Best of our wild blogs: 24 Jan 11

2011 First Dive @ Pulau Hantu
from colourful clouds

Cartoon slug at Big Sisters Island
from wonderful creation and into the wild and wild shores of singapore

Driftnet removal at Sisters Island
from wild shores of singapore

Folded
from The annotated budak

Pulau Hantu
from Singapore Nature and into the wild

An encounter with a pair of Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo
from Bird Ecology Study Group

2011 and The Year of the Rabbit
from Urchin's World

Solar-powered slug from Semakau
from blooooooooooo

A Harvestman in 3D!
from Macro Photography in Singapore

Monday Morgue: 24th January 2011
from The Lazy Lizard's Tales

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Monkey nuisance: Complaints rose 30% last year

Amresh Gunasingham Straits Times 24 Jan 11;

THESE daytime snatch thieves have a soft spot for bread and peanuts.

In the past few months, a pair of macaques have made weekly forays from a nearby jungle to a residential area along Montreal Drive in Sembawang.

There, before startled or amused passers-by, the mischievous pair - one believed to be an adult and the other a baby - brazenly swipe loaves of bread and peanut packs from a provision shop's racks.

'It could be early in the morning or the afternoon. They will come and take the food,' said a staff member of Ikea Mini Mart, adding that traps put up to catch the monkeys have not had success so far.

Of late, though, there has been a lull in this unusual form of 'monkey business' there. Monkeys in Singapore normally tend to prey on unsuspecting homes in their search for food.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said the number of complaints of nuisance from monkeys rose last year. A total of 792 such complaints were lodged last year, up 30 per cent from 611 in 2009.

The AVA spokesman said that of last year's complaints, five were from the Sembawang area. Last October, it lent a trap to the Sembawang Town Council to nab the elusive monkeys. However, it was removed when it showed no success after a month.

Residents there said monkey sightings are common because large parts of Sembawang are still jungle areas.

The sightings mirror incidents in residential areas such as Bukit Panjang, Bedok and Loyang.

Recent estimates here put the number of macaques, which are the most common species here, at around 2,000.

Assistant Professor David Bickford, from the department of biological sciences at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said the migration of monkeys from their natural habitat could be a 'tell-tale sign of a degradation of the forests here'.

'Monkeys forage widely for fruit and small insects, so it could be that the 'food' trees may be getting fewer.'

Another factor could be a cyclical spike in the wild monkey population here, he said. 'The population of macaques might not have been held in check by predators such as pythons.'

Veteran nature guide Subaraj Rajathurai said that in the past, the popularity of feeding wild monkeys was responsible for their growing numbers.

As the authorities clamped down on the practice, their numbers came down. But as Singapore got greener, the reservoirs and parks built around the island proved fertile new grounds for monkeys looking for feeding spots.

Mr Subaraj added that some monkeys may also continue to roam traditional hunting grounds such as forests in the Bukit Timah area, which have today made way for developments such as condominiums.

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Singapore food prices expected to stabilise in next few months: PM Lee

Dylan Loh Today Online 24 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE - Allaying concerns over the rising food prices, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday that he expects prices to stabilise in the next "few months".

Mr Lee, who was giving out $44,000 worth of grocery vouchers and cash to some 290 underprivileged residents in Teck Ghee, also assured Singaporeans that various government assistance schemes were in place to help the needy.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the community event, the Prime Minister recalled that prices of food - particularly rice - had also increased sharply in 2008 when wholesale prices went up by at least 50 per cent.

Then, Singapore had to make sure that there were enough supplies, said Mr Lee.

He added: "We were able to maintain, keep the prices stable and see ourselves through that period. And after a few months, the prices came down again and inflation stabilised and I expect that to happen again this time."

Speaking to MediaCorp, economist David Cohen concurred that the rate of increase in food prices may ease.

However, Mr Cohen, who is the director of Asian forecasting for consultancy firm Action Economics, added that he did not expect any sharp relief from the rising prices any time soon.

