Best of our wild blogs: 30 Jun 18

Night Walk At Lower Peirce Reservoir (29 Jun 2018)
Beetles@SG BLOG

Consequences of plastic waste ends up in YOU and ME…
Mei Lin NEO

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Half a month's rainfall in two hours

85mm of rain recorded between 9.30am and 11.30am, causing flash floods in western and central areas
Isabelle Liew Straits Times 30 Jun 18;

The heavy downpour yesterday morning, which caused flash floods in the central and western parts of Singapore, was equal to half the average rainfall for the entire month of June.

PUB said about 85mm of rainfall was recorded between 9.30am and 11.30am. The average rainfall for June is 130.7mm. Areas which saw flooding included Lorong Kismis in Upper Bukit Timah, Dunearn Road and Bukit Timah.

At 10.11am, PUB tweeted that flash floods had been reported in Dunearn Road, from Yarwood Avenue to Binjai Park, affecting three lanes of the road. About an hour later, it tweeted that the flooding had eased.

Yesterday's floods were the latest in a series over the past month.

On Tuesday, more than a month's rainfall - about 150mm - fell in four hours in Old Toh Tuck Road, causing flash floods in the central and western parts of Singapore.

On May 26, Kramat Lane and Cavenagh Road, along Orchard Road, saw water rising up to mid-tyre level for about 10 minutes.

PUB said the overall rainfall for June is likely to be above average for most of Singapore. It urged people to exercise caution and avoid walking or driving in flooded areas.

Vehicles negotiating a flooded stretch at King Albert Park MRT station in Dunearn Road at 10.45am yesterday. Areas which saw flooding included Lorong Kismis in Upper Bukit Timah, Dunearn Road and Bukit Timah.

Professor Benjamin Horton, chair of the Asian School of the Environment at Nanyang Technological University, said that it was unusual to see such heavy rainfall in June.

June is the onset of the south-west monsoon season, which usually lasts until September and is characterised by relatively drier and warmer weather conditions.

"We are moving into the supposed drier months - in Singapore the wetter months would be February and December - so heavy rainfall is quite unusual in June," said Prof Horton.

He said that while a single event could not be attributed to climate change, one prediction of climate change is heavy precipitation from more moisture in the atmosphere.

The Meteorological Service Singapore said on June 14 that monsoon conditions are expected to extend into September. It said short-duration thundery showers were expected on five to seven days in the second half of June, mostly in the late morning and afternoon.

PUB said it has ongoing drainage upgrading works at the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal to increase its capacity. "When completed in the first quarter of 2019, flooding risk in the Bukit Timah area would be alleviated," it added. It will protect buildings in the catchment area such as Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Beauty World Plaza, Bukit Timah Shopping Centre and Sime Darby Centre.

Upgrading works for the Stamford Detention Tank and Stamford Diversion Canal are ongoing, and are expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year.

These are two major projects being built to protect Orchard Road, which was hit by a series of flash floods between 2010 and 2012.

The diversion canal will relieve Stamford Canal of a portion of water, while the detention tank will hold water temporarily so less water flows into Stamford Canal during heavy rain.


Morning storm brings flash floods to central Singapore
LOW YOUJIN Today Online 29 Jun 18;

SINGAPORE – Flash floods hit several areas in the Bukit Timah area amid heavy rain on Friday (June 29) morning.

The heavy downpour also triggered high flood risk warnings for various locations in central and western Singapore for a second time this week. The affected areas include Bishan Road, Yio Chu Kang Road, Penjuru Road, Pasir Pang Road and Neo Pee Teck Lane.

National water agency PUB said the rain gauge at Ngee Ann Polytechnic recorded about 85mm of rainfall between 9.30am and 11.30am on Friday, adding: "This is more than half the average rainfall of 130.7mm (about 65%) in the entire month of June."

Singapore is currently in the middle of the South-west Monsoon season. The Meteorological Service Singapore had earlier forecast that the second half of June will be wetter, with overall rainfall for the month to be above average over most parts of Singapore.

On Friday, national water agency PUB first alerted commuters to flash floods in the central part of Singapore around 10.05am.

Lorong Kismis was the first to be hit by the floodwaters, followed by Dunearn Road minutes later. Both roads were completely flooded.

Around 10.38am, PUB reported that all three lanes of Bukit Timah Road were also flooded.

However, the flash floods only lasted for less than half an hour. The high water levels at Lorong Kismis receded around 10.12am, while Dunearn Road saw the waters subsiding around 10.30am.

