Best of our wild blogs: 18 Dec 17

Celebrating a decade of fun at Chek Jawa!
Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

The Story of Shells – Part 2
Mei Lin NEO

Oriental House Rat (Rattus tanezumi) @ Tampines
Monday Morgue

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Malaysia: Country’s last surviving female Sumatran rhino severely ill

The Star 18 Dec 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Iman, the country’s last surviving female Sumatran rhino, is in a life-threatening situation and veterinarians cannot do much for it at the moment.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said Iman began bleeding from a uterine leiomyoma tumour three days ago.

“Usually, this can be treated with medication and supplements,” Tuuga said yesterday.

“However, Iman is refusing to leave her mud wallow and she has hardly eaten, so the usual treatment is not possible.

Tuuga said it is possible that the ruptured tumour is causing Iman pain.

Veterinarians are finding it difficult to examine Iman at its paddock in the Wildlife Reserve in Tabin, near the east coast Lahad Datu district.

This is because the heavy rainfall in Tabin this year has turned the paddock into a quagmire.

“Both Borneo Rhino Alliance veterinarians are constantly monitoring Iman along with the keepers.

“We are hoping for the best,” Tuuga said.

Iman and another female, Puntung, as well as a male, Tam, were the last three Sumatran rhinos in the country and scientists had hoped to get them to breed to revive the species.

However, wildlife experts had to euthanise Puntung in June after its skin cancer spread, causing the animal to suffer greatly.

Hopes of starting an artificial rhino breeding programme were dashed when scientists were unable to recover any eggs from Puntung’s ovaries.


Female Sumatran rhinoceros diagnosed with tumour in uterus
OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 17 Dec 17;

KOTA KINABALU: The country's last female Sumatran rhinoceros is facing a serious health problem.

Sabah Wildlife department director Augustine Tuuga said the rhino, named Iman, is having tumour in her uterus.

"Usually, this can be treated with medication and supplements.

"But Iman is refusing to leave her mud wallow and she has hardly eaten, so the usual treatment has not been possible," he said in a statement, adding that she charges at anyone who goes near.

Augustine said the bleeding from her uterus started three days ago.

"It is believed that one of the larger tumours might have ruptured and is causing pain and bleeding.

"Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) veterinarians are constantly monitoring Iman along with the keepers. We are hoping for the best and will keep the public informed," he said.

Iman was the last wild rhino found in Malaysia. She was captured in Danum Valley and transported to Tabin Wildlife in Lahad Datu in March 2014.

Despite being diagnosed with severe fibroids in the uterus, she still produced eggs for the in-vitro fertilisation attempts.

Iman and another male rhino Kertam are kept at Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu under the care of BORA.

Augustine said Tabin has received nearly six meters of rainfall this year making Iman's paddock a quagmire and making things even more difficult.

The country lost another female rhino, Puntung, about six months ago.

Puntung was euthanised on June 4 after suffering three months from skin cancer.



Malaysia's last female Sumatran rhino has cancer.. and the prognosis isn't good
OLIVIA MIWIL New Straits Times 19 Dec 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s last surviving female Sumatran rhinoceros, Iman, has finally emerged from her mud wallow at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu, and is now receiving treatment.

Iman had been diagnosed with a tumour in her uterus last week. Since then, she had been camped out in her wallow, hampering any chances of her caregivers to extend medical aid.

Sabah Wildlife department director Augustine Tuuga believes that the wallow had served as her ‘comfort zone’ to ease the pain of her cancer.

“The wallow is apparently is her comfort zone. She charges at anyone who comes close.

"And each time she does that (charge), she would bleed profusely from her tumours,” he said in a statement.

Augustine said experts have managed to administer her with steroids on two consecutive days to reduce the inflammation.


Iman had been diagnosed with a tumour in her uterus last week. Since then, she had been camped out in her wallow, hampering any chances of her caregivers to extend medical aid. (Photos by Sabah wildlife department)
The pain has also affected Iman's appetite and hydration status.

Yesterday, Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) veterinarians managed to coax Iman out and immediately closed off the wallow with black shade netting and sand bags.

Augustine said Iman appeared pale and dehydrated as she had not been drinking water for the past four days.

“We got her to come into her night stall and she took in a lot of water mixed with vitamins and minerals.

“But she is still refusing to eat foliage hung inside her night stall,” he said, adding that additional water, drugs and supplements are being given intravenously.