Said Mr Cohen: "Singapore is a price-taker, it's a tiny open market. So it's very much dependent on the global supply and demand."

The economist noted that one way the Government could help people cope would be through tax relief for lower-income citizens.

The Government is expected to reveal its Budget next month.

Speaking at a Marine Parade community event yesterday, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong told reporters on the sidelines that, in view of the rising prices, he expects Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam to "come up with some ways to help lower the cost of living for Singaporeans".

Mr Goh said: "How he does it? I do not know at this stage. How much he wants to do? I do not know at this stage but, logically speaking, it'll be surprising if he doesn't do anything."

Mr Goh, who is also a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, was distributing hongbaos and festive goodies to about 50 Marine Parade public assistance recipients.

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The greener, green grass of home

Tan Chee Yong Business Times 24 Jan 11;

YOU could say that becoming a National University of Singapore (NUS) environmental engineering undergraduate has amplified my passion for protecting the earth and prepared me well to face real-world climate issues when I graduate.

Since I started out as a freshman, my professors have often challenged students' ideas by encouraging us to explore and discover better engineering concepts to solve specific real- world problems of the environment (water, air and waste).

In fact, there were many times during a project where I was kept constantly on my toes - pushed to unearth first-hand knowledge through tests and findings. In my first sustainability module, the theories were translated into green designs and solidified my appreciation of the intricacies of how nature and structure can work together.

I have also been given countless opportunities to plan and organise green events like the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore 2009 and Earth Hour 2010. Being a project director of a team for NUS Earth Hour 2010 was by far my most memorable event on campus.

As the vice-project director of the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore 2009, I helped organise a coastal cleanup at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve with 150 volunteers - which was invaluable exposure for a budding environmentalist.

These experiences led to me being the recipient of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) Sustainability Fellowship award from the NUS Office of Environmental Sustainability in 2010.

The alliance sees member universities sending two representatives each to a partnering university. The member institutions are Australian National University, ETH Zurich, National University of Singapore, Peking University, University of Tokyo, University of California Berkeley, University of Cambridge, University of Copenhagen, University of Oxford and Yale University.

I was extremely excited to have the opportunity to intern at prestigious Yale University for six weeks because the faculty was conducting leading research on climate change, biodiversity, watersheds, energy systems, global governance, sustainable development and other critical subjects.

There, I was exposed to various sustainability practices through site visits and collaborations with people from all walks of life. I was tasked with different assignments that included working on proposals for microloans at Yale for sustainable enterprises, Green Information Technology, the drafting of Yale's Climate Action Plan, and aligning Yale Sustainability Strategic Plans with AASHE Stars metrics. (AASHE is the US-based Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.)

Yale's Office of Sustainability also took me around Yale's Sustainable Farm, Sterling Power Plant, Becton Wind Turbines, Kroon Hall (Yale's most recent LEED-certified platinum building), and we climbed up to a rooftop to view the thin-film solar panels too. (LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification system.)

Going to Yale also allowed me to apply in real life many of the theories and the green design knowledge I had picked up in NUS.

The IARU internship provided me with fresh perspective and instilled the firm awareness that dealing with green issues also means starting from within. This means adopting the right attitude and always asking if greener processes can be utilised first. On a personal level, I am motivated to change my lifestyle options, just like how a lot of the Yale-ies do - by cycling to school, recycling everything in their residential college, bringing along a mug/eating box for meals, etc.

It took going overseas to make me appreciate the value of being at NUS - through my interaction with the Yale community, many were impressed with my insight and green ideas as well. I shared proudly some of the ideas that NUS had adopted that Yale had yet to introduce to its campus community.

Ideas like our default double-sided printing of documents, Meat-Out Thursday and our usual keep-your-own-food-tray programme were met with much enthusiasm and vigour.

In all, NUS has provided me a well-rounded education and opened up so many opportunities to explore what I am most passionate about. I appreciate the times my professors challenged me to think critically and the NUS administration officers who are always so supportive of students' initiatives, such as in the planning and organising of Earth Hour last year.

