Best of our wild blogs: 9 Mar 16

Singapore Bird Report-February 2016
Singapore Bird Group

Read more!

Singapore's sperm whale on show at Lee Kong Chian museum from Mar 15

Jubi will be used as a reminder to the public to keep the oceans clean, said the museum.
Channel NewsAsia 9 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE: An exhibition featuring the skeleton of the sperm whale that washed ashore in 2015 will be open to the public at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum from Mar 15, announced the museum on Monday (Mar 8).

The adult female sperm whale, named Jubilee Whale - or "Jubi" for short - was found off the coast of Jurong Island in July, during the nation’s Golden Jubilee year.

Jubi is the first record of a sperm whale in Singapore waters. However, she is not the first whale to be on display in the country.

“There was a whale on display at the National Museum in the past, but it was given to Malaysia sometime after independence in the 1970s, but that whale was not originally from Singapore, it was from Melaka,” said Mr Marcus Chua, the museum officer for mammal biodiversity at the museum.

“When we opened, many people have been asking us where is that whale. And we have been trying very hard to get it back, but now that we have a whale that was found in Singapore to call our own, this is something to be proud of.”

When the whale was first found, the museum had launched an appeal for funds to preserve the whale. The funds raised then exceeded the S$1 million target.

According to the musuem, half the money raised will go into the exhibition, which will include the mounting of the skeleton and storyboards for the public to learn more about sperm whales, as well as the story of recovering Jubi. The other half of the money will go into research and education efforts for marine biodiversity.

Jubi will be used as a reminder to the public to keep the oceans clean, said the museum.

- CNA/ek

Read more!

Man who suspended bird from flat gets AVA warning

TOH EE MING Today Online 8 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE — The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) has issued a warning letter to a home owner who had suspended a live mynah from a string from his window to scare the bird after it defecated in his
Yishun home.

The AVA investigated the incident after it was flagged by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), which had responded to a call reporting the incident in November last year. ACRES had also shared a video on its Facebook page showing the hung mynah.

Responding to queries, the AVA said the mynah had flown into a flat and defecated inside.

“The home owner caught the mynah and suspended it outside a window by its tied legs, in an attempt to scare the mynah,” said an AVA spokesperson. “The home owner had intended to release the mynah.”

According to ACRES, the father of the caller who reported the case to ACRES’s Animal Crime Investigation Unit had approached the home owner asking him to release the mynah, but was told to “get lost”. The bird was released after the police were called in.

In its response, the AVA said the public can deter birds from entering homes by ensuring that food and refuse are properly handled and not left out in the open or by installing bird-proofing equipment such as screens or netting on windows.

When contacted, ACRES founder Louis Ng expressed disappointment at the AVA’s “light” response.

“Obviously we had hoped for stronger enforcement (beyond) just letting him off with a warning, especially considering the abuse was intentional,” said Mr Ng, pointing out that the Animals and Birds Act had been amended to take into account incidents of intentional animal cruelty.

Mr Ng, who is also a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency, added that the incident might have psychological repercussions for the bird, and a stronger penalty could have acted as a deterrence to potential animal abusers.

In a Facebook post last Saturday (March 5) sharing that the AVA had taken action against the home owner, ACRES also suggested humane ways of scaring birds off, such as by hanging wind chimes, placing scarecrow or predator visuals, and applying non-toxic bird-repellent spray.

“We hope that, through education, people can learn to live in greater harmony with our native birds,” it said in the post.

Read more!

Dengue cases down but figures higher than previous years

Today Online 8 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE — The number of new dengue cases fell for the second consecutive week, although it remains high for this time of the year, compared to previous years.

For the week of Feb 28 to March 5, there were 415 cases reported, according to the National Environment Agency’s latest data.

This is 97 cases fewer than in the previous week, which saw 512 cases reported from Feb 21 to Feb 27.

Another 72 cases were reported from Mar 6 to 3.30pm on Mar 7, according to figures on the NEA’s dengue website.

A total of 4,961 dengue cases have been reported in Singapore since the start of the year.

The Ministry of Health and NEA have warned that the number of dengue cases in Singapore may exceed 30,000 this year, higher than the record of 22,170 reported in 2013.

This is due to factors such as warmer conditions brought about by the El Nino weather phenomenon, faster breeding and maturation cycles of the Aedes mosquito population and a change in the main circulating dengue virus.

The biggest cluster of dengue cases is now located in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, with 102 cases reported.


