Best of our wild blogs: 19 Apr 17

Highlights of the April Love MacRitchie Walk
Toddycats!

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Indonesia: Academicians call for review of regulation on peat lands

Antara 18 Apr 17;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - Academicians from the Peat Plantation and Village Research Center of the Riau University Dr Zaimi called for the review of the Government Regulation No. 57 of 2016 on Peat Ecosystem Protection and Management.

"All agree that the environment has to be preserved and protected, but the public interest also needs addressing," Dr Zaimi said here on Tuesday.

He said the regulation of the Environment and Forestry Minister No. P.17 of 2017 on forestry and Industrial Timber Estate (HTI) would have potential contribution to social and economic development.

However, the regulation has drawn wide criticism saying it would hurt the business sector and discourage investment as HTI and oil palm plantation would lose their lands.The negative impact is on economic development and potential number of workers losing jobs.

Therefore, there should be a forum that could bring all stakeholders to seat together and talk and discuss all aspects of the new regulation, Dr Zaimi said.

"Indeed, we have to meet - the government, academicians, non governmental organizations (NGOs), the corporations and community leaders concerned with the regulation," he said.

He strongly called for such a meeting to find a solution to the problem, acceptable to the government, corporations , the public and all other stakeholders.

If the meeting failed to find a solution, the problem could then be solved through judicial review, he said.

Tropical peat expert from the Riau University Dr Wawan said under the new regulation 45 percent of the peat lands in Riau are to be preserved and protected.

Dr Wawan said he feared the regulation if fully implemented would badly hurt investors already in operation in Riau and the farmers.

"If a regulation that turns out to be harmful to the public, while the duty of the government is to improve the welfare of the people, the regulation should then be reviewed," Dr Wawan said.(*)

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Best of our wild blogs: 18 Apr 17

Mass coral spawning 2017
wild shores of singapore

Green Drinks x Fashion Revolution: Environmental Impacts of Textiles
Green Drinks Singapore

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Monkey bit elderly man on the leg

Alysha Chandra, The New Paper AsiaOne 18 Apr 17;

Madam Tan Lai Choo, 52, was on her way to take the bus to work yesterday morning when she noticed police cars and a commotion at Block 472, Segar Road.

She immediately thought of her father, Mr Tan Kim Leng, who regularly spends his mornings at the void deck beneath the block. Her fears were confirmed when she walked over to find her father had been attacked by a monkey.

The 77-year-old retiree had been sitting on a bench at around 7am when a monkey came from behind and bit his leg. Two passers-by called an ambulance and helped to stop the bleeding.

He now requires surgery, Madam Tan told The New Paper, and is warded at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

"I just want people to know that monkeys can be dangerous," she said.

The attack did not surprise the area's residents, who have encountered monkey problems in the last few months.

A resident of Block 472, housewife Rohana Ismail, 55, told TNP: "The monkeys come inside (our homes) and steal fruits and have scratched a few children at the playground.

"It has gone from bad to worse and something should be done before they hurt more people."

Mr Murugaian Elango, who also lives in Block 472, said monkeys climbed into his flat on the fourth storey 10 days ago, biting his elderly mother. She went to the hospital to get an injection.

Mr Elango filed a report of the incident with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), as have other residents.

A resident of Block 471, who was bitten by a monkey that entered her flat on the seventh storey, has even taken to placing flyers in the lift to warn her neighbours to close their doors and windows to prevent the monkeys from sneaking in.

Earlier this month, citizen journalism site Stomp reported two other cases involving monkeys chasing a woman and breaking into flats in Segar Road.

These blocks are close to Zhenghua Nature Park, which was expanded in 2015 and is a green buffer for the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

FEEDBACK

The AVA told TNP it had received about 160 feedback on money attacks and nuisance in the Segar area since last October.

After surveillance, it deemed the monkeys as a public safety risk and has been conducting "monkey control operations" in the area, catching one monkey in November.

"Catching the monkeys can be challenging as they are very nimble. The many high-rise buildings in the area also make it easy for the monkeys to be out of reach by climbing up the blocks," an AVA spokesman said, adding that it is working with the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society.

AVA has worked with the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council to prune trees and harvest fruits from trees to mitigate the situation.


Monkey situation in Bukit Panjang a 'public safety risk': AVA
Melissa Zhu Channel NewsAsia 18 Apr 17;

SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said the monkey situation at the Segar area in Bukit Panjang is a "public safety risk" after receiving about 160 reports of monkey attacks and nuisance in the area since October last year.

Two monkeys have been entering into homes at Segar, according to Member of Parliament for the Holland-Bukit Panjang Group Representation Constituency Liang Eng Hwa, and while one was caught in November last year, the other has been running free and becoming "more aggressive".

A resident, Ms Serene Lee, told Channel NewsAsia that the aggressive monkey has been climbing into houses and attacking people and that there have been at least four cases within a week.

Ms Lee added that her son, who is in Primary 6, was walking home from school with a friend two weeks ago when a monkey started chasing them from a distance. The children managed to run away, she said.

"We are all very worried about (the situation)," she added.

In a statement on Monday (Apr 17), AVA said monkeys may carry diseases harmful to public health, and those that are aggressive are also a risk to public safety.