They have shown me that taking pride and having passion in your work is essential. I am even more excited to take what I have acquired here to the world arena now.

The writer is an undergraduate at the National University of Singapore's Division of Environmental Science & Engineering, under the Faculty of Engineering

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Scenic Woodlands Waterfront unveiled

Vimita Mohandas/Monica Kotwani Channel NewsAsia 23 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE: Residents in northern Singapore can now enjoy a spanking new recreational destination with the completion of the Woodlands Waterfront.

The Woodlands Waterfront boasts a scenic nine-hectare coastal park and a 1.5km-long waterfront promenade.

Visitors can also enjoy a scenic view of the entire coastal park and the Straits of Johor from high vantage points along the newly opened trail.

The park is furnished with rest shelters and dedicated jogging and cycling tracks.

A 700m-long cantilevered waterfront promenade, which was open to the public last November, also brings visitors closer to the coastline.

Once a warehouse site, the Woodlands Waterfront was officially opened on Sunday by MP for Sembawang GRC and Minister for Health, Khaw Boon Wan.

The S$19m project took about two years to build. About three hectares were opened to the public when the first phase of the waterfront was completed last May.

Sembawang GRC resident, Hamidah Salleh, said: "We came here a few times during the night. It's very alive and vibrant at night itself. You don't expect that at 11 and 12 o'clock (at night), there's still a lot of people here....barbecuing, fishing and playing around. It's quite fun, I like the atmosphere."

Madam Hamidah said another feature of the park she likes is the multi-generational playground.

"The playground is suitable for all ages, even for the elderly. There's a lot of exercise equipment they can use to do a bit of movement. So I think you can bring grandma, grandpa, little children (here). Everybody can enjoy here. I think that's what I like about this place."

Woodlands Waterfront also features a spacious carpark, with more than 100 parking lots.

-CNA/wk/ir

Woodlands Waterfront unveiled
Monica Kotwani Today Online 24 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE - Once a warehouse site, the Woodlands Waterfront was officially opened yesterday - providing residents in the north with a scenic nine-hectare coastal park with a 1.5-km-long waterfront.

Visitors will be treated to the sight of rolling greenery and a panoramic view of Johor Baru's skyline, while enjoying the sea breeze.

The park was unveiled yesterday by Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan, who is also a Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC.

Teacher Mdm Hamidah Salleh, a Sembawang resident, has found the park to be full of activities on several occasions.

She said: "There is still a lot of people around, barbecuing and fishing and playing around. It's fun, I like the atmosphere."

The $19-million project took about two years to complete.

About three hectares were opened to the public when the first phase of the waterfront was completed last May.

Yesterday's official launch saw the opening of the 700-metre long waterfront promenade with fitness stations and lookout points.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said it had to design the landscape to showcase the park's main attraction - the waterfront area.

URA group director of conservation and development services Ler Seng Ann said: "(We) created a unique playground area using the contour of the land. When you arrive at the park, you do not see the waterfront - until you enter the event plaza, and that's when the waterfront is unveiled."

Mr Ler said consultation with the residents ensured that the park's features met their needs. And there are plans for similar projects in the near future, he added.

Said Mr Ler: "One of the areas we will be looking at will be the Yishun area. We are planning to rejuvenate the area, so hopefully residents can have an added facility to enjoy themselves."

Referring to the Northern Explorer Park Connector Network - a-25-km loop linking parks and nature sites in northern Singapore - Mr Ler said the longer term plan was to link up parks and natures sites islandwide. Monica Kotwani


Waterfront park opens in Woodlands
Straits Times 24 Jan 11;

WOODLANDS' $19 million coastal park and promenade were officially opened yesterday.

Woodlands Waterfront, as this recreational playground for residents in the north has been named, comprises a 9ha coastal park and a 1.5km-long waterfront promenade.

It also has an event plaza, picnic areas, a playground and an undulating track for cyclists and runners.

Health Minister and Sembawang GRC MP Khaw Boon Wan, who was the guest of honour at the official opening, called the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) project 'good value for money'.

