Meltdown in Singapore?

Climate change could hit us hard, but we can do something about it
Teh Jen Lee, The New Paper 6 Aug 09;

IMAGINE Sentosa's Palawan Beach being swept away by a violent storm.

Far-fetched? The scenario could happen and is one of the potential impacts of climate change on Singapore.

This and other projections were shared by Dr Elspeth Thomson, a senior fellow at the National University of Singapore's Energy Studies Institute (ESI), at a seminar yesterday.

Dr Thomson's presentation was based on ESI's Singapore chapter submission to an April 2009 publication by the Asian Development Bank on the economics of climate change in South-east Asia.

Much of the impact, such as increased flooding and erosion, is the result of changing weather patterns.

For example, there will be an increase in the frequency of extreme warm and wet seasons.

There will also be an increase in extreme rainfall and winds associated with tropical cyclones.

For each of the potential impacts faced by Singapore, Dr Thomson elaborated on measures that the authorities are taking to counter them.

She said: 'Singapore could be seriously affected by climate change. It is adopting a combination of incentives and legislation to raise energy efficiencies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

'Singapore is also taking multi-dimensional steps to protect itself from the potential impacts of climate change.'

The steps include forming the National Climate Change Committee and the Energy Efficiency Programme Office - made up of eight government agencies such as the Energy Market Authority and the Land Transport Authority.

There's also the inter-agency National Adaptation Taskforce, led by the Ministry of National Development, that will review existing infrastructural adaptation measures.

Will all this be enough to fight climate change?

Sociology student Alvin Kiang, 24, who attended the seminar, said: 'Compared to other countries, we may not be doing as much. But with the mandatory energy labelling scheme that kicked in last year, we're off to a very good start.'

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Students introduced to Singapore's rich biodiversity

Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia 5 Aug 09;

SINGAPORE: The Nature Explorers' Programme is aimed at instilling students with a greater awareness of Singapore's rich biodiversity.

The programme is jointly organised by the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific and the West Zone Centre of Excellence for Science and Technology.

Its first batch of students from 23 primary and secondary schools received their certificates on Wednesday.

Every year, about 300 students from Primary 4 to the first year of junior college will be admitted into the programme, with the best 30 nature explorers given a chance to participate in a four-day field study camp at Pulau Tioman.

The camp allows students to interact with scientists and experienced naturalists, learn more about biodiversity, and conduct research projects and field studies within a pristine and biodiversity-rich habitat.
- CNA/so

Awards for keen, green youth
Straits Times 6 Aug 09;

IN AN effort to develop tomorrow's ambassadors for the environment, more youth here are getting up close and personal with nature.

Since January, 299 students from 23 primary and secondary schools have embarked on a wide range of projects - both at school and at home - to deepen their understanding of nature.

Next month, 30 students from schools such as Raffles Institution, NUS High and Cedar Girls' Secondary, will embark on a four-day field trip to Pulau Tioman in Malaysia, where they will interact with scientists and naturalists to learn more about the habitat.

They are recipients of awards given out under the Nature Explorers' Programme, which empowers youth from Primary 4 to first-year junior college to cultivate a curiosity for the study of science.

At a ceremony held at the National University of Singapore (NUS) yesterday, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim presented the students with their certificates. Organised by the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR) at NUS, the programme provides students with the opportunity to assess how flora and fauna thrive here and in the region.

RMBR director Peter Ng said: 'The way to save our biodiversity is not through laws, dictates or even incentives... It is through education.'

Petrochemical giant ExxonMobil Asia Pacific and the West Zone Centre of Excellence for Science and Technology are sponsoring the trips.

Dr Yaacob said the programme highlighted the importance of youth here learning about the impact of the environment on biodiversity. Such programmes could be scaled up over the long term to become part of the education curriculum, he added.

AMRESH GUNASINGHAM

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Sentosa Nature Discovery gallery opens at Imbiah Lookout

Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia 5 Aug 09;

SINGAPORE: There's now another place for nature lovers to hang out. The Sentosa Nature Discovery gallery was opened on Wednesday by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Located on the fringe of the Imbiah Forest in Sentosa, this latest attraction at the Imbiah Lookout is housed in a former monorail station. It is Imbiah Lookout's 11th attraction.

Visitors can view an interactive exhibition of interesting facts and colourful displays housed in a two-storey indoor information gallery before moving on to explore the Imbiah forest via a linked walkway that used to be the old monorail track.

Mike Barclay, CEO, Sentosa Leisure Group, said: "When we have infrastructure around the island, we try to be adaptive in the use. And as I'm sure many of you will remember, we have a monorail running all the way around the island with many stations.

"And rather than to just knock down the stations, we actually adapted it for other uses. One is being used for Sentosa Nature Discovery. We also have restaurants in two of the other stations - one is a shop, and one is being used as a fish spa." - CNA/vm

New draw for nature lovers at Sentosa
Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 6 Aug 09;

AMID the din of development on Sentosa, there is a new respite for nature lovers.

The island's Nature Discovery gallery, the 11th attraction at Imbiah Lookout, was opened by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday. The free learning space and walk through the Mount Imbiah nature reserve took two years to complete and cost $5.5 million.