An elderly man was hospitalised after being bitten by the wild monkey on Monday morning. Another resident, Ms Audrey Leong, posted a photo in a group for residents in the Segar Gardens estate showing what appeared to be blood on the floor near a bench. The man was sitting on the bench when he was attacked from behind by the primate, according to Ms Leong.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force sent the elderly man to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital after it received a call for assistance at the void deck of Block 472 Segar Road at about 7.10am on Monday, it said.

AVA said it was aware of the incident and was investigating.

MONKEY CONTROL OPERATIONS UNDERWAY: AVA

Mr Liang said in a Facebook post on Monday that he had visited the injured man, whom he identified as "Mr Tan".

"Like everyone at Segar, I am very concerned about the lone monkey harassing and hurting our residents," he wrote.

Mr Liang said he had asked AVA to take "even stronger measures" to catch the monkey and that the authority has agreed to step up action.

The Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council has also stepped up surveillance on monkey sightings and is working with AVA to catch the monkey, the Member of Parliament said, adding that he advised residents not to feed and provoke the monkey in the meantime.

After conducting surveillance in the area, AVA has also been conducting monkey control operations in the area, it said.

The agency is working with the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) to remove the monkey that is running free.

"Catching the monkeys can be challenging as they are very nimble. The many high-rise buildings in the area also make it easy for the monkeys to be out of reach by climbing up the blocks," it said.

AVA has also worked with the Town Council to prune trees and harvest fruits from trees in the estate to mitigate the situation, it added.

- CNA/mz



Monkey menace at Segar Rd a risk to public safety: AVA
Today Online 19 Apr 17;

SINGAPORE — In the past six months, there have been 160 instances of wild monkeys attacking people or causing a nuisance in the Segar Road area, said the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

Describing the situation as a “public safety risk”, the authority said it is working with the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) to remove a monkey that has continued to wreak havoc in the Bukit Panjang estate since November last year, after another monkey was removed.

The update from AVA came after the monkey on the loose bit an elderly resident, Mr Tan Leng Choo, when he was lounging at the void deck of Block 472 Segar Road on Monday morning.

Checks on a Facebook group of residents in Segar Garden show there were posts on the monkey menace in their neighbourhood dating back to last November. Besides photos and videos of the monkeys, there were also photos of injuries residents suffered from attacks by the monkeys.

The cluster of flats face Zhenghua Nature Park, which was recently expanded to provide a larger green space for residents and increase the green buffer for the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. The park’s 3.8ha extension was officially opened in 2015.

In February, TODAY reported that residents have spotted monkeys appearing on most mornings and evenings, often climbing into homes, presumably in search of food.

Sales executive Ken Soh, 37, who sees the monkey several times a week when he leaves for work in the mornings, said: “We try to be careful after accounts of monkeys attacking. But sometimes, there’s little you can do because monkeys move very fast.”

Madam Janice Tan, 40, who has an eight-year-old daughter, said she was more concerned about children getting hurt.

The AVA told TODAY it had been conducting monkey control operations in the area and managed to remove one monkey in November. It has also worked with the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council to prune trees and harvest fruits from trees in the estate to mitigate the situation.

But it noted that catching monkeys was a challenging task as they are very nimble. “The many high-rise buildings in the area also make it easy for the monkeys to be out of reach by climbing up the blocks,” it said.

The AVA reiterated that its priority in managing the wild animal population is to ensure public health and safety are not compromised.

“For animals that pose significant public health or safety concerns, such as when animals enter premises and destroy property, injure residents or are potential carriers of disease, the AVA will work with the relevant stakeholders to explore removal or relocation options where possible,” it said.

“Monkeys may carry zoonotic diseases that are harmful to public health. Aggressive monkeys are also a risk to public safety.”

To avert encounters with monkeys, the AVA advised the public to keep food items out of sight and practise good refuse management, such as double-knotting garbage bags and throwing garbage in bins with secured lids.

It added: “The public is also advised against feeding monkeys as this alters their natural behaviour and causes them to become reliant on humans for food. As monkeys are attracted to food hand-outs from people, they may grab at plastic bags, or any other food containers that the monkeys have been conditioned to recognise.”


5 reported monkey attacks this week in Segar area, says AVA
Calvin Yang, The Straits Times AsiaOne 19 Apr 17;

As development continues and housing estates are built adjacent to green belts, the likelihood of wild encounters, such as monkey attacks could go up, say experts.

With nature areas being encroached by urbanisation, it is believed that less space is left for wildlife. The Segar area in Bukit Panjang is one recent example.

Since last October, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has received about 160 pieces of feedback on monkey attacks and nuisance in the estate.

The agency has deemed the monkey situation a public safety risk, adding that it has been conducting monkey control operations there. It is aware of five reported monkey attacks in the Segar area this week.

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Liang Eng Hwa said: "While it is not uncommon for monkeys to appear at the estate, given our proximity to the nature reserve, this recent encounter has been the most serious, with incidents of residents being bitten by the monkey."

The Segar area is near the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

Wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) said such wild encounters "will become inevitable, as the animals will use the green corridors adjacent to housing estates".

Experts noted that "hot spots" for conflicts between wildlife and humans often include areas near large swathes of nature, such as Bukit Timah Hill.

