Best of our wild blogs: 21 Feb 19

Pulau Semakau (East) is alive!
wild shores of singapore

Fri 1st Mar 2019 “The Hunt for Wallace’s specimens” @ NUS Central Library
The Biodiversity crew @ NUS

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Indonesian Forest Fires Highlight President's Campaign Gaffe

Associated Press 19 Feb 19;

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Deliberately set fires are burning through peatland forests in the Indonesian province of Riau, the disaster agency said Tuesday, just two days after President Joko Widodo incorrectly claimed there'd been no fires for several years.

The agency said that 843 hectares of land have burned in Riau since the beginning of the year and that fire-fighting teams are currently battling blazes in several locations.

"Conditions are expected to become more dry so the potential for fires increases," it said in a statement.

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Indonesia: Fourteen herds of elephants in search of food in Aceh

Rahmad Nasution Antara 20 Feb 19;

Lhokseumawe, N Aceh, (ANTARA News)- At least 14 herds of wild Sumatran elephants have been wandering in search of food in the areas of districts such as Tamiang, Pidie, Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Biruen, a conservationist said.

According to the Head of the Lhokseumawe Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Dedi Irvansyah, here on Tuesday evening, around four up to five herds were found wandering around the forest areas of East Aceh and Tamiang Districts.

In North Aceh District, there were three herds of these herbivorous animals, while in the districts of Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, and Bireun, about four herds of wild elephants were also observed, he stated.

Meanwhile, in Pidie Jaya and Pidie Districts, two herds were reportedly observed, he noted, adding that each of the herds consisted of 15 to 20 wild animals.

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