He said: 'I've been here several times now, at different times of the day, and it is very well used. I've noticed many come here either to do exercise... or fishing, catching crabs. Or just simply to look at the sunrise and sunset and in the evening, the night skyline of Johor Baru.'

At least 10,000 people have visited the green space so far, said a URA spokesman.

Work on Woodlands Waterfront began in 2009. The first phase launched in May last year made the first 3ha of coastal park and a 400m jetty - one of Singapore's longest recreational ones - accessible to residents.

Mr Ler Seng Ann, URA's group director for conservation and development services, said more improvements are in the pipeline, with the rejuvenation of the Yishun Pond area.

In the meantime, Woodlands Waterfront has become a hit with residents such as Mr Sethupillai Ganesan, a 37-year-old assistant safety manager who lives in Marsiling.

He has been going there with his 11/2-year-old son up to three times a week.

He said: 'I used to have to go all the way to East Coast Park. Now, good air, a free sea view and plenty of greenery are just five minutes away from home.'

MELISSA PANG

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Malaysian Nature Society working to protect forests

New Straits Times 24 Jan 11;

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Nature Society is launching a nationwide blitz to halt the conversion of natural forests to plantations and protect the country's wildlife.

Its president, Associate Professor Dr Maketab Mohamed, is currently on a roadshow to interact with MNS' 13 branches and empower them to realise its new conservation manifesto.

Dr Maketab, 51, who recently took over as MNS' 20th president, said engaging all the branches was the first step in realising the 70-year-old society's manifesto towards making "tangible conservation impacts" on the ground.

"The branches were inadvertently sidelined in the past as most activities were centred around its headquarters or the secretariat. MNS Sandakan will be our 14th branch."

Dr Maketab, a Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) lecturer who holds a PhD in Watershed Science with over 25 years of professional experience in environmental hydrology, added: "The MNS secretariat will still go ahead with activities of national significance but the branches will not be watching from the sidelines as they will also carry out local or state-level conservation activities.

"Therefore the branch leaders need to engage relevant agencies in their state or locality such as the Wildlife and National Parks Department, Forestry Department, Marine Parks Department. Fisheries Department or, in the case of Johor, the Johor National Parks Corporation.

"Our core focus is the conservation of the natural environment.

"We are, however, not anti development but pro sustainable development with minimum impact on the surrounding natural and social environment. Human lives are sacred and so are all other lives on earth."

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Malaysian marine paradise in danger

Dennis Wong New Straits Times 24 Jan 11;

KUCHING: Its pristine environment is free from human threats but that will be history if nothing is done to preserve it.

That is why environmentalists are proposing that Kuala Lawas be gazetted as a marine protected area (MPA).

The area comes under the Lawas district which is situated between the Sabah border and Brunei's Temburong district, and is about six hours' drive from Miri.

It is home to vulnerable marine wildlife species including dugongs and shorebirds.

Six months ago, researchers recorded sightings of 110 shorebirds.

They were of 21 species including the white-bellied sea eagle, Brahminy Kite, Great Egret, Chinese Egret, Plain Flowerpecker and Long Tailed Parakeet.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah marine mammal research unit head Dr Saifullah A. Jaaman said Kuala Lawas has the prospect of having a carefully planned, regulated and small-scale bird watching industry.

"It is a very pristine site. Even the locals there are keeping it that way," he added.

Sources said a proposal was made about seven years ago to have the area gazetted but it was shelved as there were plans to build an oil and gas platform there.

However, due to the shallow waters which made it uneconomical to operate such a platform, the plan did not proceed, giving a new breath of life to the area.

Saifullah said everybody knew that if pristine areas were not protected, it would deteriorate in time.

"And when this happens, we will start losing what we have.

"The wildlife would either vanish or migrate to other areas.

"When that happens, it will be a big loss for everyone."

Having the area gazetted as a MPA will also benefit the local population as most of the people in Kuala Lawas are fishermen.