Mr Teo said the gallery is a testament to Sentosa's commitment to preserving its natural heritage and history.

'This is a unique opportunity for young people in Singapore, students especially, to see how we can match and harmonise development together with respect for the environment.'

Doing his part, Mr Teo planted a Seashore Mangosteen, an endangered tree in Singapore, to mark the occasion.

The gallery aims to turn visitors into 'nature detectives' by displaying examples of clues nature leaves behind, such as tracks and droppings.

The gallery, which is housed in a renovated monorail station, is the start of the 200m boardwalk which joins a pre-existing 2km track.

Visitors can expect to see crab-eating macaques, flocks of swiftlets - whose nests are used for bird's nest soup - and golden orb spiders.

Mr Mike Barclay, chief executive officer of Sentosa Leisure Group, said: 'We aim to keep Sentosa 60 per cent green and as part of that strategy we want to invest more in the green parts of the island.'

Next month, Sentosa will begin rolling out a series of educational programmes to schools based on the nature attraction.

The Nature Discovery trail will offer guided tours for up to 20 people, at $12 per person. Tickets are sold at the gallery shop.

Private group tours can also be arranged for $150.

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Huge losses at fish farms in Johor

Sim Bak Heng, New Straits Times 6 Aug 09;

JOHOR BARU: Residents of Kampung Teluk Jawa woke up to a sickening stench yesterday. More than 100 tonnes of fish being farmed in cages in Sungai Teluk Jawa went belly-up in what was described as one of the worst environmental disasters in the country in recent years.

The Department of Environment, which collected samples for analysis by the Chemistry Department, has not ruled out water pollution as a cause.

Eight breeders said their losses could run up to RM3 million, as most of the fish had reached marketable size of about 10kg each.

They were farming the premium giant grouper and tiger grouper, mainly for export to Taiwan, China and Singapore where they could fetch up to RM50 per kg, and sea bass, mackerel and red snapper.

Breeder Wong Chan In said the river water had turned brownish last Sunday and that some dead fish were found in the cages.

"On Monday and Tuesday, more dead fish were found but yesterday was the worst. Almost 90 per cent were dead."

The fish farms were set up about three years ago.

DOE Operations Division chief Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the high death toll could have been caused by water pollution, a depletion of dissolved oxygen or uncontrolled development in nearby areas.

"We should have the results of the analysis in a week."

The village is one of the state's most popular seafood spots among locals and Singaporeans.

Johor Jaya state assemblyman Tan Cher Puk urged the Fisheries Department to help the breeders as the problem could affect their business.

See also Mass death at Johor fish farms: "worst environmental disaster in Malaysia"
on the wild shores of singapore blog

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Rainforest management study at Danum Valley

Julia Chan, New Straits Times 6 Aug 09;

KOTA KINABALU: A five-year study on how the proper management of rainforests can mitigate the impact of global warming will take place in the Danum Valley Conservation Area.

The HSBC Malaysia Rainforest Carbon Project, managed by the Royal Society's Southeast Asia Rainforest Research Programme (SEARRP), will also study the role of tropical rainforests in the carbon cycle.

The Sabah Foundation as well as rangers and researchers of the Sabah Forestry Department will be involved in the RM1.5 million study, which will cover about 50ha in Danum Valley, plus a series of 1ha blocks.

SEARRP research coordinator Professor Rory Walsh said: "A large part of the project aims at transferring knowledge and training to local rangers and stakeholders. Things like plant identification, computer databases and management will be taught to the Sabahans working in the area.

"We hope to study large tracts of rainforest representative of the forests in the entire region to answer many scientific questions that will be useful not only to the local communities but also the science society at large."


HSBC Malaysia deputy chairman and chief executive officer Irene Dorner said the bank had taken on the project to raise awareness of the gravity of climate change and because it wanted to support something that reflected its sustainable business practice.

In conjunction with the project, SEARRP has developed a field training programme to provide 24 selected HSBC staff with a better understanding of the forestry sector, including the principles of sustainable forestry and the environmental and social impacts as well as plantation issues.

SEARRP has been operating for more than 20 years.

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Air quality in Indonesia drops, minister vows to do squat

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post 5 Aug 09;

The air quality in several cities across Riau province dropped to "dangerous" levels Tuesday, due to thick haze from forest fires that also disrupted flights and forced schools to close.

The thick smog also lead to eye irritations and respiratory difficulties among local residents.

Ibnu Hasan, duty manager of the Sultan Syarif Kasim Airport in the provincial capital Pekanbaru, said flights there had been disrupted for a second straight day, with three flights postponed due to low visibility.

"The pilots didn't want to risk flying with such poor visibility," he told The Jakarta Post.

He added an inbound flight had to be diverted Tuesday morning to Polonia Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, because of the haze.

Readings of PM10 particulates ranged between 120 and 404 microns per cubic meter, far higher than the tolerable level of 100.

The head of the city's environmental agency, Dedi Gusriadi, said residents of Pekanbaru had had only two days of healthy air throughout July.

"These are the worst levels of air pollution we've seen in Pekanbaru in the past two years," he said.

In Siak regency, the education agency ordered all kindergartens and grade schools to close for three days.

"The younger students are very vulnerable to the pollution," said Siak regency spokesman Hendri San.

