictures also did not show that the tents were only erected several days after the evacuees had been moved there," he said.

On the humanitarian fund, Ahmad Shabery said money would be collected up to next month and the ministry would discuss with the local authorities of the four states on the type of aid to be channelled to them.

People who wish to send donations can type 'banjir' (amount of donation) and send to 13999. They can donate between RM1 and RM20.

Earlier, in his speech, Ahmad Shabery said that to progress towards a developed nation, the people would have to change their attitude from being receivers to becoming donors, especially during a disaster.

"For example, during the recent floods, the evacuees at the relief centres could give a hand to the volunteers," he said.

At the event, Ahmad Shabery had a pleasant surprise when staff of the ministry brought out "pulut kuning" (yellow glutinous rice) and wished him a happy 55th birthday.

-- BERNAMA

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