This will help to ensure continuous fish catch for them in future.

Saifullah said many of the local people want the area to be kept as it is and hope the state authorities would gazette the area.

The findings were tabled at the 10th Hornbill Workshop held last month on the theme "Managing ecosystem for sustainability" where one of the resolutions called for the gazetting of Kuala Lawas.

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Malaysia: Conserving the Bornean leopard

The Star 24 Jan 11;

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Wildlife Department wants to launch a Bornean clouded leopard captive breeding programme at the Kota Kinabalu Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.

The move follows the discovery of the endangered leopard. The Bornean clouded leopard is a unique subspecies distinctly different from their relatives in Sumatra.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Dr Laurentius Ambu said the uniqueness of the Bornean clouded leopard put it on the high priority list for conservation.

He noted it has already been listed as endangered on the International Union of Conser­vation of Nature Red List.

“To maintain the diversity of the species, Sumatran and Bornean clouded leopards need to be managed separately in cap- tive breeding programmes,” said Dr Laurentius.

Currently, this clouded leopard species, the largest carnivore in Borneo, is not kept in any European or American zoo.

The leopard was first caught on camera in the wild in Sabah’s central Deramakot Forest Reserve last year.

An international team of research scientists led by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, in cooperation with the Sabah Wildlife Department, had only recently classified the Borneo clouded leopard (neofelis diardi borneensis) as distinct from its relatives in Sumatra by using genetic and morphological analyses.

Related link
Two forms of world's 'newest' cat, the Sunda leopard Matt Walker BBC News 22 Jan 11;

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Malaysia prepared to bring home displaced orang utan

The Star 24 Jan 11;

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia is prepared to assist any non-governmental organisations rehabilitate the orang utan in their native environment in Sabah.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said the Government wanted to assist in the rescue and rehabilitation of displaced orang utan currently placed in zoos in Europe and United Kingdom.

He gave an example of an obese orang utan, Oshine, rescued from a private owner and currently being rehabilitated by Monkey World in Dorset United Kingdom.

Until it arrived in Monkey World, the orang utan had never seen another orang utan, Dompok said during a dialogue with Sabah NGOs regarding plantation issues.

“I told them (NGOs) this is one thing (rescuing orang utan) that they may want to do. The Government will give assistance to help them get back the displaced apes,” he said.

Dompok said there was no reason for the orang utan to suffer in the cold north European climate as there was ample space in Sabah’s forests.

Weighing about 100kg, the 13-year-old Oshine was raised by a South African couple who fed him marshmallows and other sweets.

It is now on a strict diet of fruit, yoghurt, lean meat and vegetables as Monkey World tries to reduce Oshine’s weight to between 30kg and 70kg.

They also hoped the primate would learn “how to be an orang utan” by living next to baby orang utan.

Once she loses weight, gets fitter, and understands more about ape behaviour, she would “graduate” into one of two breeding groups where it is hoped that she could start her own family, a news report quoted a Monkey World carer.

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Sarawak Forestry Corporation out to protect wetlands for waterbirds

The Star 24 Jan 11;

THE Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) is expected to identify and protect important waterbird wintering sites in the state once a field survey project is completed by March this year, says managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Len Talif Salleh.

He said teams of volunteers and waterbird experts as well as institutions of higher learning, schools and members of the public were welcome to join in the coastal wetland conservation effort and learn more about Sarawak’s ecosystem.

“Based on previous studies and records within the last 20 years, the number of waterbirds in Malaysia has decreased as much as 23% and this fact, therefore, becomes the purpose of the survey as the results will provide a definite account of the state of waterbird population and wetland habitats in Sarawak,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said the survey, supported by the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), was vital to the whole ecosystem, especially as waterbirds were now under threat everywhere from habitat loss, pollution, hunting and other threats.

He said it also acted as a comprehensive and systematic community awareness platform for locals as community awareness programmes and training workshops would be conducted on coastal wetlands and waterbird preservation besides other useful and relevant skills, including identification and monitoring techniques.