Number of new dengue cases falls for 3rd week in a row
There were 397 new cases in the week of Mar 6 to Mar 12, 15 fewer than the previous week, according to the latest data from NEA.
Channel NewsAsia 15 Mat 16;

SINGAPORE: The number of new cases of dengue reported continued its downward trajectory, with 397 cases reported from Mar 6 to Mar 12, according to the National Environment Agency's latest data.

This was 15 cases fewer than the 412 cases reported in the previous week. There were 512 cases reported from Feb 21 to Feb 27, and 590 cases from Feb 14 to Feb 20.

Another 68 cases were reported from Mar 13 to 3.30pm on Mar 14, according to NEA's website.

A total of 5,351 dengue cases have been reported in Singapore since the start of the year. Three people - a 47-year-old man who lived in Marsiling Rise, a 67-year-old man who lived in Toa Payoh and a 63-year-old woman who lived in Bedok - have died of the disease so far.

The Ministry of Health and NEA have warned that the number of dengue cases in Singapore may exceed 30,000 this year, higher than the record of 22,170 reported in 2013.

This is due to factors such as warmer conditions brought about by the El Nino weather phenomenon, faster breeding and maturation cycles of the Aedes mosquito population and a change in the main circulating dengue virus, said both agencies at a joint media briefing.

- CNA/mz

Read more!

Indonesian province declares emergency as forest fires flare

Indonesia's western province of Riau has declared a state of emergency over forest and land fires blazing on the island of Sumatra, a government official said on Tuesday.

Channel NewsAsia 8 Mar 16;

JAKARTA: Indonesia's western province of Riau has declared a state of emergency over forest and land fires blazing on the island of Sumatra, a government official said on Tuesday.

The fires, which send choking smog over Southeast Asia every year, raged uncontrollably across several provinces last year, costing an estimated US$16 billion (11 billion pounds), and pushed average daily greenhouse gas emissions above those of the United States.

"The governor has declared an emergency now, to be able to prevent a repeat of the haze that occurred in 2015," said provincial government spokesman Darusman, adding that life in the province continued to be normal.

About 500 military and police personnel and a water-bombing helicopter have been deployed to help fight the fires but the haze had not yet reached urban areas, he said.

The fires are often set by plantation companies and smallholders to clear land, and were particularly bad in 2015 because of a prolonged dry season caused by the El Nino weather pattern.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has urged authorities to contain so-called hotspots, where fires start and spread to their surroundings.

This year, Widodo set up an agency to restore around 2 million hectares (5 million acres) of carbon-rich peatlands which typically produce more smog than forest fires.

But past efforts by Indonesia and neighbouring countries to prevent the fires, or put them out once started, have shown little success. Last year's fires ended only when the rainy season arrived to douse them.

- Reuters

Read more!

Indonesia agency pushes plan to tackle deforestation, fires

Stephen Wrigth, Associated Press, Jakarta Post 7 Mar 16;

Indonesia's anti-graft commission on Monday said government agencies have agreed on a plan to combat corruption in the forestry industry that costs the state billions of dollars in lost revenue and is behind fires that pollute Southeast Asia.

The attempt to address a longstanding crisis in the management and conservation of Indonesia's prized tropical forests comes after a study by the anti-corruption commission estimated that the commercial value of undeclared logging was US$60.7 billion to $81.4 billion between 2003 and 2014. The study released in October estimated the government's loss of revenue from royalties at $6.5 billion to $9 billion over the same period.

Dian Patria, head of corruption prevention for natural resources at the Corruption Eradication Commission, said top officials from other ministries and agencies have given their backing to the plan.

Protecting extensive tropical forests that are among the largest in the world is a key issue for Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Unreported timber production deprives the Indonesian government of revenue it could use to improve infrastructure and services for its still largely poor population of more than 250 million.

Annual burning of forests and peatland in Sumatra and Kalimantan to clear land for palm oil plantations and other agriculture is a regular bane for Malaysia, Singapore, southern Thailand and parts of Indonesia. The fires produce a smoky haze that is a health hazard, often forcing people indoors and shutting down schools and airports.

Monica Tanuhandaru, the executive director of Kemitraan, which lobbies for clean government and business, said the plan is significant but will require continual support from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to be fully implemented.

The plan developed by the anti-corruption commission, along with Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ministry of Finance, Supreme Audit Agency, and financial regulatory agencies, leans heavily on technology to build an accurate picture of where illegal deforestation and conversion of peatland into farmland is occurring.