Traffic at Bukit Timah Road was passable from around 10.45am.

The National Environment Agency had earlier advised Singaporeans to expect moderate to heavy thundery showers over the southern, western and central areas of the island till early afternoon on Friday.

On Tuesday, flash floods were also reported in several locations across Singapore.

Flash floods occurred in three locations in the West — Lorong Kismis, Toh Tuck Avenue, as well as along the Pan-Island Expressway towards Tuas, after the Eng Neo Avenue exit.

In a statement on Tuesday, PUB said Old Toh Tuck Road received about 150mm of rainfall on Tuesday morning, higher than the average rainfall of 130.7mm in the entire month of June.


'Intense rain' caused flash floods in Bukit Timah area: PUB
Channel NewsAsia 29 Jun 18;

SINGAPORE: Intense rain caused flash floods at four locations in central Singapore on Friday morning (Jun 29), national water agency PUB said in a statement.

The flash floods occurred at Lorong Kismis and Bukit Timah Road, as well as Dunearn Road near Watten Estate Road and along Yarwood Avenue to Binjai Park.

The affected stretch of Bukit Timah Road was from Blackmore Drive to Wilby Road.

The PUB said that about 85mm of rainfall was recorded for two hours between 9.30am and 11.30am at the rain gauge at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Bukit Timah, which is more than half the average rainfall of 130.7mm in the entire month of June.

This comes after more than a month's rain fell in four hours at Old Toh Tuck Road on Tuesday.

Drainage upgrading works at the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal is ongoing, said PUB. When completed by the first quarter of 2019, flooding risk at the Bukit Timah area would be alleviated.

PUB said its officers were on site to "investigate and render assistance" at the locations. The flash floods subsided by 11.05am, it added.

"We urge the public to exercise caution and avoid stepping into or driving into flooded areas. During heavy rain, the public should stay tuned to radio broadcast and check PUB’s Facebook www.facebook.com/PUBsg or PUB's mobile app MyWaters for flood updates," it said.

Singapore is currently experiencing the southwest monsoon. Compared to the first half of June 2018, the second half of the month is expected to be wetter and overall rainfall for the month is likely to be above average over most parts of Singapore.

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Animal shelters worry about costs after move to new home

Animal shelters moving from Pasir Ris to Sungei Tengah see rents skyrocket
NOEL LOW The New Paper 29 Jun 18;

It has been described as one of Singapore's largest animal "migrations".

More than 20 animal shelters are moving from Pasir Ris Farmway to a purpose built-facility called The Animal Lodge in Sungei Tengah to make way for industrial development.

Shelters told The Straits Times that they are facing a financial burden due to higher bills at their new home and the cost of renovating the units.

Some shelters that had been operating rent-free at Pasir Ris must now fork out thousands of dollars a month at the new Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) facility.

Others have seen their rent increase fivefold and are questioning how long they can keep operating.

The AVA said The Animal Lodge has a capacity of 7,000 animals, which includes those from commercial enterprises such as pet breeders and importers.

Shelters based at Lim Chu Kang and Seletar will also relocate there later this year as they make way for redevelopment.

The AVA said it charges cost-recovery rates at the facility, which take into account land, construction and maintenance.

Animal shelters The Straits Times spoke to said they pay a monthly bill of close to $2,000 per unit, after adding service and conservancy charges.

A unit can house about 25 dogs, with some shelters renting 10 units.

Voices For Animals (VFA), which had not paid rent for four years at Pasir Ris due to a charitable arrangement with its landlord, must now pay for three units to house around 100 dogs.

Founder Derrick Tan expects utility bills to raise costs further, especially with the air-conditioning he had to install due to poor ventilation.

LEASE EXTENSION

Two animal shelters - Animal Lovers' League and Mutts & Mittens - remain at Pasir Ris Farmway after being given a one-month lease extension as their new units are still being refurbished.

Mutts & Mittens, a boarding kennel that doubles as a shelter, said renovating its seven units at The Animal Lodge will cost over $400,000. As it is not a registered charity, its owners are stumping up the cash.

The AVA and Ministry of National Development (MND) offered a grant of $7,500 per unit to defray renovation expenses, but the shelters have had to raise additional funds.

The smaller shelters are facing the biggest struggle, as they have less support and savings.

Lily Low Cat Shelter said it has just $1,723 left in its coffers, despite managing to raise close to $70,000 for the move. It chose not to take up AVA's facility, calling it a "dungeon".