Len said Sarawak had more coastal Important Bird Areas (IBAs), along the Tanjung Datu-Samunsam Protected Area, Talang-Satang National Park, Bako-Buntal Bay, Sadong-Saribas Coast, Pulau Bruit, Simalajau National Park and Brunei Bay, compared to other states.

Apart from that, he said, Sarawak’s west coast had recorded some of the country’s highest concentrations of migratory waterbirds during the Annual Asian Waterbird Census.

“Over 50 million waterbirds migrate along the East Asia-Australia Flyway each year. Some weigh as little as 25 gms, yet they travel 25,000km every year,” he said, adding that these waterbirds needed the wetlands to feed and rest on their epic journeys.

He said SFC had already started similar surveys since 2006 to save the habitat of the waterbirds in Sarawak.

For further information on how to participate in the survey, the public can visit http://mnsmiri.blogspot.com/2010/12/waterbirds-and-wetland-habitats-survey.html - Bernama

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Biodiversity propelling Universiti Brunei Darussalam to Top 50 Asian Universities

Brunei Online 23 Jan 11;

Biodiversity is one of the five areas that Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) has identified as having a comparative advantage that will propel the university towards achieving its vision in becoming one of the Top 50 Universities in Asia by the year 2015.

Under the Science and Technology Funding provided by the government, UBD has successfully bid for funding support to carry out research in several fields including biodiversity. UBD staff are currently undertaking studies on small mammals, fishes and parasitic plants under this funding programme.

The Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre in the heart of the tropical rainforest of the Temburong District is another testament to UBD's dedication and passion in uncovering the wealth of knowledge that are locked in the living organisms in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the forest. The research centre has been host to diverse groups of people, from secondary school children who are on educational visits to world-renowned scientists and scholars who are learning to understand the rainforest ecology.

The university has also inculcated environmental awareness as a critical element in its GenNext undergraduate degree programme. Aside from instilling values of entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation, every UBD student is also expected to be responsive to the global challenges facing our natural environment today and tomorrow.

Considering Brunei Darussalam's wealth in biodiversity, alongside a strong government support for the conservation of the environment, UBD is bringing together a core group of research universities from around the globe to form a consortium to address, for both research and education, issues and problems related to biodiversity, climate change, and the environment.

The International Consortium of Universities for the Study of Biodiversity and the Environment (icube) is comprised of UBD, King's College of London, Korea University, Monash University, National University of Singapore, University of Auckland, University of Bonn, and University of North Carolina.

These research universities share a common vision and are committed to research and education on biodiversity, climate change and the environment. iCUBE will provide a framework to promote collaboration and co-operative activities for research, teaching and learning, drawing on complementary capabilities of the partner universities and in the process strengthening the research capacities of each partner university. iCUBE member universities are expected to actively promote research, especially multi-disciplinary research, thus providing opportunities for academic staff and students in the partner universities. It will tap on the research expertise and strategic advantages of each of the partner universities to address issues and problems of global significance, including climate change, sustainable development and the environment.

UBD is proposing for iCUBE's Secretariat to be established in the university to ensure proper planning and functioning of the Consortium. The Secretariat will facilitate the execution of iCUBE's activities, including major symposia, workshops, and international conferences targeted at issues relating to biodiversity, climate change and the environment, joint research projects or collaborative research programmes among the partner universities, exchange of academic staff and students, internship programmes for graduate students or post-doctoral fellows by partner universities, and public lecture series, inviting distinguish scholars to speak on topics related to biodiversity, climate change and the environment. - UBD Press Release

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Nepal uses satellites to track rare tiger

Yahoo News 23 Jan 11;

KATHMANDU (AFP) – An injured wild tiger that strayed into a tourist resort in Nepal has been moved to a new home in the jungle and fitted with a satellite collar so its progress can be tracked, the government said.

The tiger, an adult male, was captured after it wandered into the resort on the outskirts of the Chitwan national park in southern Nepal, a major tourist attraction, and nursed back to health by park authorities.