The anti-corruption commission hopes use of Landsat satellites, drones and LIDAR pulsed laser-based mapping will identify land clearing on a close to real-time basis. That will provide the information for prosecuting companies that log more than they declare.

According to the report released in October, official statistics on timber production capture less than a quarter of what is cut down.

The plan also requires the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to disclose more information about its monitoring efforts. For the first time, it would issue quarterly reports on where deforestation and peatland conversion has occurred and also detail what law enforcement actions it has taken.

Read more!

Indonesia: APRIL's $100m Environmental Conservation Plan Imperative for Future Business

Jakarta Globe 8 Mar 16;

Jakarta. Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings, or APRIL, a global producer of fiber, pulp and paper, believes that its $100 million investment plan for natural forest conservation is imperative for their future business, executives at the company said.

APRIL’s commitment involves 250 thousand hectares of high conservation value forests (HCVF) located within their fiber plantations and a 150 thousand hectares landscape level ecosystem restoration project.

The project was announced in early December 2015 at the UN Climate Change Summit (COP 21) in Paris. APRIL’s 10-year investment plan, which is part of their sustainable forestry model, will not only protect and enhance their HCVF, but will also ensure that its peatland restoration activities at the Kampar Peninsula use an integrated management approach with local communities.

At last year’s COP 21, representatives from over 190 countries discussed their aim to achieve universal and legally binding targets to mitigate climate change and global warming.

“The global community has an extraordinary opportunity at COP 21 in Paris to make a difference for the future. This investment indicates our broader business case for restoration which encompasses the value of the ecosystem services and the need to have an inclusive approach with the community,” said Anderson Tanoto, a director at APRIL’s parent company, Royal Golden Eagle, in a statement.

“As we learn and as our approach [evolves], we continue to deliver environmental benefits, economic opportunities through jobs and infrastructure, as well as social progress for local communities,” Anderson added.

Since APRIL began its fiber plantation program in 1993, they have been identifying and setting aside natural forest conservation areas within their concession areas. They have been doing so in accordance with legal requirements, as well as complying with standards using the HCVF approach since 2005.

In a recent statement, APRIL said that its commitment to its Riau Ecosystem Restoration (RER) – which is a long-term project initiated in 2013 with an aim to restore the important peatland landscape on the Kampar Peninsula – as the biggest investment by a private sector company in a single eco-restoration project in Indonesia.

As the eco-system restoration and conservation program is centrally located in the peninsula, APRIL says it will bring economic benefits since it will not only preserve the remaining forests, but will also help to stabilize and improve the livelihood of the local community. It will do so by providing continued earnings from non-timber forest products and ecosystem services, as well as reduce fire risks in the surrounding area and help preserve water flow that will feed local rivers.

“This commitment illustrates how private sector organizations can support climate goals not just in terms of pledges but by going beyond them and actually putting resources on the table,” said Tony Wenas, managing director at APRIL Indonesia.

APRIL’s RER area operates under the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s ecosystem restoration license. APRIL is also collaborating with environmental experts, consisting of Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and local social capital organization Bidara to provide technical and advisory expertise on carbon, community development and biodiversity.

Anderson Tanoto and Rachmat Witoelar, climate change special envoy of the President of the Republic of Indonesia holding the RER expansion announcement placard. (Source: http://aprildialog.com) Anderson Tanoto and Rachmat Witoelar, climate change special envoy of the President of the Republic of Indonesia holding the RER expansion announcement placard. (Source: http://aprildialog.com)
Indonesia’s lowland forests and peatland areas are known as some of the most bio-diverse and sensitive ecosystems in the world, while the Kampar Peninsula landscape is identified as one of the largest peatland forest blocks remaining in the Southeast Asian region.

Kampar’s tropical forests are known for its richness in biodiversity and are home to an array of endangered species, including the Sumatran tiger, bearded pig and sun bear.

“Under the eco-restoration license from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, we are working with our partners to protect, assess, restore and then manage this important landscape while working with the local community,” said Petrus Gunarso, conservation director, at APRIL.

Strong Business Case

It was not a small commitment for APRIL to boost its investment in the RER project, which started with a $17 million commitment three years ago that initially was intended to cover 70 thousand hectares of degraded land.