The location of The Animal Lodge is another major bane for the shelters. It is 3.5km from Choa Chu Kang MRT station, and shelter operators worry they will attract fewer volunteers to walk dogs, feed animals and clean up.

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Malaysia: First warning in 11 years on coral reef health

CYNTHIA New Straits Times 29 Jun 18;

THE coral reef health in Malaysia is good, but there are disturbing signs of decline that must be addressed.

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), in its report last year, states that of the more than 227 reefs surveyed, the average live coral cover is relatively high at 42 per cent.

While this compares favour-ably on a regional level, this figure has been declining for four years, and over that period, it has lost over five percentage points.

Coupled with this, low numbers of fish and increasing amounts of negative indicators, such as algae, give cause for concern.

Julian Hyde, Reef Check Malaysia general manager, said: “Although the headline figures show we have healthy reefs, the average masks disturbing trends. Chief among the negative signs are indicators that suggest pressure from tourism is growing, which could have serious long-term implications.”

Coral reefs are important ecosystems.

Lau Chai Ming, programme manager and co-author of the report, said: “Coral reefs are ecologically important as a key link in marine food chains. They are also economically important as a key attraction to tourists visiting Malaysia.

“Losing our coral reefs has implications for food security and livelihoods. We need to manage them better.”

This is the first time in 11 years of monitoring coral reefs that RCM has issued clear warnings.

Hyde said: “This comes at a time of change in Malaysia, and we hope the new government’s commitment to protecting the environment will be reflected in its response to this report.”

However, the 14th General Election has created uncertainties regarding the future of some ministries and departments, and this could have negative consequences for coral reef management.

Hyde said: “RCM supports the continuing need for an independent Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, which has resource conservation and biodiversity protection as its key function, managed by independent expert agencies, such as the Department of Marine Parks.

“The latter, our main government counterpart, continues to make strides to improve reef management, including greater consultations with local stakeholders for the first time, which is what is needed.

“The department is about resource conservation. If it is moved to another ministry that focuses on resource exploitation, and we are concerned that the skill sets and attitudes won’t match, and that coral reef management will suffer, along with coral reefs. We hope the government will see the need for a strong, independent Department of Marine Parks, as custodian of marine ecosystems.”

RCM will conduct activities this year in conjunction with International Year of the Reef 2018 to raise awareness about the need to conserve coral reefs.

CYNTHIA

Reef Check Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

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Malaysia: Two Borneo pygmy elephants die at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park

muguntan vanar The Star 29 Jun 18;

KOTA KINABALU: Two endangered Borneo pygmy elephants including a calf is believed to have died at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.

It is learned that an adolescent elephant rescued 13 years ago from the Lahad Datu's Yapid plantation died two days ago (June 27) while a four-year-old calf is believed to have died on May 7.

However, Wildlife Department officials remained tight-lipped over the deaths amid recent calls by animal activists for improvements at the wildlife park which serves as a rescue and rehabilitation centre for wildlife.

Sources said that wildlife veterinarians are puzzled over the cause of the deaths of the two elephants in captivity as post-mortem reports have not shown any indication for the cause of the deaths.

The incident of deaths in captivity was worrying and needs to be addressed immediately, said the sources, adding that wildlife officials appear to be silent on the matter.

In early June, Friends of Orang Utan director Upreshpal Singh raised concerns about the upkeep of animals at the Lok Kawi Zoo but Sabah Wildlife Department dismissed the allegations that animals at the park are being kept under poor conditions.

Its director Augustine Tuuga said this was the second time that such an accusation had surfaced, and added that the animals were "well-looked after".

Newly minted Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew in a surprise visit to the zoo following the complaints also said that all was good at the park.

At least seven elephants in the wild have also died due to unknown causes in April and May this year in various areas in the east coast of Sabah.

The deaths in the wild also prompted Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal to call on wildlife officials to investigate thoroughly the cause as well as take serious steps in stopping the deaths of the critically endangered elephants.


Jumbo deaths raise welfare alarm
muguntan vanar The Star 30 Jun 18;

KOTA KINABALU: Drastic steps are expected to be taken at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park where two endangered Borneo pygmy elephants died within two months.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew will be at the wildlife park today on a fact-finding visit in which she is expected to make some tough decisions on the management and upkeep of the park, sources said.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga confirmed a report in The Star Online that two elephants died there on May 7 and June 27.

An adolescent male elephant rescued 13 years ago from Lahad Datu’s Yapid plantation died on June 27 while a four-year-old calf died on May 7.