Mr Ben Lee, founder of nature conservation group Nature Trekker, said one problem is that the public may resort to feeding the wild animals.

"The monkeys become reliant," he said. "They may end up becoming aggressive."

In the Segar area, the monkey is so emboldened that it has been entering flats through the windows, stealing food and making a mess in residents' homes. Some people have also been bitten by it.

Acres said in a Facebook post yesterday that the behaviour of the monkey has been altered due to public feeding and harassment.

The Straits Times understands that the public has been feeding and provoking the monkey, such as throwing stuff at it. AVA said it is working with Acres to safely remove the monkey.

However, catching these intelligent creatures can be challenging.

"The many high-rise buildings in the area also make it easy for the monkeys to be out of reach by climbing up the blocks," it said.

The authority has worked with the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council to prune trees and harvest fruits from trees in the estate to mitigate the situation.

Meanwhile, AVA advised that residents can make their premises less attractive to monkeys by keeping food items out of sight and practising good refuse management.

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Demand for Malaysian durians in China may mean fewer, costlier fruit for Singapore

Jalelah Abu Baker Channel NewsAsia 17 Apr 17;

SINGAPORE: Durian lovers here may have to fork out more to get their hands on the king of fruit, with Singapore sellers reporting that Malaysian farmers are exporting more of their harvest to China and Chinese tourists buying the fruit at the Malaysians farms they visit.

As competition for durians increases, prices have risen steadily, said Ms Lilian Teo, 60, who has been selling durians for five years. She runs a shop with her father at the junction of Albert Street and Short Street near Little India.

“They (the suppliers) are exporting to China, so we get less supply and it’s more expensive,” she said.

For example, the Musang King, or Mao Shan Wang durian, was selling for S$8 per kg five years ago. Last year, that almost doubled to S$15 per kg, she said. Currently, fruit shops here are selling their supplies from Pahang at about S$28 per kg at the tail end of the current season. The Musang King durians are the most popular, given their creamy texture and small seeds, sellers said.

Mr Shui Poh Sing, 58, owner of Ah Seng Durian in Ghim Moh, said that while durians are not new to Chinese nationals, they were previously getting supplies from Thailand. More recently, they have been visiting durian farms in Malaysia, and getting their durians air-flown from there in vacuumed packaging, he said.

“They (the Chinese) are willing to pay higher for the durians up to double the amount that Singaporeans are typically willing to pay," he said.

SUPPLY CRUNCH

Singapore's share of the Malaysian durian market may be shrinking, with Malaysian suppliers selling more of the fruit to China. Combat Durian’s Linda Ang said that her regular suppliers have told her about the shift in markets, which has affected her directly.

“There were times I ordered and they could only give me a limited amount, less than my order quantity,” she said. The higher prices have hurt her business too, with a 20 per cent fall in demand at her Balestier Road stall.

Other factors will also contribute to a smaller local supply this year. The crop is unlikely to be big which will keep prices high, said Mr Shui. This is because harvest cycles in durian plantations in states like Johor Bahru, Penang and Malacca have changed.

“When we have durians from different plantations at the same time, the prices can go down to as low as about S$12 per kg, but I don’t think that will be happening this year,” he said. The peak durian season is typically from May to August, but it is “chaotic” this year, he added. Durians from Johor Bahru were available from February, which is uncommon. He said the change was brought about by changing weather patterns.

DURIAN FANS FROM CHINA HEAD TO MALAYSIA FARMS

Director of Malaysia’s Desaru Fruit Farm Alice Tong said that when she started off in 2006, she would see “hundreds” of Chinese tourists per week. Now, she sees thousands of them. And they are more willing to pay top dollar for the fruit.

“For every RM100 (S$32) that a Singaporean pays, the Chinese tourists pay RM200 or RM300.” They also buy in bulk, she said.

Business from these tourists made up just 10 per cent of the farm's sales three years ago, but now, this number has gone up to 35 per cent, said Mr Steve Er, who is also a director at the farm. "They really spend when they like and trust your products. Our fruit farm practises organic farming and they like it very much," he said.

Singaporean durian fan Seettha Wasudevan, 27, has noticed that the Mao Shan Wang durians that she loves have become increasingly expensive. She also finds that the durians are smaller.

But that has not stopped her and friends, who have been holding “durian parties” during the peak season for the past five years. They even have a regular vendor who brings over durians to any venue, and opens them on the spot, as long as they order a minimum of five. This is not a problem, as each of the group of 10 can eat one and a half durians.

She said: “We are all durian lovers. We won’t skip a year just because the harvest is bad, or because the price is high. We will still eat them.”

- CNA/ja

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Malaysia: Alien fish running riot in local rivers

ROSLI ZAKARIA New Straits Times 17 Apr 17;

KUALA TERENGGANU: PIRANHAS, African catfish, garfish, pirarucu, peacock bass, Chao Phraya high fin giant catfish and tilapia: these are all food fish in their countries of origin and are found in abundance in rivers, lakes and swamps, or bred in ponds in aquaculture projects.

Most of these fish species thrive in rivers and lakes many times bigger and deeper than the longest river in Malaysia.

In their natural environment, these fishes grow to monstrous sizes.

“All the fish mentioned above are carnivorous and predatory, including the tilapia which is an invasive species.