“As well as the environmental imperatives, we believe there is a strong business case for peatland conservation and restoration as part of a sustainable forestry model,” Petrus said, adding that the RER project is also expected to combat deforestation, in addition to restoring the ecosystem through water, oxygen and wildlife.

Apart from these commitments, APRIL also manages a 250 thousand hectare conservation area within the fiber plantation concession. APRIL also operates a 1,750 hectare manufacturing complex in Kerinci, which is one of the largest single-site pulp mills in the world that is able to produce about 2.8 million tons of pulp and 820 thousand tons of paper per year.

Additionally, its PaperOne line of office paper product now sells in more than 75 countries.

APRIL also held a ground-breaking ceremony for a new Rp 4 trillion ($305 million) paper production facility in June last year in Riau province that will produce high-grade digital paper, designed for high-quality digital color printing.

This move is expected to boost APRIL’s production capacity to 1.15 million tons of paper per year from its current 820 thousand tons per year.

APRIL further displayed its commitment to environmental conservation by revising its Sustainable Forest Management Policy (SFMP) in May 2015, which meant revising their plans to harvest an all natural forest.

Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) witnessed the ceremony where APRIL inked its commitment in June last year. This move was welcomed by international green activists as it demonstrated an improved commitment from APRIL’s previous SFMP which allowed for timber from rainforests to be used in the company’s pulp mills until 2020.

APRIL also stated in their SFMP that they are on-track to achieving a 1-for-1 commitment to conserve forest areas that are equal in size to its 480 thousand hectares of plantation area.

Additionally, Anderson has repeatedly told the media that APRIL has now entered a different stage of development as it seeks to improve its image which has long been criticized by green activists as a contributor to large-scale deforestation.

“It’s a different stage for the company. Over the last five years, we’ve asked ourselves what went right and what haven’t we done right,” said Anderson, as quoted by the Straits Times in December last year.

Anderson added that the company admits that they may not have been “perfect,” but it was reason enough to think outside the box and gather expertise from outside the company to improve its sustainable business model in the pulp and paper industry.

Read more!

Indonesia: Soil compaction puts peatland at risk, agency says

Anton Hermansyah, thejakartapost.com 8 Mar 16;

Despite having helped to increase the productivity of oil palm plantations in Malaysia, the soil compaction method commonly used in the country carries risks that may be counterproductive to peatland conservation efforts, an Indonesian peatland agency has said.

In Malaysia, the method is commonly used in oil palm plantations on peatland to maintain humidity in the deeper part of peat as the pores decrease in size, preventing water from evaporating, thereby reducing the risk of fires during the dry season.

"It is a good method, but compaction has other risks. First, more methane gas will be released from the land, and the layers below will slowly oxidize and collapse in the future," Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) secretary Hartono Prawiratmadja said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

A researcher at the Tropical Peat Research Laboratory, Lulie Melling, said that soil compaction increased Malaysia’s peatland-based oil palm productivity to 38 ton per hectare, higher than an average yield of oil palm on Indonesia’s peatland at 20 to 22 ton per ha every year.

Hartono said BRG used two approaches in restoring peatland in Indonesia. First, rewetting by pouring water on dry peat to keep it wet. Second, canal blocking by creating a canal with a water gate to maintain humidity in the peat nearby.

"There are two principles in utilizing the peatland. First, keep the main function of the peatland, by planting suitable crops. Second, change the structure and utilize it just like Dr. Lulie is suggesting. We accommodate both views," he said.

Lulie, who pioneered the soil compaction method, claimed that the layer under the peat would not be affected while the layer above would decompose into minerals. "The above structure changes, but not the below structure. We are not disturbing the old buried peat," she said.

Regarding methane gas, Lulie said soil compaction should not directly increase methane gas release. However, her team is gathering data to measure the effect. (ags)(+)

Read more!

Malaysia: Sabah using satellites to monitor hotspots

The Star 9 Mar 16;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Forestry is using satellites to monitor hotspots daily as the state faces a two-month long dry spell with one of the lowest recorded rainfall.

Historically, January and February have always been wet months for Sabah with average rainfall for Kota Kinabalu recorded at 244mm and 104mm between 2006 and last year.

However, the rainfall was at 8mm in January and 49mm in February this year.

Sabah Forestry director Datuk Sam Mannan said 40 hotspots or fire alerts were detected in February in the southwestern Klias peninsula in areas of peat soil close to the forest reserves of Klias, Padas Damit and Binsuluk.

