Best of our wild blogs: 1 May 19

Join NParks to patrol Singapore shores for sea turtles and more!
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

Singapore Bird Report – March 2019
Singapore Bird Group

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Thousands of fish dead near Lim Chu Kang jetty: Warmer temperatures suspected as cause

Vanessa Liu Straits Times 1 May 19;

SINGAPORE - The warmer weather in recent days may have caused thousands of fish to die in waters near Lim Chu Kang jetty and in nearby fish farms.

The fish started surfacing in the sea about two or three days ago, said Mr Simon Ho, communications officer at the Singapore's Fish Farmers Association.

"Because of the higher temperatures these few days, there's a lack of oxygen in the water. I believe the fishes died as a result," he noted.

He added that fish farmers in the area sent motorboats out to remove and dispose of the dead fish.

About four or five farms are said to have been affected with each reporting a loss of about one to two tonnes of fish on average - estimated to be worth from $3,000 to $4,000.

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Malaysia: We are coming for you, Xavier tells poachers as minimum penalty set to be increased

mei mei chu The Star 30 Apr 19;

DENGKIL: The amendment to the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 will increase the minimum penalty for poachers to a RM1mil fine and five years in jail, says Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

He said the Act was expected to be tabled in December and added that he hoped it would send a strong message to poachers that Malaysia would not tolerate the illegal wildlife trade.

“The message we want to send is we are in the forest, we are coming for you, and we will catch you,” said Jayakumar at the launch of Ops Belang at the Paya Indah Wetlands here Tuesday (April 30).

Jayakumar said it was worrying that there were only 200 tigers left in Malaysia, adding that if drastic action was not taken immediately, Malaysia might lose the iconic animal forever.

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Malaysia transit point for smuggling illegal ivory, rhino horns

Nur Aqidah Azizi New Straits Times 30 Apr 19;

SEREMBAN: Malaysia is being used as an illegal transit point to smuggle ivory and other animal parts before they are exported to other countries, said the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

He said these animal parts were exported to countries such as China, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

He said a task force which included authorities from the ministry, Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) and Customs Department had been set up to monitor such activity in the country.

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Indonesia: Ministry investigators arrest three for illegal ivory trade online

Kharishar Kahfi The Jakarta Post 30 Apr 19;

Investigators from the Environment and Forestry Ministry have arrested three individuals on suspicion of illegal online trading in ivory and other products made from elephants and other endangered animals.

The three suspects, identified by their initials OF, 38, CK, 44, and MHF, 31, were arrested on Sunday at three separate locations in Pati, Central Java.

The trio allegedly sold jewelry and other accessories like cigarette holders through three separate Facebook accounts.

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