"Students in fourth grade and up will still have classes, but will not take part in any outdoor activities."

There has also been a marked increase in the number of residents complaining of sore eyes and breathing difficulties, as a result of the choking smog.

"I'm having trouble breathing and my eyes are red and sore," said Nasir, a civil servant at the governor's office.

State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar and his Malaysian counterpart, Douglas Uggah Embas, will meet Saturday in Riau to discuss the out-of-control forest fires in the province that are also threatening the neighboring country.

The snap meeting is expected to call for concerted measures to be taken to ensure the haze does not reach other countries.

"The two ministers will discuss cooperation in tackling the forest fires, mainly in Rokan Hilir regency," said Purwasto Sapoprayogi, head of the ministry's forest fire unit.

WWF Indonesia has reported a rise in the number of hot spots in Riau, from less than 1,000 in January to nearly 2,400 in July - the highest number anywhere in the country.

A hot spot is defined as a fire covering at least a hectare of land.

Forestry Minister M.S. Kaban, in a mind-boggling statement, said the government would only take firm action to control fires if the haze disrupts flights and sparks protests in neighboring countries.

"We must accept the fact that haze might reach other regions, like Batam and other parts of Sumatra," he said.

"Why should we care about domestic affairs? Our international image is what matters."

Rizal Harahap in Pekanbaru and Fadli in Batam contributed to this report.

Malaysia hit with haze from forest fires
AFP 5 Aug 09;

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia was Wednesday hit with the worst haze levels recorded this year, as smoke from forest fires caused "unhealthy" levels of pollution in six areas.

Environment Department director general Rosnani Ibarahim said hundreds of forest fires were blazing in the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan and Sumatra, and in Malaysia's Sarawak state on Borneo island.

"Malaysia started to record an increase in hotspot numbers since Sunday due to the dry weather and open burning activities which spread very fast," she told AFP.

The Air Pollutant Index (API) recorded unhealthy levels of between 102 and 137 in six areas on Wednesday morning, including a district of the capital Kuala Lumpur, two in surrounding Selangor state, and three in Sarawak.

The API considers a score of 101-200 to be unhealthy, while 51-100 is moderate.

An official from the Meteorological Services Department said the heavy haze caused visibility levels to fall to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) in Selangor as well as Malacca, a tourist destination south of the capital.

Farmers in Indonesia and Malaysia's half of Borneo island burn forests every year to clear land for agriculture, sending plumes of smoke across neighbouring countries.

The haze hit its worst level in 1997-1998, costing the Southeast Asian region an estimated nine billion dollars by disrupting air travel and other business activities.

Dumai airport closed as haze worsens
The Jakarta Post 5 Aug 09;

Authorities have again closed Dumai's Pinang Kampai airport in Riau on Wednesday as haze in the area worsens, state news agency Antara reports.

"Today, the airport is temporarily closed. We don't know yet how long the closure will be as the haze is still thick," airport control tower official Van Switen Sitanggang told Antara.

The closure has affected at least two flights, a Pelita Air flight from Jakarta and a Riau Airlines flight from Pekanbaru.

Sitanggang said Pelita Air had informed the airport authorities that it had cancelled its flight to Dumai.

Meanwhile, a delegation from the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas), which was scheduled to travel on the Riau Airlines flight, reportedly decided to take road transportation to Dumai.

Antara reported that visibility in Dumai had dropped to below 50 meters, forcing motorists to slow down.

Thick haze shrouds Malaysia
Worst levels this year in six areas; PSI also rises in Singapore
Straits Times 6 Aug 09;

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia was yesterday hit with the worst haze levels recorded this year, as smoke from forest fires in Indonesia caused unhealthy levels of pollution in six areas.

Singapore was affected too, as its Pollution Standards Index (PSI) hit the moderate range for the first time since February.

The director-general of the Malaysian Environment Department, Datuk Rosnani Ibrahim, said that hundreds of forest fires were blazing in the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan and Sumatra, and in Sarawak in Malaysia.

'Malaysia has started to record an increase in hot spot numbers since Sunday due to the dry weather and open-burning activities which spread very fast,' she said.

The Air Pollutant Index (API) recorded unhealthy levels of between 102 and 137 in six areas yesterday morning, including a district of the capital Kuala Lumpur, two in surrounding Selangor state, and three in Sarawak.

The API considers a score of 101-200 to be unhealthy, while 51-100 is moderate.

An official from the Meteorological Services Department said the heavy haze caused visibility levels to drop to 2km in Selangor and in Malacca.

Visibility in one town in Sarawak was down to less than 800m, according to the department. Generally, visibility throughout Malaysia is at least 4km. Visibility on a clear day exceeds 10km.

The authorities in Indonesia's Riau province yesterday closed the airport in Dumai temporarily as visibility levels fell to less than 50m, the Antara state news agency reported.

In Singapore, the PSI crept up to 52 yesterday, which is just inside the moderate range.

In February, bush fires in Singapore combined with scorching temperatures and weak winds to push the PSI to 57.

In the next two weeks, the National Environment Agency's Meteorological Services Division said slightly hazy conditions could be expected for a few days because of the prevailing south-west monsoon conditions, which bring drier weather.