“We are using Nasa satellites to monitor hotspots and the situation every day,” he said, adding that over 45 forestry personnel had been deployed to work with firemen to put out the fires.

“The operations have been generally successful but peat fires can be difficult to put out.”

Most of the fires, he said, were detected outside the reserves but close enough to threaten the protected forest.

Peat soil is known to be a big source of stored carbon and when burnt, releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Mannan also urged communities living close to the areas to avoid open burning for land clearing and other purposes.

Read more!

Malaysia: Weather expected to return to normal in June

The Star 8 Mar 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: The dry and hot weather due to the El Nino phenomenon is expected to return to normal beginning June.

Meteorological Department director-general Che Gayah Ismail said the strong El Nino level detected between last December and January was found to be dropping and expected to weaken further.

The change of the monsoon in April, she added, was also expected to reduce the effect of the hot weather with forecasts of rain and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

“Although the El Nino will be in neutral condition beginning June, we will experience a dry season during the southwest monsoon from May to Sept­ember,” she said.

El Nino is the warming of the sea surface temperature in the eastern and central Equatorial Pacific Ocean that occurs every two to seven years.

The strongest El Nino phenomenon that swept the country was in 1997/1998 with a temperature of 40.1 degree Celsius recorded in Chuping, Perlis. — Bernama

Hot weather to last till end of May: Met Dept
BERNAMA New Straits Times 8 Mar 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: The weather due to the El Nino phenomenon is expected to return to normal beginning June.

Meteorological Department director-general Che Gayah Ismail said the strong El Nino level detected between last December and January was found to be dropping and expected to continue to weaken.

She said the change in the monsoon in April was also expected to reduce the effect of the hot weather with forecast of rain and thunderstorm in the afternoon.

“Although the El Nino is in neutral condition beginning June, the country will however experience dry season during the South-West Monsoon from May to September,” she said when contacted by Bernama today.

El Nino is the warming of the sea surface temperature in the eastern and central Equatorial Pacific Ocean that occurs every two to seven years.

The strongest El Nino phenomenon that had swept the country was in 1997/1998 with temperature of 40.1 degree Celsius in Chuping, Perlis.-- BERNAMA

Read More :

Read more!

Malaysia: Ops to stop illegal forest clearing in Camerons

The Star 9 Mar 16;

KUANTAN: Five platoons of the Territorial Army will be mobilised in an operation to stop illegal occupation of land and forest clearing in the Cameron Highlands, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.

He said the operation would involve the participation of between 200 and 300 members of the Depart­ment of Civil Defence who help the Forestry Depart­ment replant trees in the affected areas.

“We do not want Cameron Highlands to be like Lojing in Kelantan, which had been cleared so badly that it affected the climate there,” he said in a statement.

On Monday, he attended a briefing on the operation known as Op Gading in Cameron Highlands.

During the briefing, Shahidan instructed Cameron Highlands district officer Datuk A. Rahman Hamzah to organise a campaign on the planting of a million trees as soon as possible.

In a separate operation codenamed Op Kesan, Cameron High­lands acting police chief ASP Azmi Mahmood said that 87 illegal immigrants were arrested at a con­struction site in Tanah Rata here yesterday morning. — Bernama


Stricter checks to prevent illegal land clearing
IVAN LOH The Star 10 Mar 16;

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Enforcement teams patrolling the areas here will be rotated every three or six months.

“We will have several teams of enforcement officers to monitor illegal land clearing here,” said Cameron Highlands district officer Datuk A. Rahman Hamzah.

“We will also rotate the teams between three and six months to prevent the officers from being comfortable with the area and the local people.”

He added that the district office would implement its “area zoning system” after the conclusion of Ops Gading as a continuity to monitor and to prevent encroachment of state lands.

A. Rahman said the highlands could be divided into four zones.

“There needs to be constant monitoring and patrolling at areas deemed vulnerable to encroachment,” he told reporters when met at his office here yesterday.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim was quoted as saying that five platoons of the Territorial Army would be mobilised in an operation to stop illegal occupation of land and forest clearing at the highlands.

Shahidan had also attended a briefing on Ops Gading and instructed A. Rahman to organise a campaign to plant a million trees as soon as possible.

A. Rahman said they had been monitoring the situation at the highlands and found no new areas being cleared since the last Ops Gading at the end of last year.

“There are only some existing farming areas where illegal farming activities are still being carried out,” he said, adding that the district office had obtained satellite images of the highlands from the Remote Sensing Agency.

Read more!