Sources said that wildlife veterinarians were puzzled over the deaths of the two elephants.

So far, post-mortem reports have not given any clue about the cause of the deaths.

It is understood that the calf, which was born in captivity, had been sick.

The deaths in captivity, sources said, was worrying.

Earlier this month, Friends of Orang Utan director Upreshpal Singh raised concerns about the upkeep of animals at the Lok Kawi Zoo but the Sabah Wildlife Department dismissed allegations that the animals were kept under poor conditions.

Tuuga said this was the second time that such an accusation had surfaced, adding that the animals were “well looked after”.

Liew made a surprise visit two weeks ago following the complaints.

However, she said then that all was good at the park.

At least seven elephants in the wild have also died of unknown causes in April and May in various parts of Sabah’s east coast.


Drastic measures expected to prevents animal deaths at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park
muguntan vanar The Star 29 Jun 18;

KOTA KINABALU: Drastic steps are expected to be taken to improve the conditions at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park where two critically endangered Borneo Pygmy elephants died in less than two months.

Newly minted Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew will be making a second visit to the wildlife park here, which declared that “all was well”.

This comes after she made a surprise visit to the park about two weeks ago.

Sources said Liew is expected to visit the wildlife park with officers on a fact-finding visit early Saturday (June 30) where she is expected to make some tough decisions on the management and upkeep of the park.

Liew’s decision to go to the wildlife park was following the report and briefing.

It was reported that an adolescent male elephant rescued 13-years ago from the Lahad Datu’s Yapid plantation died on June 27, while a four-year-old old calf died on May 7 at the wildlife park.

Wildlife Department officials had kept a lid on the deaths amid recent calls by animal activists for improvements at the park that acts as a rescue and rehabilitation centre for wildlife.

Sources said that wildlife veterinarians are puzzled over the deaths of the two elephants in captivity as so far, post-mortem reports have not shown any indication for the cause of deaths.

It is understood that the calf, which was born in captivity, was ailing for a while before it died.

The deaths in captivity, sources said, were worrying and needs to be addressed immediately.

The sources said that there seems to be an official silence on the matter and hoped that efforts will be done to resolve problems at the wildlife park.

In early June, Friends of Orang Utan director Upreshpal Singh raised concerns about the upkeep of animals at Lok Kawi but the Sabah Wildlife Department dismissed allegations that animals at the park are being kept under poor conditions.

While Liew made a surprise visit two weeks ago to the zoo following the complaints, she had said that all was good at the park.

At least seven elephants in the wild died due to unknown causes over April and May this year in various areas in the east coast of Sabah.

This has prompted Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal to call on wildlife officials to investigate thoroughly the cause as well as take serious steps to stop the deaths of the critically endangered elephants.


Sabah Wildlife Department confirms death of 2 pygmy elephants
Kristy Inus New Straits Times 29 Jun 18;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Wildlife Department has confirmed that two Borneo pygmy elephants have died while under the care of Lok Kawi Wildlife Park recently.

Commenting to an online report carried by a local English daily today, its director Augustine Tuuga admitted of losing the pachyderms but did not elaborate more on the details surrounding their demise.

“Ya true, I need consent from the Ministry (state Culture, Tourism and Environment) before I can release the details,” he said in a written text reply.

The Star Online reported today that a young elephant died on June 27 and a four-year-old calf died on May 7 earlier at the park, located about 45 minutes from the city centre, but no information was shared by officials on the cause of deaths.

Quoting sources, the report said the incident of deaths in captivity was worrying and needed to be addressed, especially when the Wildlife Park has recently been attacked by an environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) for the poor up keeping of the facility.

However, state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister who visited the park last week found the place to be satisfactory despite some areas that needed upgrading.

As of now, Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is doing some upgrading works and some of the sections closed for public are the elephant exhibit area, aviary and the botanical park.


Deaths of two elephants at Lok Kawi wildlife park unfortunate
Kristy Inus New Straits Times 30 Jun 18;

KOTA KINABALU: Authorities today revealed that while one of the elephants that died at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park has been sick for years, the baby elephant meanwhile may have contracted a new disease that was not linked with Borneo pygmy elephants previously.

Sabah Wildlife Department yesterday confirmed the deaths of the elephants which occured during two separate occasions which occurred a few days ago and in May.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christina Liew who was briefed and visited the Wildlife Park - located 45 minutes from the city centre - this morning, said Yapid, a 15-year-old male elephant, was found dead on Tuesday morning (June 26).