Each year during the dry season, Indonesian farmers set fire illegally to forests to clear land for planting, sending plumes of smoke drifting towards neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

The two countries have long complained about the haze, which hit its worst level in 1997-1998.

It cost the South-east Asian region an estimated US$9 billion (S$13 billion) by disrupting air travel and other business activities.

Indonesia has argued that it lacks the money and the resources to stem the illegal practice of setting fires to forests and also to fight them.

Malaysia's Environment Minister Douglas Uggah Embas is scheduled to attend a regional meeting in Riau this weekend to discuss the problem.

He has reportedly proposed building dams in peat swamps to draw water to fight the fires.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Additional reporting by Amresh Gunasingham in Singapore

Forest fires worsen, haze covers Malaysia
Adianto P Simamora, The Jakarta Post 6 Aug 09;

Forest fires continued to rage across the country, blanketing neighbor Malaysia in haze on Wednesday, which caused temporary closure of Dumai's Pinang Kampar airport in Riau as visibility dropped to below 50 meters.

The WWF Indonesia has detected 1,608 fire hot spots across the country on Wednesday, the highest number in the last five days with a total of 5,349.

The hot spots are spread mostly in Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra and West Kalimantan provinces.

Fires blazing in Indonesia sent a blanket of haze over neighboring Malaysia's largest city, obscuring the sun and leaving an acrid smell in the air, the Associated Press reported from Kuala Lumpur.

It said the pollution caused air quality to drop to unhealthy levels in Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak state in eastern Malaysia.

Malaysia's Department of Environment readings showed air quality was "unhealthy" in six areas around Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak.

Only three of 50 monitoring stations across Malaysia recorded "good" air quality, while elsewhere it was "moderate."

Visibility in one town in Sarawak was down to less than 800 meters, according to the Meteorological Department. Generally visibility throughout Malaysia was at least 4 kilometers. Visibility on a clear day exceeds 10 kilometer.

Indonesian State Minister for Environment Rachmat Witoelar and his Malaysian counterpart Douglas Unggah Embas are scheduled to meet in Riau province to discuss the forest fire problems Saturday.

Official from Indonesia said the haze blanketing Malaysia was not from Indonesia since forest fires also happened in Malaysia.

"It is too early to complain that such haze comes from Indonesia," Illyas Asaad, deputy environment minister for law enforcement told The Jakarta Post.

He said the government had yet to take urgent plans to tackle the forest fires in Indonesia.

Indonesian Forestry Minister M.S. Kaban said Tuesday that the government would only take firm action to control fires if haze disturbed flights and sparked protests in Malaysia and Singapore.

Head of the Riau environment agency, Fadrizal Labay, denied the haze from forest fires in Riau had reached Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia and Singapore have complained since 1997 about haze drifting from Indonesia. The last time a severe haze affected those countries was in 2006.

Official at the control tower of Dumai's Pinang Kampai airport in Riau, Van Switen Sitanggang said the airport was closed again Wednesday morning as the haze in the area worsens. The closure has affected at least two flights, a Pelita Air flight from Jakarta and a Riau Airlines flight from Pekanbaru.

Rizal Harahap from Pekanbaru contributed to this report.

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Psychological barriers hobble climate action

Reuters 5 Aug 09;

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Psychological barriers like uncertainty, mistrust and denial keep most Americans from acting to fight climate change, a task force of the American Psychological Association said on Wednesday.

Policymakers, scientists and marketers should look at these factors to figure out what might prod people take action, the task force reported at the association's annual convention in Toronto.

While most Americans -- 75 percent to 80 percent in a Pew Research Center poll -- said climate change is an important issue, it still ranked last in a list of 20 compelling issues such as the economy or terrorism, the task force said.

Despite warnings from scientists that humans need to make changes now if they want to avoid the worst effects of climate change, "people don't feel a sense of urgency," the association said in a statement.

Numerous psychological barriers are to blame, the task force found, including: uncertainty over climate change, mistrust of the messages about risk from scientists or government officials, denial that climate change is occurring or that it is related to human activity.

Other factors include undervaluing the risk. Even though an international study showed many people believe environmental conditions will worsen in 25 years, that could lead some to conclude that they don't have to make changes now.

Some people believe anything they do would make little difference and they therefore choose to do nothing.

Habit is the most important obstacle to pro-environment behavior, the task force found.

But habits can be changed, especially if changing saves money and people are quickly made aware of it. People are more likely to use energy-efficient appliances if they get immediate energy-use feedback, the task force said.

It identified other areas where psychology can help limit the effects of climate change, such as developing environmental regulations, economic incentives, better energy-efficient technology and communication methods.

(Editing by Chris Wilson)

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Endangered vulture could be saved thanks to help from RSPB

One of the world's most endangered birds has been successfully bred in captivity for the first time, providing a "huge boost" to efforts to prevent it becoming extinct in the wild, claim RSPB rescue team.

Richard Alleyne, The Telegraph 5 Aug 09;

The slender-billed vulture, which is even more threatened than the tiger in India, is one of several Asian species of the carrion-eating bird which has seen dramatic declines in numbers in recent years and are now critically endangered.
Their numbers have been devastated in the last two decades. There are just 1,000 slender-billed vultures left in the wild, the RSPB said. and along with the long-billed vulture, has suffered declines of almost 97 per cent since 1992.