“Any minnow or fish that fits in their mouths will become prey and their voracious appetite helps them to grow to enormous sizes,” said Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) ichthyologist Dr Amirrudin Ahmad. These fish are native to the Amazon river (6,992km-long), Nile (6,893km), Congo (4,700km) and Mekong (4,350km).

In comparison, Malaysia’s longest river, Sungai Rajang, is just 563km long, while Sungai Kinabatangan is 560km and Sungai Pahang, 459km.

“The short span and narrow width of our rivers make it easy for predatory fishes to hunt for smaller fish like lampam, kelah, sebarau, kaloi, snakeheads (haruan, toman and bujuk), as well as the smaller Malaysian Clarias species (catfish),” said Amirrudin.

He said with the existence of these predatory fishes in local rivers and the proliferation over the years, it would not be long before indigenous species became depleted, or in the worst-case scenario — extinct.

“Although there are no records on when these fishes were released into the rivers, it is believed that some of these predators have been set free by hobbyists since the late 1980s.

“After such a long period, there is concern over the loss of aquatic biodiversity due to the introduction of these predatory and invasive species.

“A good example is the invasion of the red claw crayfish in Johor rivers,” he said.

STRICT SUPERVISION NEEDED

As more of these predatory and invasive species being landed by anglers, it speaks volumes on the declining population of indigenous species.

“The Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (Maqis) needs to tighten its supervision of live fish imports.

“Equally important, the live fish traders must be more responsible by providing the list of their imported fish to the Fisheries Department,” he added.

The next step is honesty in declaring the imported fish as true to the invoice.

The Fisheries Department and Maqis can also deter the import of banned species by explaining the laws and the penalties to importers. They should not entertain “I don’t know” excuses to escape punishment. Amirrudin said fisheries inspectors must be well-informed about banned species and able to identify the fish at first glance and at its juvenile stage.

Local fish shops and hobbyists also must be educated on the prohibitions.

Local fish shops, especially, must be required to display the list of banned fish at their outlets.

“A hotline, or toll-free telephone number to the Fisheries Department should be displayed as big as the ‘No Smoking’ signage in the shops to allow the public to report sales of banned species,” he added.

He said fish farms must not be allowed to breed certain species, especially breeders who grew the fish in cages along rivers and in lakes, because most of the catfish species from the Amazon rivers, for example, could grow to monstrous sizes.

“In some years, we hear reports of fish cages being damaged and African catfish escaping into the rivers in Terengganu, Pahang and Perak. Unless a foolproof method is found, these fish should be bred in ponds,” he added.

ENTHUSIASTS CAN PLAY A ROLE

Similarly, anglers share the same responsibility.

Any predatory foreign species caught must not be released back into the river. Predatory fish such as pirarucu (Arapaima gigas), alligator gar (Lepisosteus), peacock bass, Chao Phraya high fin giant catfish (Pangasius sanitwongsei) and red tail catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) have been reeled in by anglers in most major rivers in the country.

When such fish snaps up the baits from rods and lines, it reflects a horrifying reality that the population in these rivers have grown.

And the sizes of the peacock bass, red tail catfish and Chao Phraya high fin catfish which look like the local patin, commonly indicate that these predators have been in the rivers for more than two years.

Religious and cultural releases (bayar nazar) of African catfish, which can grow to an enormous size, by the community should be replaced with the release of indigenous species such as lampam, baung, kelah or the smaller local catfish.

“The Fisheries Department should conduct a careful study on whether a fish species is safe for the biodiversity before introducing it for economic purpose.

“What use is development and intense food production if they cause the extinction of natural assets?

“When the natural resources are damaged by aquaculture or development, it can only be called destructive,” Amirruddin said.

State Fisheries Department director Zawawi Ali said hobbyists generally dumped predatory fishes into rivers when their pets could no longer fit into their tanks or when they lost interest in the hobby.

“Feeding big fish is costly. This may also be another reason they have to dispose of their pets,” he said, adding that the problem would arise when hobbyists imported predatory fish species without verifying with the department whether the species was banned.


Alien fish invasion: Local importers at fault
ROSLI ZAKARIA New Straits Times 17 Apr 17;

KUALA TERENGGANU: Dishonest importers who manipulate procedures are to be blamed for the entry of banned fish species into the country.

They bring in the banned species with those allowed by wrongfully declaring import documents.

Some fish like the pacu, which is closely related to the piranha family, or the Chao Phraya high fin giant catfish (Pangasius sanitwongsei) which looks like the local patin, would be difficult to identify when it is small.

The similar appearance can dupe anyone into thinking that these fishes are safe to be grown in the aquarium until they become large enough to be identified as predatory or banned species.

Unless Customs officers stationed at entry points are trained to visually detect banned species, chances are it will go through and end up in the many water bodies nationwide.

Sources close to the ornamental fish industry said there were not many importers of fish species because of the stringent process of obtaining a licence from the Fisheries Department.

“But huge profits made from high price tags on predatory species attract many to the illegal trade,” he said, adding that many end up borrowing, sharing or using the licence of others to bring in their stock.

“At the end of the day, when the fish arrives, they will still need the services of agents or handlers to clear the fish at the Customs checkpoints.

“This is where dishonesty becomes a factor that enables fishes in the banned list to get cleared.