Her hard stools were also removed twice yesterday and today.

Augustine said Iman’s prognosis is not good as there is still bleeding from the uterus.

Iman's constipation is also worsening the condition when she tries to defecate or lie down.

Rectal and ultrasound tests will be carried out tomorrow.

"We are also uncertain if she has a compacted colon or caecum, in which case would add to her grave prognosis."

Iman was the last wild rhino found in Malaysia. She was captured in the Danum Valley and transported to the wildlife reserve in March 2014.

Despite being diagnosed with severe fibroids in the uterus, she still produced eggs for previous in-vitro fertilisation attempts.

The country lost another female rhino, Puntung, about six months ago.

Puntung was euthanised on June 4 after suffering from skin cancer.



Rush to save last female Sumatran rhino
The Star 20 Dec 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Veterinarians and wildlife officials are keeping their fingers crossed as they begin treatment on the severely ill Iman, Malaysia’s last female Sumatran rhino.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said ­veterinarians caring for Iman at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu were finally able to get close to the animal yesterday morning.

“She finally left her mud wallow and our veterinarians immediately began treating her bleeding ­uterus,” he said.

“With the treatment, our veterinarians are hoping for the best for Iman.

Tam is one of the last surviving endangered Sumatran rhino here in Malaysia, which has been rescued and kept at BRS since 2008, to hopefully contribute to babies that can carry the species through generations to come.
Tam is looking lost at the reserve in Sabah.
Tuuga said Iman began bleeding from a uterine leiomyoma tumour three days ago and this could usually be treated with medication and supplements.

For wildlife conservationists here, Iman is their last hope of ­making sure that the unique Sumatran rhino does not die out in the country.

Iman was rescued from Sabah’s lost world – the Danum Valley – in 2014 and was later placed at Tabin for a captive breeding programme to save the species.

Iman and another female rhino, Puntung, as well as a male rhino, Tam, were the last three Sumatran rhinos in the country and scientists had hoped to get them to breed to revive the species.

However, wildlife experts had to euthanise Puntung in June after its skin cancer spread, causing the animal to suffer greatly.

Any hope of a breeding programme was further dashed when scientists were unable to recover any eggs from Puntung’s ovaries.


Nation's last female Sumatran rhino under close medical supervision
ruben sario The Star 21 Dec 17;

KOTA KINABALU: The nation's last female Sumatran rhino remains on heavy medication as her carers closely monitor for any signs of danger.

"We have given her 15 litres of fluids and supplements apart from antibiotics, painkillers, vitamin K and a gastric protectant," department director Augustine Tuuga said on Thursday (Dec 21).

He added that the amount of food and fluids consumed by Iman was being monitored, as well as how much it urinated and defecated.

"She has only consumed three stalks of leaves and only drank a little bit," said Tuuga.

Tuuga said Iman was drinking small amounts of water and refused to eat any fruits.

He said Iman's uterus was still bleeding and the animal was secreting dark, partially-clotted blood through her vagina.

"We will start a very low dose of diazepam to stimulate her appetite," he said, adding that Iman was still moving about at night.

Iman began bleeding from a uterine leiomyoma tumour in mid December.

Veterinarians initially faced difficulties in treating her as she refused to leave her mud wallow at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu.

The rhino eventually left the mud wallow and Iman's carers immediately began giving her medication.

Iman is the last surviving female Sumatran rhino in the country.

It was rescued from Sabah's Danum Valley in 2014 and was later placed at Tabin for a captive breeding programme.

Iman and another female rhino, Puntung, as well as a male rhino, Tam, were the last three Sumatran rhinos in the country and scientists had hoped to breed them.

However, Puntung was euthanised in June after suffering from skin cancer.

Any hopes of a breeding programme were dashed when scientists were unable to recover any eggs from Puntung's ovaries.

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Malaysia: 15% of coastline being eroded

The Star 18 Dec 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: A study on coastal erosion in Malaysia found that 15.3% of the country’s coastline is experiencing erosion, says Natural Resources and Environ­ment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The National Coastal Erosion Study (NCES) was carried out in 2015 to examine the issue of coastal erosion as a whole.

He said that the study found that the total length of the country’s coastline is 8,840km, comprising 3,772km in the peninsula, Sabah (3,753km), Sarawak (1,234km) and Labuan (81km).