Malaysia: Ban on deer hunting to save Malayan tiger

PATRICK LEE The Star 9 Mar 16;

PETALING JAYA: A six-year hunting moratorium on sambar deer is expected to start from November in a move to help save the Malayan tiger, the Government revealed.

Natural Resources and Environ­ment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said wildlife officials had asked to renew the ban, which ended in November last year.

“I am going to extend the moratorium for another six years beginning November this year.

“The sambar deer is the main prey for the tiger. They prefer it to any other animal,” he told The Star.

He said there were only 700 to 1,000 sambar deer left in the peninsula and that if these were to die, the tiger would be forced to hunt other prey.

This, Dr Wan Junaidi said, included going after other animals or even human beings.

There may only be 250 to 340 Malayan tigers – which is also critically endangered – left in the peninsula today.

Dr Wan Junaidi spoke to The Star after three men were caught in Perak earlier this month loading parts of a sambar deer into their car.

Two others, including one carrying a gun, escaped.

A Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) official had said then that deer meat could cost between RM40 and RM60 a kg.

Environmentalists have said before that there was a direct link between sambar deer and tigers in Malaysia.

“Where there are more sambar deer, there are more tigers,” said WWF-Malaysia tiger biologist Dr Mark Rayan Darmaraj in 2013.

Dr Wan Junaidi said that even if there was no moratorium – the original ban started in 2009 – sambar deer hunting was only allowed during the month of November each year.

“Even during the season, a hunter needs a permit to hunt,” he said, adding that an investigation was underway to find out who the other two men were.

No sambar deer was legally hunted in the peninsula last year, he said.

He added that he would also get a ministry official to write to the Inspector-General of Police to get the gun owner’s licence revoked.

As a follow-up, the minister warned that he would not hesitate to get gun licences withdrawn if these were found to be used for hunting wild animals.


Malaysia seeking Indian expertise in tiger conservation
JOSEPH KAOS JR The Star 8 Mar 16;

DENGKIL: Malaysia will seek India's expertise in tiger conservation as it looks to increase the population of the endangered animal in this country, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The Natural Resources and Environment Minister said he will be in India next month and will discuss with his counterparts there on how both countries can help each other in tiger conservation.

"Perhilitan (the Wildlife and National Parks Department) is working with their counterparts in India in tiger conservation, expertise and forensics, as they are more advanced in us in these aspects.

"I have been invited to a convention in April where we will discuss tiger conservation and hopefully they can send us some experts to help us. In exchange, perhaps, we can teach them about tapir conservation.

"Through the exchange of knowledge, we can improve our conservation of wildlife, especially the endangered animals," said Dr Wan Junaidi after chairing his ministry's monthly assembly held at the Paya Indah Wetlands Tuesday.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the population of wild tigers in India has increased to 2,226 in 2014 from 1,706 in 2010 and 1,411 in 2006 – thanks to its national tiger conservation efforts.

The minister said surveys showed there are roughly 300 tigers living in the wild in Malaysia.

"We must make it a national duty to protect this animal. The tiger is very iconic in Malaysia, and you can tell as it is used in the Malaysian crest. It is a big responsibility for the ministry to carry," he said.

Dr Wan Junaidi also said a survey was conducted in the peninsula to find tigers that were unaccounted for.

"We know now there are about 300 wild tigers, but this is based on an existing survey. There are still areas that have not been surveyed and hopefully once that is complete in about three years time, we will find out that there are actually more tigers in the country," he said.

Dr Wan Junaidi said besides poaching and illegal wildlife trading, the use of animal snares by the indigenous Orang Asli was a factor in the dwindling population of tigers here.

"We need the Orang Asli Department's help to educate them against using animal snares," he said.

At the assembly, Dr Wan Junaidi launched a coffee table book called 'Malayan Tiger: An Iconic National Treasure' which contains visuals of tigers in the wild caught by wildlife trail cameras.

Tiger conservation efforts to get tech boost
FAZLEENA AZIZ New Straits Times 8 Mar 16;

SEPANG: The Peninsula Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) is adopting better technological and scientific approaches in its animal conservation efforts particularly in protecting the Malayan Tiger.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said among initiatives being put in place included improving connectivity of camera visuals to the mobile phones of its officers and roping in animal forensic experts in handling criminal cases.

The department is also in the midst of carrying out a survey on the tigers, to establish its exact number in the country.

This effort is expected to be completed in three years.