“Fish can also be smuggled in luggage, mineral water bottles, thermos flasks and plastic bags at border checkpoints.

“Some of these smugglers also come prepared by manipulating the labelling of the species and declaring much lower prices for a banned or exotic species,” the source said.

Unless the loopholes are plugged — indigenous fish in Malaysia will continue to be threatened.

Banned foreign species also bring about diseases that can destroy the population of aquatic life in natural water bodies where they are released.


Alien fish invasion: Peacock bass taking over
ADIE SURI ZULKEFLI New Straits Times 17 Apr 17;

PADANG BESAR: FOR the past year or so, Abdul Azhar Abdul Aziz, 29, a freshwater fishermen at Timah Tasoh Dam in Padang Besar, Perlis, has been earning a side income by renting his boat to anglers.

The state water catchment area is fast emerging as a hotspot among avid anglers in the northern states, who crave the thrill of catching the prized peacock bass, or ikan raja, as it is known among the locals.

Despite the boon, Azhar could not hide his grave concern, which is also shared by dozens of fishermen, whose livelihood depend on catching native fish species, such as lampan, tilapia and haruan in the man-made lake.

While the peacock bass attracts sports anglers, the species is also a ruthless predator.

Azhar could not tell how the peacock bass, which originated from Brazil, found its way into the lake, but the locals believed that it was released by those who reared the fish in aquariums.

“I think we began realising its presence less than two years ago, and ever since then, I noticed that we have been catching fewer native fish species.

“Until now, I could say the number of local fish that we are landing has dropped by almost 20 to 30 per cent, while the number of ikan raja is increasing tremendously,” he said.

While the peacock bass is popular among anglers, the fish does not have commercial value because the flesh is tasteless.

“Last year, the state Fisheries Department released 50,000 lampan fry into the lake to improve the native fish population .

“We had a rude shock when we saw how they were swarmed and eaten up by the peacock bass, and I think only a handful of the fry survived,” he said.

What worried him most was that some of the fishermen and local folks had spotted the peacock bass swimming in rivers downstream.

“The Fisheries Department told us to catch the ikan raja as many as possible and throw them away. We are also encouraging anglers to take home the fish.”

Azhar said he feared that the whole native species in the lake would perish in the next two or three years.

Another fisherman, Haiful Anuar Hassan, 36, said his daily income had suffered a severe plunge from RM100 to between RM30 and RM40 at the most.

A fishmonger, Abdul Wahab Khamis, 60, said his business was also suffered when the fishermen caught fewer native species.

“I have been plying this trade for 14 years and I noticed that the number of ikan raja has been growing rapidly over the last two years. Now it makes up almost 30 per cent of the fishes landed by the fishermen.”

Should this situation continue, chances are, the Timah Tasoh Dam, which is known for its delicious “pekasam fish” made of lampan, haruan and tilapia from the lake, will lose it for good.


Alien fish 'killing' local boat operators
ROSLI ZAKARIA New Straits Times 17 Apr 17;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The invasion of the banned red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) in several rivers in Johor has become so devastating that angling boat operators hired by giant shrimp anglers have to literally close shop.

Mohamad Said Hassan, 47, from Tangkak, Johor, who invested his income, partly derived from fishing giant shrimps, in 20 boats, is looking at a bleak future now that anglers no longer hire his boats.

“Business was bad last year. My boats were hired for only one month. I had no business for the rest of the year because the population of the red claw crayfish and African catfish in Sungai Muar has upset the ecosystem,” he said.

“This river used to be a haven for giant shrimp anglers. But now, the baits are either taken by crayfish or African catfish,” said Said, who claimed to have witnessed a group of people releasing three tonnes of catfish into the river to fulfil religious vows.

He said while the African catfish devoured any kind of fish, the red claw crayfish were omnivorous and would eat anything from fish, snails, aquatic plants, algae to sunken wood.

“It is an efficient aquatic scavenger, and for that reason, the red claw crayfish have destroyed breeding grounds of indigenous species and the natural food on which the local species depend,” he added.

Mohd Ilham Norhakim Lokman, 30, a fish seller in Muar, Johor, said he used to catch many giant shrimps, but since last year most of his shrimp traps were filled with crayfish.

He said the crayfish were abundant in the clear river water, brackish water and black water streams as well as in the irrigation canals and in the Bekok Dam in Muar.

Norhakim said he had consulted the Fisheries Department and ichthyologists on the threat of the red claw crayfish, but nothing much could be done to stop the invasion.

“If predatory fish is considered destructive to the aquatic biodiversity, the red claw crayfish is devastative. The damage is done and the days of local aquatic species, including aquatic plants, are numbered,” he added.

The red claw crayfish is native to freshwater creeks and water bodies in tropical Queensland, the Northern Territory of Australia and southeastern Papua New Guinea. It has been widely translocated around the world, and is considered an invasive species.

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Wildlife crime 'threatens nearly half the world's heritage sites'

Matt McGrath BBC 18 Apr 17;

An Indian rhinoceros seen in Chitwan National Park, Nepal.

Poaching, illegal logging and fishing are threatening endangered species in some of the world's most iconic natural sites, according to a report.

Conservation charity WWF says almost half of the world's 200 designated heritage sites are "plagued" by wildlife criminals.