The vultures have been hit by the use of the veterinarian drug Diclofenac which gives them kidney failure when they eat the carcases of livestock that have died within a few days of being treated with the medication.

A captive breeding scheme in India, run by a coalition of conservation groups including the RSPB and the Zoological Society of London, has seen the successful hatching and fledging of two slender-billed vultures for the first time this year.

Last year the dedicated breeding centres managed to rear Oriental white-backed vultures for the first time, and repeated their success this year with three youngsters of the species.

There is also hope the long-billed vulture may breed in captivity next year.

The RSPB said that captive breeding would be key to preserving the vulture species, which could be extinct within a decade because of the problem of Diclofenac, used to reduce inflammation.

Chris Bowden, who is in charge of the RSPB's Asian vulture programme, said the news of the successful rearing of the chicks was a huge boost to efforts to fight their declines.

"It is clear we are refining our expertise, but with extinction in the wild likely in the next 10 years, we do not have a moment to waste.

"The more vultures that we can bring into captivity means a better chance of survival for these rapidly-declining species.

"Birds can only be saved from extinction through banning the retail sale of Diclofenac, promotion of the safe alternative, Meloxicam, and the capture of more birds for the breeding programme."

The RSPB said veterinary formulations of Diclofenac had been banned in India since 2006 but more steps were needed to prevent versions of the medication being illegally given to livestock.

Boost for endangered vultures after captive breeding success
Two slender-billed vultures born in RSPB breeding programme in India as wild population heads towards extinction
Press Association, guardian.co.uk 6 Aug 09;

One of the world's most threatened birds has been successfully bred in captivity for the first time, conservationists said today.

The slender-billed vulture, which is even more threatened than the tiger in India, is one of several Asian species of the carrion-eating bird which has seen dramatic declines in numbers in recent years and are now critically endangered. There are just 1,000 slender-billed vultures left in the wild, according to the RSPB.

Conservationists say successfully breeding one of the birds in captivity is a "huge boost" to efforts to prevent it becoming extinct in the wild.

The slender-billed vulture and another species, the long-billed vulture, have together suffered declines of almost 97% since 1992.

The population of a third of critically endangered species, the oriental white-backed vulture, is halving each year and is heading towards extinction even more quickly than the dodo.

The vultures have been hit by the use of the veterinarian drug Diclofenac which gives them kidney failure when they eat the carcasses of livestock that have died within a few days of being treated with the medication.

A captive breeding scheme in India, run by a coalition of conservation groups including the RSPB and the Zoological Society of London, has seen the successful hatching and fledging of two slender-billed vultures for the first time this year.

Last year, the dedicated breeding centres managed to rear Oriental white-backed vultures for the first time, and repeated their success this year with three chicks.

"It is clear we are refining our expertise, but with extinction in the wild likely in the next 10 years, we do not have a moment to waste," said Chris Bowden, who is in charge of the RSPB's Asian vulture programme.

"The more vultures that we can bring into captivity means a better chance of survival for these rapidly-declining species. Birds can only be saved from extinction through banning the retail sale of Diclofenac, promotion of the safe alternative, Meloxicam, and the capture of more birds for the breeding programme."

The RSPB said veterinary formulations of Diclofenac had been banned in India since 2006 and efforts to take it out of use there and in Nepal were taking effect.

But more steps were needed to prevent versions of the medication which are being illegally given to livestock, and introduce the safe alternative Meloxicam.

Indian vulture births are hailed
BBC News 7 Aug 09;

Conservationists say they are delighted at the news that one of the world's most endangered birds has twice been successfully bred in India.

Two slender billed vultures, which experts say are rarer and more endangered than the tiger, are being reared in Haryana and West Bengal.

Officials say that the chicks were born separately are both in good health.

It is believed the vultures' catastrophic decline has been driven by veterinary medicines.

A decade ago, vultures could be counted in their millions in the wild in India.

But now experts estimate there are only around a 1,000 slender-billed vultures left, with similar declines in other species.

They say it is a a population catastrophe exacerbated by medicine.

A veterinary drug called Diclofenac is fatal to the vultures that feed off the livestock carcasses.

Although it has been banned since 2006, experts say it is still in use.

The BBC's environment correspondent Sarah Mukherjee says that the dramatic decline of vultures has had several effects including an increase in rabies-carrying feral dogs that feed on the carrion the vultures once ate.

The Parsi community in Mumbai (Bombay), who leave their dead to be consumed by vultures, have had to find alternative methods following the dramatic decline of the birds.

The Birdlife International campaigning group says that while the captive births are good news, urgent action is still needed to save vultures from extinction in the wild.

"With extinction in the wild likely in the next 10 years, we do not have a moment to waste. The more vultures that we can bring into captivity means a better chance of survival for these rapidly-declining species," Birdlife International spokesman Chris Bowden said.

"Birds can only be saved from extinction through banning the retail sale of Diclofenac, promotion of the safe alternative, Meloxicam, and the capture of more birds for the breeding programme."

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UK conservation agency launches plastic beehive

Yahoo News 5 Aug 09;

LONDON (AFP) – A new plastic beehive was launched in Britain on Wednesday to encourage people to keep bees in their gardens or on rooftops to help boost declining honeybee populations.