“Kuala Nerus beach was one of the 44 areas, covering 55.4km, which was experiencing critical erosion. A total of RM90mil was allocated under the Rolling Plan Three of the 11th Malaysia Plan for coastal erosion control project which was scheduled to commence next year at the beach.

On a separate matter, Dr Wan Junaidi said the Department of Environment (DOE) will take action against landowners involved in the fire at an illegal dumpsite in Jalan Ulu Yam, Gombak, Selangor.

DOE personnel had gone to the site to conduct investigations following complaints it received on social media.

“Investigations revealed that the fire broke out at the hillside area near Jalan Utara Ulu Yam-Gombak, which is used as an illegal dumpsite. The fire covered 0.4ha,” he added.

He said the DOE was conducting daily monitoring and patrolling to ensure that there was no new open burning.

Under Section 29(A) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, those found guilty of open burning can be fined up to RM500,000 or imprisoned up to five years, or both.

“Under this provision, landowners can also be penalised if open burning occurs on their land,” said Dr Wan Junaidi.

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Malaysia: Going organic pays off well

ruben sario The Star 18 Dec 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Going organic is paying off for a group of padi farmers near Mount Kinabalu whose produce is fetching up to five times more than regular rice.

Farmers like Senuil Darosin are selling their organically-grown, unpolished or brown rice for as much as RM15 per kg at tamu or traditional markets, and there is strong demand for it.

Senuil said switching to chemical-free cultivation methods by the farmers at Kampung Tambotuon, near Mount Kinabalu, has seen crop yields increasing as well.

“We are harvesting on average about three tonnes of padi per hectare and this is so much more than before we went organic four years ago,” said Senuil, the Kampung Tambotuan Village and Security Committee chairman.

He said the planting season was usually towards the end of May while the harvest was in November or December.

“We still harvest the traditional way, using the linggaman (a type of knife),” said Senuil, adding that the padi is milled to obtain rice at the village itself, which is about 100km from here.

Launching a gotong-royong (community effort) to harvest the padi last week, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin said the switch to organic cultivation methods was the right move because of increasing demand for such produce.

“More people are now looking for agriculture and livestock produce that is chemical-free because of health concerns,” said Yahya, who is also the state Agriculture and Food Industry Minister.

He said the site near the mountain would also attract visitors not only for its scenic location but also those keen to learn how padi is cultivated.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/12/18/going-organic-pays-off-well-produce-fetches-up-to-five-times-more-than-regular-rice-say-farmers/#xUe8B7LX1lcs5bhW.99

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Taiwan steel firm behind toxic dump in Vietnam fined again

AFP Yahoo News 17 Dec 17;

A Taiwanese steel firm behind a toxic spill that killed tonnes of fish in central Vietnam last year was fined for a second time for illegally burying "harmful" waste, official sources said Sunday.

The deadly dump from Formosa's $11 billion steel plant in Ha Tinh province sparked one of the country's worst environmental catastrophes, decimating livelihoods along swathes of coastline and prompting months of rare protests in the authoritarian country.

The firm was initially fined $500 million for pouring toxic chemicals -- including cyanide -- into the ocean in April 2016, and has now been ordered to pay an additional $25,000 on separate charges of burying harmful solid waste in the ground, according to the official Cong Ly newspaper.

A local contractor will also be fined $20,000 for helping to dispose of the 100 cubic metres of waste, added Cong Ly, the mouthpiece of the Supreme Court.

An official in Ha Tinh province confirmed the latest fine to AFP on Sunday, without providing further details.

The waste was buried in July 2016, and local residents reported seeing trucks ferrying the material to a farm belonging to the contractor hired to dispose of it.

Police confirmed the waste came from Formosa and launched an investigation last year. Officials would not comment on why it took more than a year to issue the nominal fines.

The toxic spill set off angry demonstrations against the company and the government in the one-party state that routinely jails its critics, including by affected fishermen who demanded greater compensation.

Several activists have been arrested and convicted for their involvement in the protests, including a 22-year-old blogger who was jailed for seven years last month.

Formosa's huge steel plant, which was under construction at the time of the disaster, was given the green light to resume operations in April after officials found it had addressed dozens of violations.

Several officials were punished or fired after the disaster, which saw beaches littered with fish, including large offshore species.

Communist Vietnam has been accused of ignoring environmental concerns on its march toward rapid development, though the issue has become a central issue for some groups who have taken up the cause on social media.

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