These include the last refuges for critically endangered javan rhinos and wild tigers.

The authors say more co-ordination is needed to target the whole crime chain.

From the Great Barrier Reef to the Galapagos Islands and at many other locations across the globe, Unesco has designated around 200 natural World Heritage sites as being of outstanding international importance and deserving of the highest levels of protections.

WWF looked at the threats to species that are already protected under the Convention on the International Trades in Endangered Species (Cites).

The authors found that these threatened animals and plants are poached or illegally harvested in 45% of natural World Heritage sites.

Many of the parks in the study are home to critically endangered creatures - including Ujung National Park in Indonesia, which is the last stand for around 60 javan rhinos.

The Okavango Delta World Heritage site in Botswana is a key location for elephants in the north of the country, which make up almost a third of all remaining African elephants.

Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania is one of Africa’s largest wildernesses. But in 2014, it was put on the Unesco list of World Heritage sites in danger, mainly due to increased poaching.

"You have got the world's most cherished species on the one hand, and on the other the world's most cherished sites, they are inextricably linked," said Dr Colman O'Criodain from WWF.

"Of course there's the economic value of these sites, but these are special places, they give you a lump in your throat when you see them and if we really want to cherish these we all have to step up."

Between 1970 and 2012 global wildlife populations declined by almost 60% on average.

According to the report, what's going on here is not just unsustainable practices in fishing and logging, but criminality.

The illegal trade in species is said to be worth around £15bn ($19bn) a year, with the unlicensed timber trade said to be responsible for up to 90% of deforestation in major tropical countries.

Over a two year period, the illegal rosewood trade in Madagascar has cost locals up to $200m in lost income.

Like many other locations, simply designating an important site as part of world heritage, isn't enough by itself to stall the criminals.

"In the case of Madagascar there is a lot of corruption and weakness of government on their side and there is complicity among highly placed people in what is going on but support from importing countries and the wider international communities will help a lot," said Dr O'Criodain.

The report points out that the illegal trade in species at natural heritage sites is having a significant impact on people's livelihoods as the disappearance of rare animals and plants can deter tourists. In Belize, for example, more than half of the entire population are supported by income generated through reef tourism and fisheries.

There is also a more direct and deadly human cost in terms of lives lost, with at least 595 park rangers killed protecting key sites between 2009 and 2016.

Current approaches to stemming illegal trade are just not working, the study concludes.

It suggests that rapidly increased co-operation between Cites and the World Heritage Convention could help turn the tide.
"This report provides a range of options to further enhance co-ordination between Cites and the World Heritage Convention, focused around World Heritage sites," said John Scanlon, Director General of the trade convention.

"It is essential that Cites is fully implemented and that these irreplaceable sites are fully protected. In doing so, we will benefit our heritage and our wildlife, provide security to people and places, and support national economies and the rural communities that depend on these sites for their livelihoods."

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Best of our wild blogs: 17 Apr 17

An otterly wonderful walk at the Pasir Ris Mangroves
Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

Conservation of Giant Clams – Part 3
Neo Mei Lin

Relooking at the numbers of Singapore's water supply: 3 very interesting deductions (part 1)
Water Quality in Singapore

Greater Banded Hornet (Vespa tropica) @ Lower Seletar Reservoir
Monday Morgue

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Yachting community comes on board for scientific cause

Owners of nine yachts pledge their vessels in support of marine science and conservation
Audrey Tan Straits Times 15 Apr 17;

Marine science in Singapore and the region has a new champion: The recreational yachting community.

Owners of nine yachts have pledged their vessels to the scientific cause, such as by hosting marine researchers on expeditions so they can collect data or carry out experiments.

Their offer will help reduce substantially the cost of marine research because boat fees can take up to 50 per cent of a project's budget, said Dr Toh Tai Chong, a marine biologist at the Tropical Marine Science Institute in the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The move by the vessel owners is in keeping with the mission of The International SeaKeepers Society, which supports marine science and conservation efforts by offering members' yachts for use.

The American society, formed in 1998, had launched its Asia chapter in Singapore last year, led by president Julian Chang.

He said its growth here comes amid a "heightened consciousness of conservation in Singapore and the surrounding region".

The three yachts supplied initially by Discovery Yachts members have increased to nine, he told The Straits Times during a society dinner last week.

SeaKeepers Asia has yet to launch a scientist-led expedition but there are plans to do so, he added.

Said Dr Toh: "With SeaKeepers, potential areas of interest include going out to sea to sample waters and conduct biodiversity surveys."

Also, under its Discovery Yachts Programme, the society's members would take along oceanographic equipment, like instruments that measure temperature and salinity, to collect data as they sail around the world.

To mark World Oceans Day in June, SeaKeepers Asia, NUS scientists and other partners plan to send divers underwater to pick up marine trash. The vessels have also been used as "floating classrooms" for youth groups and students from such schools as Ang Mo Kio Secondary and Deyi Secondary.

In March last year, students from the Singapore American School went on a SeaKeepers yachtto learn about coastal development and marine life from NUS scientist Ng Ngan Kee. They were given nets to collect samples of marine life, which they later identified and examined with a microscope.

Marine conservationist Fabien Cousteau, a member of SeaKeepers' Scientific Advisory Council and the grandson of famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, was at the SeaKeepers' dinner last week.