The bees seemed to like their ultra-modern home as they buzzed happily in and out of the postbox-like slot in the grey and yellow 'beehaus' on the roof of state-backed conservation agency Natural England's London offices.

The agency's chief scientist Tom Tew said if more urban residents kept honeybees, it would increase the insects' numbers and make them more resilient to attacks from disease and pests which threaten their survival.

"We need to recognise that if we want plants to flourish, we need healthy populations of insects to sustain them," Tew said.

"There's no reason why our towns and cities should exist as wildlife deserts -- wildlife can thrive when we design our urban areas with nature in mind and the 'beehaus' is a great example of how easy it is for anyone to bring the natural world closer to their doorstep."

Its makers Omlet claim that at one metre wide and 0.5 metres high (three feet wide and one foot eight inches high), the 'beehaus' is twice as big as a traditional beehive, giving plenty of room for the colony to grow in comfort.

The hive will produce an average of 50 pots of honey in the summer, in return for just an hour's attention a week from the owner.

The number of honeybees in Britain has dropped by up to 15 percent in the past two years, according to government figures, as they face a growing range of diseases and wild flowers they feed on are wiped out by urban development.


Hi honey I'm home
The new hobby that's creating a buzz in Britain's towns and cities
• New plastic hive promises affordable beekeeping
• Membership of local associations thriving
Caroline Davies, The Guardian 5 Aug 09;

The humble native honeybee has been dying out in recent years due to disease, but it may have found an unlikely ally in a creature which shares a reputation for busyness: the urban dweller.

Apiarist courses in many places are over-subscribed and membership of beekeeping associations has shot up with the increased awareness of the plight of the productive pollinator. Those without gardens are increasingly using rooftops for their hives.

Now Johannes Paul's company Omlet is helping to transform the traditionally rural art of beekeeping for the city dweller.

Under a leaden sky in the allotment at St James's Park in London yesterday, Paul and his three co-founders unveiled the futuristic Beehaus, a plastic horizontal hive which at first glance resembles a giant coolbox on legs.

"We're aiming for the hobby beekeeper, those who want to live their self-sufficiency dreams a little," said Paul.

With promises of 50 jars of homemade honey a year they hope to tempt the busy townie who dreams of the good life. And with the support of Natural England, the agency responsible for safeguarding England's natural environment, its green credentials seem intact.

Certainly, there is a market. "There has been a definite shift in the demographics of people coming into beekeeping," said Tim Lovett, chairman of the British Beekeepers' Association, which has seen membership increase by 3,000 to 14,500 in the last 18 months.

"Many of our new members are in urban settings, the worried wealthy, so to speak. They are environmentally aware people, who would like to do a lot more than they are able because of their busy lives.

"They are the concerned working families, the professionals under pressure from their kids who are getting the story at school. And now they are getting the message. Beekeeping is not incompatible with busy family and working life."

But with urban beekeeping comes responsibility. There are fears would-be beekeepers, seduced by the apparent simplicity of the new hive, could order on a whim with no thought for the practicalities. This could lead to the spread of diseases, the death of their bees or huge swarms in their neighbours' gardens.

"These are legitimate concerns," said Dr Tom Tew, chief scientist for Natural England, "and the first thing we would stress is that anyone thinking of keeping bees should speak to their local beekeeper association.

"But," he said of the Beehaus, "we support anything that helps promote the honeybee."

Last year more than 30% of honeybees died from disease, mainly varroa mite. This year the percentage looks still to be in the high teens or lower 20s, which is not sustainable. It is estimated the honeybee, through pollination and honey, contributes £150m annually to the economy.

Omlet, whose plastic chicken coop, Eglu, sparked a wave of urban chicken keeping, said it would offer Beehaus parties and local beekeeping courses. It will supply everything – including full bee suit – in the £495 price. Bees cost extra, however, at £80 to £150 a colony.

"Obviously, they have had great success with the Eglu," said Lovett. "But going down to the local broiler house, rescuing some redundant chickens and putting them at the end of your garden, is not terribly difficult. You feed them, water them, take the eggs out now and again, and if they do escape the local urban fox will get them. But with bees, you need to know what you are doing.

"It's very difficult to get on a course. Ours are full to the gunnels," he said. "And they are going to have difficulty in supplying bees. Maintaining supplies is a real problem.

"However, we do welcome this new hive. It will be a way in to beekeeping for a group of people. But there will be limitations. We haven't discovered the holy grail. But it is a modest, useful step.

"What people must remember is that one hive quickly become two, two become four and four become eight."

Urban bee etiquette
• Do consult neighbours
• Do place hive near a hedge or fence to ensure bees fly upwards and away from neighbours. Better still, put it on a roof
• Don't place hive so entrance is facing neighbour's swimming pool
• Do choose docile bees

Famous apiarists
Aristotle
Leo Tolstoy
Henry Fonda US actor
Bill Turnbull BBC TV presenter
Suggs Madness frontman

Get busy and give a honeybee a home
Emily Beament, Press Association The Independent 5 Aug 09;

Urban householders are being urged to consider keeping bees in their gardens, rooftops or even balconies to help protect declining honeybee populations.