He was a ‘disabled’ elephant with stunted growth which was due to his swallowing problem which he had since he was rescued back in 2003, when he was just three months old.

This meant that everytime he ate, he would ‘vomit’ out some of his meal, thus resulting in his stunted growth and he also suffered from chronic gastric problem.

“Samples were taken for analysis to check for anything that might have further contributed to his death. But it was a miracle that he has survived that long,” said Liew, as she was informed veterinarians expected Yapid’s lifespan not to go beyond five years.

Meanwhile Gendu, a 3-year-old female baby elephant was found dead in the early morning of May 8. The calf which was born at the wildlife park with resident elephants parent named Girl and Boy, was still being cared for by her mother and had started eating solid food at the time of her death.

The death came as a shock to the keepers because she was healthy as normal the day before, explained Liew.

“During the postmortem, most of the internal organs were found to have no abnormalities. Samples have been taken for analysis to determine the cause of death since the direct cause of death could not be determined at the time when the post mortem was conducted,” said Liew.

Veterinary officer Dr Symphorosa Sipangkui who is the officer in charge of the wildlife park, added that they are sending Gendu’s samples to a United States disease research centre to determine whether it was caused by Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus, a disease linked to deaths of young elephants.

It is a highly fatal disease especially for animals born in captivity; an acute hemorrhagic disease where the virus attacks the endothelial cells of blood capillaries and victim usually die due to blood loss and shock.

“We did not expect this new disease among Borneo elephants. There were usually occurrences in the US especially Asian elephants, so we are sending samples there to figure it out,” explained Symphorosa.

At present there are 14 elephants in the wildlife park, consisting two calves (below five years old) and five sub-adults.

Liew said she was briefed that all the elephants at the Wildlife Park are cared for according to best practices for animal husbandry, where the pachyderms are given dewormers once in every six months.

Each elephant is given food according to their respective weight twice per day, and the babies are given supplement in their milk by their keepers.

“Utmost care have been given to the elephants in the park but their deaths is inevitable caused by unforeseen circumstances which is very unfortunate, but the veterinary officers at the park are doing their best to prevent any further deaths of the animals,” she said.

In view of that, Liew said the ministry will ask the Sabah Wildlife Department to restructure the management of the park in order for the veterinary officer to concentrate on the husbandry management of the animals. At the moment, Symphorosa is also involved in administrative work of the park.

“She is also involved in field work such as translocation of wildlife and post mortem cases when the need arise. We will also restructure the organisation of the Wildlife Department soon and we will also appoint a panel of animal doctors from the private sector serving as advisors to the zoo.


NGO offers its help to solve Sabah elephant deaths
stephanie lee The Star 4 Jul 18;

KOTA KINABALU: A non-governmental environmental group comprising members from various professional backgrounds is offering help solve elephant death issues in Sabah.

Sabah Environment Action Group (SEAG) chairman Mohammad Iskandar Shah Ali said news of elephants and other wildlife deaths have been reported numerous times over the years, with the most recent involving two elephants at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.

“While NGOs are know mostly to be ‘watchdogs’ or groups to keep the government in check, we in SEAG are ready to take things to the next level,” he said in a statement.

“We are ready to offer our database of professionals and consultants to help the government solve these problems,” he said.

As for the deaths in the Lok Kawi Wildlife park, he said the immediate step was to temporarily shut down the park.

He said the management should work on addressing matters relating to the animals’ welfare, upgrade and improve exhibits or enclosures of animals, sort out breeding programmes and put in place animal adoption programmes before considering reopening the park.

“We can also work with other relevant NGOs in and out of the country,” Mohammad said.

He said the government has introduced numerous conservation plans and programmes, action plans, adoption programmes, seminars and workshops in their bid to tackle environmental and wildlife issues in the state.

“But why is it that the government has not been able to use any of these tools to fix the problems and mistakes in our system?” he asked.

Mohammad said the longer it takes the government to do something, the more animals will die.

Apart from looking at wildlife issues, the SEAG is also helping to address environmental problems including palm oil waste and floating rubbish.

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Malaysia: Johor says no to non-environmentally friendly investments

Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 29 Jun 18;

JOHOR BARU: The state government will reject any local or international investments that negatively impact the environment.

State International Investment and Utility Committee chairman Jimmy Puah Wee Tse said any proposed investments that are found to be detrimental to the environment will be immediately rejected.