Mr Cousteau said: "By donating boat time... the yacht owners can be part of the research.

"This is not only invaluable to the scientific community, but also engages them as part of the effort."

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Awash with wildlife

Greening of urban Singapore leads to more sightings of wild animals
Audrey Tan Straits Times 14 Apr 17;

Singapore's "City in a Garden" status appears to have received the stamp of approval from animals as well as men.

More land and sea creatures are making urban Singapore their home, and they are being seen more frequently too. For instance, about six weeks ago, five baby otters were born in the heart of the city at the Singapore River.

And in the past week, photographers flocked to Pek Kio Market and Food Centre to document the rare sight of nesting blue-crowned hanging parrots and their chicks.

The increased wildlife sightings can be attributed to Singapore's successful go-green efforts, said experts. These include initiatives such as park connectors, vegetated buffer areas around nature reserves, and wildlife corridors - green belts that wildlife can use to get from one green space to another.

Eco-bridges, such as the one spanning the Bukit Timah Expressway, also link green spaces, noted Dr Shawn Lum, president of the Nature Society (Singapore) and a senior lecturer at Nanyang Technological University's (NTU's) Asian School of the Environment.

Macaques often bother residents in areas close to their habitats, such as Thomson and Bukit Timah, by rummaging through the bins and even entering homes.

They have helped to boost Singapore's animal population and diversity by creating and enhancing living spaces for local wildlife.

"Without suitable habitats, animals cannot thrive, and by connecting pockets of habitat, the effective size increases," said Dr Lum.

The wild smooth-coated otters, for instance, have benefited from Singapore's network of clean and green waterways that teem with their favourite fish.

"About three decades ago, seeing an otter was like winning 4-D. Now, it is an almost guaranteed experience," said Professor Peter Ng, head of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

"Previously, all researchers saw was the scat, or droppings, of the otter,'' he added.

Prof Ng credits the growing abundance of the creatures to less pollution, cleaner waters and more habitats, saying: "The otters have become comfortable on the island."

But the joy of watching otters sunbathe on the floating platform at Marina Bay, or seeing pangolins explore NUS and NTU - they were spotted on campus last November - has been marred by clashes between man and beast.

Wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) responded last year to 93 cases of animals, such as pythons and wild boars, being run over by vehicles - almost 40 per cent more than the 67 cases in 2015.

Complaints about animals have risen too, with birds, monkeys and snakes topping the list, said the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

For birds, the number was 7,860 last year, against around 7,340 in the previous years. The corresponding figures for snakes are 850 and 780, and for monkeys, 910 and 750.

Dr Lum said part of the reason for the surge in complaints could be that the creatures are being forced out of their habitats as human homes encroach into the natural spaces. A case in point are the condominiums built near the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

In January, debates erupted over the culling of free-ranging chickens in Sin Ming and Pasir Ris after residents complained about them. The AVA said the birds posed a risk of spreading bird flu. However, many Singaporeans urged their fellow countrymen to appreciate the Republic's world of nature, especially as there is not much left of it.

Dr Lum agrees. Succeeding in bringing back various animals and birds, such as the otter and the hornbill, from the brink of extinction in Singapore is heartening, he said.

But there may be other native species edging closer to local extinction because they are more sensitive and confined to natural habitats, he pointed out. These animals, like the Raffles' banded langur, a shy monkey, may not be able to adapt as well to the urban environment. Most native animals are also restricted to little-disturbed deep forest habitats and do not easily coexist with development.

He acknowledged that it may not be easy to love every creature - insects, lizards and snakes are not necessarily cute and cuddly - "but they deserve a better fate than being stomped on, bludgeoned or exterminated because we don't like them". He added: "Singapore is a small place, but there is more than ample room to accommodate our lifestyles while permitting wildlife to enjoy theirs too."

WHAT TO DO WHEN ENCOUNTERING WILDLIFE
• When encountering a wild animal, be calm and move slowly away from the creature. Talking loudly or using flash photography, for example, could scare and provoke animals such as otters.

• Do not feed wild animals. They can find their own food in the natural environment, and their eating habits help keep the ecosystem healthy.

• Do not let pets, such as dogs, chase after wild animals as this may frighten them.

• Keep a safe distance when observing wildlife. No matter how cute wild boars may look, Nature Society (Singapore) president Shawn Lum advises against approaching them. The piglets, especially, should not be approached as their mother may react aggressively to defend them.

Sources: NParks, Dr Shawn Lum

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Singapore wildlife faces poaching threat

Number of cases appears small, but experts say widespread problem is often under-reported
Audrey Tan Straits Times 15 Apr 17;

Wildlife is thriving as Singapore becomes greener. But some animals, including birds, wild boars and fish, face the threat of poaching.

Songbirds are among those most at risk - as collectors are willing to pay a pretty penny for a bird that can carry a tune.

On websites such as Locanto or Facebook groups that sell birds, people are buying and selling magpie robins - black and white birds that call in melodious trills - for between $250 and $888, a check by The Straits Times (ST) showed.

In response to ST queries, the authorities said they have received reports of magpie robins, spotted doves and red-whiskered bulbuls being caught from the wild.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said it investigated 24 cases of alleged poaching over the past five years - from 2012 to last year. Of these, six cases were resolved with fines. For the rest, warnings and advisories were issued.