Natural England, which is backing the launch of a new easy-to-use design of beehive, also wants people to support wild bee species such as bumblebees by planting insect-friendly plants in their gardens.

The Government conservation agency's chief scientist Tom Tew said gardeners should go out into their local area and see which plants the bees liked and then plant those in their flowerbeds.

He also said more people keeping and caring for honeybees would create more populations, making the insects more resilient to attacks from disease and pests which threaten their survival.

The first newly-designed 'beehaus' is going on the roof of Natural England's central London offices, and Dr Tew said the bees would be foraging in nearby areas such as St James' Park and Buckingham Palace gardens.

The bees fly high - around 5 metres above the ground - and would not be coming into contact with people on the city's pavements, he added.

He said: "We are happy to support anything that brings people in closer touch with the natural environment and helps the natural environment.

"There's no reason why our towns and cities should exist as wildlife deserts - wildlife can thrive when we design our urban areas with nature in mind and the 'beehaus' is a great example of how easy it is for anyone to bring the natural world closer to their doorstep."

Bees also provided an important service pollinating plants and crops, he said, and "we need to recognise that if we want plants to flourish we need healthy populations of insects to sustain them".

He said the more populations of honeybees "scattered around" there were, the more able they would be to cope with outbreaks of disease.

He also encouraged people to support other species of bee by installing bumblebee nest boxes in their gardens, and planting insect-friendly species in their gardens.

Bees play an important role in agriculture, with the value of commercial crops that benefit from bee pollination estimated at £100 million to £200 million a year. Honey is worth some £10 million to £30 million.

But bee populations face a growing number of threats including pests and diseases such as the varroa mite and a lack of habitat providing food sources such as wild flowers.

The number of honeybees has fallen by 10 per cent-15 per cent in the past two years, according to the Government.

There are some 250 species of bee in the UK, including 25 bumblebee species, and they are nearly all in decline.

The new beehive design by Omlet - makers of the Eglu urban chicken coop - aims to make it easier for people to keep bees in towns and cities, even if they do not have much space.

Its makers say the bees, which can forage up to three miles away from the site, will produce an average of 50 pots of honey from just an hour's attention a week in the summer.

Johannes Paul, of Omlet, said it was easy to keep bees in urban areas, and having a hive was a "low maintenance hobby which is really fascinating".

"Those in the know have been keeping bees in towns for a long time. Keeping a hive doesn't take much space, so you can even keep them on balconies, roof tops and obviously gardens."

The losses in honeybee colonies have led to a rash of "bee rustling" with hives stolen from commercial farms, but Mr Paul said amateur beekeepers keeping their hives in gardens or rooftops were unlikely to be the victims of theft.

Natural England urged anyone interested in keeping bees to consider the commitment it involves before taking the plunge, and then to get professional advice or visit their local beekeeping association for support and to see what was involved.

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Can US National Parks be saved from global warming?

LATimes 5 Aug 09;

The federal government must take decisive action to avoid "a potentially catastrophic loss of animal and plant life," in the National Parks, according to a new report which details the impact of global warming on the nation's most treasured public lands.

The 53-page report from the National Parks and Conservation Association, a Washington-based advocacy group, details a litany of concerns related to climate change in the parks, from the bleaching of coral reefs in Florida to the disappearance of high-altitude ponds that nurture yellow-legged frogs in California.

The group, which has offices in California and 10 other states, called on the National Park Service to come up with a detailed plan and funding to adapt to temperature-related ecosystem changes.

"Right now, no national plan exists to manage wildlife throughout their habitat, which often is a patchwork of lands managed by multiple federal agencies, states, tribes, municipalities and private landholders," wrote Tom C. Kiernan, president of the group.

A major climate bill passed by the House in June would allocate more than $500 million a year to natural resources adaptation under a proposed carbon-trading program. The Senate is drafting a companion bill, but the outcome of the legislation remains uncertain.

The survey by the parks and conservation group reinforces recent testimony by President Obama's nominee for Park Service director, Jon Jarvis. "Climate change challenges the very foundation of the National Park system and our abiilty to leave America's natural and cultural heritage unimpaired for future generations,"Jarvis told a House subcommittee.

He suggested that "national park units can serve as the proverbial canary in the coal mine, a place where we can monitor and document ecosystem change without many of the stressors that are found on other public lands."

The report recommends adapation strategies including the creation of wildlife corridors stretching from one park to another, so that species can move unencumbered into cooler areas. It also recommends more effective limiting of existing environmental hazards.

"Air and water pollution, development of adjacent wild lands, logging and mining and other forces are harming national park wildlife now, and adding climate change to the mix could be disastrous," it said.

Pesticides from nearby farms and the spread of non-native trout have already decimated populations of yellow-legged frogs in Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. With global warming, a rapid melting of high Sierra snowpacks could eliminate many shallow ponds and streams that the amphibians need for survival, leaving them "high and dry," it said.

Salmon could disappear from Olympic, North Cascades and Mount Rainier National Parks, the report suggests. And Grizzly bears, birds, fish and other species in Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain national parks could decline as bark beetles, drought and other climate-induced conditions increase.