Statistics put the number at 300 (in the Peninsula) but the ministry is confident there could be more in unexplored areas.

"At the moment there are more than 200 cameras in the national parks and forest reserve, but sometimes when the cameras capture images of the animals, we have trouble obtaining the footage, so we need to have a strategic connection.

"In terms of forensic experts, we need to establish and collect more DNA samples for advance criminal investigations," he said after the ministry's monthly gathering at Paya Indah Wetlands, here, today.

He also said the ministry would be extending the hunting season moratorium on deers for the next six years following the expiry period, which ended in Nov last year.

Read more!

Malaysia: Dead turtle might have been victim of floating syndrome, couldn't dive for food: Marine biologist

KRISTY INUS New Straits Times 8 Mar 16;

SIPITANG: A turtle carcass was found at the beach next to Sipitang Rest House here.

Except for a blood pool underneath its mouth, the carcass looked intact. Marine biologist Scott Mayback when contacted said based on the pictures and with only minimal shell damage, it looked like the turtle was a possible victim of floating syndrome.

"It means the turtle might have slowly starved to death while trapped on the surface of the water due to an underlying increased buoyant that can be attributed to ingesting plastic among other causes," said Mayback, who overlooks a turtle rescue centre at Gaya Island Resort.

He said other possible causes are head trauma while alive, as indicated by the blood. Based on the size, Mayback said it could be an adult of over 30 years old.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said he had referred the matter to Sabah Parks and Sabah Wildlife Department for further action.


Turtle death due to head injury, not floater syndrome
KRISTY INUS New Straits Times 9 Mar 16;

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Wildlife Department has ruled out floater syndrome as the cause of death of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) found at Sipitang last night.

"A team from the department's Wildlife Rescue Unit was dispatched to the site immediately following the report.

"The carcass was then brought to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park here for a post mortem by WRU's veterinarians.

"The turtle was estimated to have been dead for four to five days before it was found washed up at the shore.

"A post mortem examination revealed that the turtle sustained a severe head trauma suggestive of a boat strike incident, most probably an unfortunate accident," said the Department in a statement, adding that no plastic or other foreign materials were found in the gastrointestinal tract.


Green turtle likely struck by boat
The Star 10 Mar 16;

KOTA KINABALU: An endangered adult green turtle found dead on the beach of Sabah’s western Sipitang is suspected to have been killed after being hit by a boat.

“A post-mortem revealed that the turtle sustained a severe head injury, probably from being struck by a boat,” Sabah Wildlife Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said yesterday.

The carcass of the metre-long green turtle (scientifically known as Chelonia mydas) was found on the beach in front of the Sipitang resthouse and was reported to the Sabah Wildlife Department on Tuesday night.

The Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) was dispatched to the site immediately .

The carcass was then brought to Lok Kawi Wildlife Park for a post-mortem by WRU’s veterinarians.

“The turtle was feeding well as its stomach and intestines were full of food material.

“No plastic or other foreign material was found in the gastrointestinal tract,” he said.

Dr Sen ruled out the possibility that the turtle could have consumed plastic which triggers an illness known as a floater syndrome. The turtle was an adult about 15 to 30 years old.


Green turtle carcass found on Sabah's Sipitang beach
MUGUNTAN VANAR The Star 9 Mar 16;

KOTA KINABALU: An endangered green turtle was found dead on the beach of Sabah’s western Sipitang here after it was hit by a boat at sea.
The carcass of the metre long green turtle (scientifically known as Chelonia mydas) was found on the beach in front of a Sipitang resthouse and was reported to the Sabah Wildlife Department on Tuesday night.

Sabah Wildlife Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said that a post-mortem on the decomposing turtle on Tuesday showed that it suffered severe head injuries.

"Our post-mortem finding revealed that the turtle, which was about 15 to 30 years old, sustained severe head trauma after being struck by a boat. A most unfortunate accident," he said Wednesday.

The Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) was dispatched to the site immediately following the report and the carcass was then brought to Lok Kawi Wildlife Park for a post-mortem by WRU's veterinarians.

Dr Sen said the turtle was already dead for four to five days before it was washed ashore, adding that there were no other causes of death.

"The turtle was feeding well as the stomach and intestines were full of food. No plastic or other foreign material were found in the gastrointestinal tract," he said while ruling out floater syndrome as cause of death.

Floater syndrome occurs when turtles accidentally swallow plastic found floating in the sea and mistaking them as food.

Read more!