Over the same period, the National Parks Board (NParks) said it looked into 17 cases of alleged bird poaching within parks and nature reserves. Fines were paid in eight cases, and in the other cases, people were given warnings and advisories.

The numbers appear small, but observers say they do not accurately reflect the widespread nature of the problem. Poaching is often under-reported, as it is difficult to catch poachers in the act, said Mr Alan Owyong of the Nature Society (Singapore) bird group.

"The authorities will act only if they witness the poaching itself, or from photographic or video evidence," said Mr Owyong.

Trainer and freelance photographer Steven Tor, 55, agreed. Last month, he saw three men who appeared to be trying to catch a bird near Seletar Aerospace Park.

"They seemed to be trying to lure a wild magpie robin into a cage, which contained another magpie robin that kept calling out," said Mr Tor. He called the AVA twice that day, but no one turned up.

In response to queries from ST, an AVA spokesman said it is following up and investigating the alleged bird-poaching activities in Seletar.

Poachers also trap birds by laying spike-studded wires on the ground to ensnare them, said Mr Louis Ng, chief executive of wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society. He has seen people poaching birds in the Lim Chu Kang area.

Another poaching hot spot is the vegetated area next to the old railway track in Tanglin Halt, said Ms Lucy Davis, a former resident of the area who has come across two poaching incidents there.

Ms Davis, an artist and founder of The Migrant Ecologies Project that studies culture and nature in South-east Asia, spent three years studying the interactions between humans and birds in the area.

"Most of the time, the poachers appear to be 'uncles' who grew up catching birds in their kampung days. To them, it seems to be a form of male bonding," she said.

Under the Wild Animals and Birds Act, it is illegal to kill, take or keep any wild animal or bird without a licence, said AVA. Those found guilty can be fined up to $1,000 per animal, and have the animal confiscated.

The mere possession of bird traps or trapping devices is an offence within NParks-managed areas, said NParks' group director for conservation Wong Tuan Wah.

Mr Ng, who is an MP for Nee Soon GRC, added: "To effectively reduce the number of poaching incidents, the authorities should ban the sale of trapping devices in pet stores."

MAXIMUM FINES FOR POACHING

$5,000 If the animal is poached from a public park.

$50,000 If the animal is poached from nature reserves or national parks.

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Malaysia: Conserve river banks for proboscis monkeys’ future

MUGUNTAN VANAR The Star 17 Apr 17;

KINABATANGAN: There is a need to rehabilitate and conserve river banks especially in Kinabatangan, which have been badly degraded, for the sake of Sabah’s iconic proboscis monkeys, said Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) research student Danica Stark.

Stark, who led a study on the home range of the proboscis monkeys along the Kinabatangan River, said 10 proboscis monkeys were collared to allow researchers to estimate their home ranges.

The study, which was funded by Yayasan Sime Darby and Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, was jointly carried out by the DGFC and the Sabah Wildlife Department.

The value of a home range size of proboscis monkeys in a riparian habitat ranged from 24ha to 165ha, Stark said.

“Further work will allow us to ascertain the movement patterns and habitat selection within the home ranges, with other factors affecting range size differences and differences between ranges.

“It will contribute towards the conservation of this endangered and totally protected species in Sabah, with better understanding of its needs in highly disturbed habitats,” Stark added.

DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens said the study showed the importance of riparian reserves for the survival of proboscis monkeys in Sabah.

“Proboscis monkeys rely on such reserves for feeding and sleeping at night. They do not venture into oil palm plantations, even if they have only a narrow strip of riparian forest between the river and the plantation.

“This shows the importance for oil palm estates to stop encroaching riparian reserves and to surrender non-productive land for conservation,” added Dr Goossens.

The state wildlife department and DGFC are drafting a State Action Plan for the proboscis monkeys and to identify the correct actions to be taken to ensure the monkeys will strive.


Proboscis monkey highly dependent on riparian areas for survival: study
BRANDON JOHN New Straits Times 16 Apr 17;

KINABATANGAN: A new study by Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) and Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) revealed key details about the proboscis monkey including its dependence on riparian or riverside areas.

The centre's director Dr Genoit Goossens said in a statement that those riparian areas were important habitat that provide food and shelter fot the monkeys.

"The study also revealed that the monkeys did not venture into oil palm plantations, even when there was only a narrow strip of riparian forest between the river and the plantation.

"This shows the importance of oil palm estates to stop encroaching riparian reserves and to surrender non-productive land for conservation," said Goosens, who is also a lecturer at Cardiff University.

The study, conducted last year, was funded by Yayasan Sime Darby and Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation.

He added such studies were necessary as the data obtained allowed researchers to figure out Sabah's carrying capacity for proboscis populations - which can determine their long-term survival in the state.

“Similar data was used in our recent population and habitat viability analysis workshop, held last February at Gaya Island Resort.

"State-of-the-art scientific data are of importance to identify the correct actions to be undertaken in order to ensure that proboscis monkeys will strive,” Goossens added.

As follow-up to the research, SWD and DGFC are currently drafting a State Action Plan in hopes of securing a future for Borneo's enigmatic monkeys.

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