Best of our wild blogs: 23 Jul 18

28 Jul (Sat): Celebrate International Mangrove Day at Sungei Buloh
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

Sunrise at Terumbu Bemban (16072018)
Psychedelic Nature

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Malaysia: All fire departments on high alert for open-burning activities

Bernama New Straits Times 22 Jul 18;

MARANG: The Fire and Rescue Department has urged all fire departments in the country to heighten its monitoring of open-burning activities to prevent cases of forest fires during this dry season.

Department director Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said West Coast states and Sarawak are currently experiencing a prolonged dry spell with soaring temperatures, which elevates the risk of forest fires, as evidenced recently in Sarawak.

“We plan for this every year. This is because each time a drought strikes, two crises will emerge - a water crisis as well as open-burning, which can lead to the haze.

“There are many forest reserves and large plantations such as oil palm plantations in Sarawak which could be involved in open-burning activities. We are asking them to be on the lookout for such incidences,” he said.

Hamdan was speaking to reporters after the Fire and Rescue Science Certification Course Series 1/2018a at the Fire and Rescue Academy (Eastern Region) on Sunday.

A total of 120 trainees, including a female Orang Asli, received their certificates after completing the four-and-a-half month course.

Touching on the department’s investigation into the fire at the Kemaman Bitumen Company (KBC) plant on July 5, he said the investigation could take some time as lots of evidence were destroyed in the fire.

He said the department’s forensic team are still analysing the cause of the fire. A full report will be tabled to the relevant authorities, including the insurance company.

“If there is any evidence of neglect, we will study it from a legal standpoint. If there are any breaches, we will act in accordance with the law,” he said. — BERNAMA

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Malaysia: Juvenile elephant with severe crack on skull found dead in Kuamut Forest Reserve

Avila Geraldine New Straits Times 22 Jul 18;

KOTA KINABALU: A juvenile elephant was found dead three days ago near an abandoned logging camp of Top Merchant in the Kuamut Forest Reserve in Kinabatangan.

The discovery of the elephant carcass took place the same day Sabah Wildlife Department rangers successfully captured a bull elephant in Ulu Muanad, Beluran.

The department public relation officer Siti Nur’Ain Ampuan Acheh, in a statement today, said Yayasan Sabah and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Rakyat Berjaya Sdn Bhd (RBJ), which managed its forest concession area, alerted the finding to wildlife department.

“A team from the wildlife department was sent to the scene to investigate and conduct post mortem to determine the cause of death.

“The elephant was estimated to be between five and eight-years-old. Its ivory was still intact, and it was believed that the elephant died three to four days ago (prior to its discovery),” she said.

Siti said the post-mortem revealed the elephant suffered from a severe crack on its left region of the skull which led to its death.

The injury was most likely a result of a fight with a larger elephant in its herd, she added.

Juvenile pygmy elephant found dead with wounds all over body
stephanie lee The Star 22 Jul 18;

KOTA KINABALU: A juvenile male pygmy elephant was found dead near an abandoned logging camp outside the Kuamut Forest Reserve in east coast Kinabatangan district.

The elephant, believed to be between five and eight years old, was found dead with wounds on its body by estate workers on Thursday (July 19).

Sabah Wildlife Department public relation officer Siti Nur’Ain Ampuan Acheh said a team of investigators were sent to the scene after receiving the report.

“The elephant was found with a severe crack on the left side of its skull, believed to have resulted from fighting with a larger elephant,” she said in a statement Sunday.

Meanwhile, Siti said the other parts of the elephants body and ivory were intact.

She also thanked the estate workers from Rakyat Berjaya Sdn Bhd who alerted them about the elephant.


Pygmy jumbo found dead near old logging camp
The Star 23 Jul 18;

KOTA KINABALU: A juvenile male pygmy elephant was found dead near an abandoned logging camp outside the Kuamut Forest Reserve in east coast Kinabatangan district.

The elephant is believed to be between five and eight years old. It had wounds on its body and was discovered by estate workers on Thursday.

Sabah Wildlife Department public relations officer Siti NurAin Ampuan Acheh said a team of investigators was sent to the scene after receiving the report.

“The elephant was found with a severe crack on the left side of its skull, believed to have been from infighting with a larger elephant,” she said in a statement yesterday.

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