It was then driven about 600 kilometres (400 miles) with a team of vets and conservationists in a specially constructed trailer to the remote jungles of Bardia in western Nepal, where it was released on Saturday.

The tiger, named Namobuddha by park authorities, has been fitted with a special collar carrying a GPS tracking system that will allow scientists to monitor how well it adapts to its new home.

The government said the initiative, carried out with the help of experts from WWF, would also help to improve understanding of how the endangered animals behave in the wild.

"This translocation -- the first of its kind in Nepal -- is a concrete example of our commitment to saving wild tigers using the best science available," said Deepak Bohara, minister of forest and soil conservation.

The project is part of Nepal's efforts to double its population of Royal Bengal tigers, which once roamed the country's southern plains in large numbers but have been depleted by poaching and the destruction of their habitat.

A WWF survey carried out in 2008 found just 121 adult tigers of breeding age in the country.

Krishna Acharya, Nepal's head of national parks and wildlife conservation, said Bardia was an ideal home for the animal because it of its vast size, available prey and relatively low levels of poaching.

"Nepal is one of the countries in the world where the prospect of doubling the tiger population is quite good, if tigers are given enough space, prey and proper protection," he added.

Experts say poverty and political instability in Nepal have created ideal conditions for poachers who kill the animals for their skin, meat and bones, which are highly valued in Chinese traditional medicine.

The WWF says tigers are in serious danger of becoming extinct in the wild. During the last 100 years their numbers have collapsed by 95 percent, from 100,000 in 1900 to only around 3,200 tigers, its says.

Nepal translocates first wild tiger
WWF 22 Jan 11;

Bardia National Park, Nepal – A wild tiger fitted with satellite-collar was successfully translocated from Nepal’s Chitwan National Park to Bardia National Park for the first time on Saturday.

The translocation was led by the Government of Nepal with support from WWF Nepal and the National Trust for Nature Conservation during the last days of the Year of the Tiger. It will further Nepal’s goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022, the next time the Chinese calendar celebrates the endangered species.

“This translocation—the first of its kind in Nepal—is a concrete example of our commitment to saving wild tigers using the best science available, including the application of cutting-edge technologies,” said Minister of Forest and Soil Conservation of Nepal, Deepak Bohara. “I am confident that by working together the global community can reach the goals we set ourselves at the recently concluded tiger summit to save tigers to benefit people, nations and nature.”

A pioneering move

The wild tiger was an injured male captured by park authorities from Chitwan National Park after it wandered into the premises of a hotel in the tourist town of Sauraha outside the park in September last year. The tiger was placed in a secure enclosure at the park’s headquarters for treatment where it recovered completely.

On Friday, a team of wildlife veterinarians, wildlife biologists, park staff and conservationists tranquilized the tiger and fitted it with a GPS plus GLOBALSTAR-3 satellite collar. It then was transported by road about 600 km in a specially constructed trailer from Chitwan National Park westwards to Bardia National Park under strict supervision and security measures. The tiger was finally introduced to its new home in the fertile valley along the River Babai on Saturday.

“The Babai valley was an ideal location for the translocation because of its vast size and available prey species, improved anti-poaching efforts, lower human-tiger conflict and good connectivity with other protected areas through the Terai Arc Landscape all the way to India’s Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary,” said Krishna Acharya, Director General of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. "Nepal is one of the countries in the world where the prospect of doubling the tiger population is quite good, if tigers are given enough space, prey and proper protection."

The satellite collar, which gives an accurate location of the tiger every half-hour, will help scientists gain a better understanding of tiger ecology, improve conservation interventions like anti-poaching operations and monitor the tiger adapting to its new environment.

“WWF is pleased to have played a part in the pioneering tiger translocation led by the Government of Nepal,” said Anil Manandhar, WWF Nepal’s Country Representative. “As a global conservation organization, we have been part of the Nepal’s evolving conservation landscape—from species protection to the successful Terai Arc Landscape—for over four decades, and remain committed to working together with our partners to help save nature for future generations.”

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