“We always welcome investments but not those that can damage the environment, like plastic recycling that generate a lot of trash. We will reject these kind of investments because we don't want Johor to become a dumping ground,” said Puah.

He said last week, Bloomberg reported that by 2030, an estimated 111 million metric tonnes of used plastic will need to be buried or recycled after China ban the import of waste for recycling last year.

“Last week, I was approached by three parties representing investors from China who are interested in setting up this business in Johor. One of them even said that they are willing to buy a 32 hectare land for the operation.

“I told them that we are not keen on these types of investments and that they should look elsewhere,” said Puah.

He was speaking to the media after attending a Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration for orphans organised by Grand Paragon Hotel and Paragon Globe Bhd.

Also present were state Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation Committee chairman Mazlan Bujang and Joland Group executive director Datuk Seri Godwin Tan.

Puah also said that he would discuss with the Department of Environment on the possibility of tightening the enforcement of companies that are involved in the recycling business.

“We want to conduct a check on these companies and take action against those who do not follow the necessary regulations,” said Puah.

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Indonesia: ‘Cornered’ indigenous groups invest billions in conservation

The Jakarta Post 30 Jun 18;

Millions of indigenous peoples in forested countries, including Indonesia, are continuing to suffer from harsh conservation policies despite having played a crucial role in protecting the environment, a new study has revealed.

The study, titled “Cornered by Protected Areas” and coauthored by UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz and the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), claims to have quantified the financial contributions made by indigenous peoples in conservation.

It found that local communities around the world invest up to US$4.57 billion per year in conservation, including up to $1.71 billion per year in forest conservation. That figure, it says, is about 23 percent of the amount spent on land and forest conservation by governments, donors, foundations and NGOs.

“The new estimates are based on case studies of labor and cash invested by communities from their own resources in conservation actions such as forest management, fire protection and management, restoration and rehabilitation […] patrolling/policing, and mapping and cataloguing biodiversity,” it says.

The study, however, also highlights the plight of the indigenous people or local communities that have not only been sidelined in conservation efforts, but also been victims of governmental policies on environmental protection.

“Instead of partnering with the people who live in and depend on forests, conservation initiatives continue to drive communities from their ancestral lands, part of a larger trend of criminalization worldwide,” Tauli-Corpuz said in a statement. “In some cases, they are declared squatters in their own territories. In my capacity as special rapporteur, I have seen a disturbing uptick of harassment, criminalization and even extrajudicial killings targeting communities.”

The study looked into the impact protected areas have on indigenous peoples and local communities in 28 countries, including Indonesia, where many people live in forested areas that have been designated as national parks.

It cited a case study on the Kasepuhan people who live in Mount Salak-Halimun forests in Lebak, Banten. The community has suffered from various disadvantages ever since the forest they currently live in was designated a national park in a 1992 decree issued by the Forestry Ministry.

Before the forest was turned into a national park, the Kasepuhan people used it to gather food. But they now face intimidation from the national park's office rangers.

In 2013, rangers chased down a woman who was herding her buffalo at the national park and destroyed her livestock shelter, according to the study.

In 2014, a resident from Kasepuhan Karang reportedly had to pay Rp 1 million (US$ 69.55) in fines to rangers for taking charcoal from the national park. The rangers also seized 130 bags of charcoal worth Rp 260,000 from the said resident. The charcoal in question, the report says, was actually produced from leftover timber from an illegal logging operation carried out by GHSNP rangers.

The Kasepuhan people also reportedly found difficulties in meeting their daily subsistence needs after the government prohibited them from cutting down trees, including those that they planted themselves as stipulated in the 1999 law on forestry.

Rukka Sombolinggi, the secretary-general of the Indigenous People’s Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), said that, in Indonesia, indigenous communities often struggled with criminalization and persecution when their living space overlapped with protected areas or private concessions.

“The designation of Kasepuhan community land as a national park, for instance, has led to harassment and intimidation by the police, who have cracked down on communities for simply living in their homes and gathering their traditional food,” Rukka said in a written statement received by The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The authorities, Rukka added, intimidated and harassed the indigenous people yet were unable to put a stop to illegal logging by outsiders.

According to the report, the prohibition on forest use disrupted the Kasepuhan community’s daily routine as they struggled to fulfill their basic needs without access to forest resources.

Dean Affandi, a researcher from World Resources Institute, explained that indigenous communities had depended on the forest for so long that it was rooted in their culture.

“Since it had been done for generations and generations, of course it's not easy for them to just switch from gathering food in the woods to buying stuff from the market.” (dya)

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