The report suggests that park officials work with private landowners around Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef national parks to create pathways for bighorn sheep, as precipitation and vegetation patterns change due to global warming.

Likewise, wildlife managers in Alasan Parks such as the Noatak and Bering Land Bridge national preserves, the Kobuk Valley National Park and Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve will need to insure a clear path for caribou heards as climate change renders traditional calving grounds and winter feeding areas unsuitable, the report said.

But adaptation to a changing climate may not be enough. Unless humans limit their emissions of greenhouse gases, the report concludes, some wildlife species "will not be able to endure much more change and could disappear from national parks and even go extinct if climate change is unchecked."

The impetus for federal adaptation plans comes as states such as California, which released a comprehensive plan this week, and cities such as New York and New Orleans are beginning to come to grips with expected climate impacts such as rising sea levels and water shortages.

--Margot Roosevelt

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Smuggling wildlife: From eggs in a bra to geckos in underwear

Hui Min Neo Yahoo News 5 Aug 09;

GENEVA (AFP) – John Sellar is no comic book super hero, but judging by the criminals he deals with as the only policeman at the UN agency against illegal wildlife trade, he could well be one.

Russian mafia, Latin American druglords, suspected rebel or terror groups and crooked Asian diplomats count among poachers of rhinoceros, tigers and leopards whom Sellar aims to collar.

"My title is chief, but I have no Indians," he told AFP.

A former policeman in Scotland, he is the "enforcement assistance chief" at the UN agency against illegal wildlife trade, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

With a budget of 5.1 million dollars this year, its resources are so strapped that the organisation does not even have a data base of known criminal activities in illegal trafficking of animal parts.

Sellar's space is confined to a small office that fits in only an L-shaped desk, three chairs and a row of bookshelves, where he coordinates enforcement activities undertaken by local customs authorities or police.

However, in many of the poorer countries where poaching occurs, enforcement teams "don't even have access to forensic science for murder, so they're not going to have resources for rhinos," he said.

Behind the scenes, meanwhile, organised crime appears to be tightening its grip on the illegal trade, attracted by its high returns, according to evidence collected by CITES and non-governmental organisations.

The Russian mafia has been found to be involved in illicit caviar trade, while some Asian gangs have been caught trafficking rhino horns, which are promoted for medical uses, and elephant ivory, so prized in Asian art.

Sellar is reluctant to estimate the value of the illicit commerce, but said the high value could be driving more people to try their luck in the trade.

Major conservation groups including the Worldwide Fund for Nature said in a report last month that demand for rhinoceros horns in Asia has driven rhinoceros poaching to a 15-year-high.

A rhino horn is easily worth "several tens of thousands of dollars per kilo," he noted. "In weight, rhino horn is much more profitable than gold or diamonds or heroin or cocaine. You're getting much more returns."

Some criminals are also attracted by the prospect of laundering other ill-gotten gains, added Sellar.

"The money associated with narcotics, human trafficking is huge. They have so much money they don't know what to do with it. They can't wash it fast enough," said Sellar.

"They've obviously been looking into areas where they can get into -- ivory is one, caviar trade is another.

In addition, gangs having trouble carrying wads of cash or stashes of diamonds around the world are simply converting them into rhino horns or other exotic animal parts.

"Financial crime units have tended historically to focus on particular forms of avoidance. They're not looking for a rhino horn or caviar. It's an evasion on the part of organised crime," he said.

Bit wildlife crime is "not regarded as mainstream crime" and as a result, little priority is given to cracking down on the trade, said Sellar, who sees this as a wasted opportunity.

He cited the example of Al Capone, the notorious Chicago gangster who was arrested not for his heinous crimes but for not declaring his taxes.

"I think sometimes by failing to address wildlife crime, some agencies are missing the opportunity to deal with these organised criminals," Sellar said.

"A lot of these criminal networks are probably not covering their tracks as carefully when they're dealing with illegal wildlife trade as they might do when dealing with human trafficking or narcotics.

"There are lots of opportunities for us to arrest these people," he insisted.

Even rebel or terror groups have turned to poaching to fund activities, particularly in Africa, Sellar said. "If you look in parts of Africa, then poaching there has funded rebel activities for decades."

Beyond the shady gangs, suit-wearing diplomats have been caught red-handed.

Sellar would not name specific countries, but said "it is probably true to say that it's more often than not Asian diplomats. Not exclusively, but that appears to be the trend."

In November, Vietnam said it would recall one of its diplomats from South Africa after she was filmed conducting an illegal deal for protected rhinoceros horn.

This "by no means whatsoever" is the only instance of diplomatic involvement in the trafficking, according to Sellar who said growing affluence in Asian countries such as Vietnam and China seems to be fueling the demand.

He cited another example in an east African country he would not name where an Asian diplomat sought to use his legal immunity to smuggle elephant tusks through customs in metal boxes marked as diplomatic bags.

"The diplomat was arrested but subsequently bailed by his country and fled," said Sellar.

"Diplomatic immunity is regrettably abused, not regularly, but it is not uncommon for us to see people abusing immunity," he said.

"They use cars with CD plates, they use diplomatic baggage, parcels... to smuggle ivory, rhino horns, basically you name it."

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Fishermen attack Amazon dolphins

Matt Walker, BBC News 5 Aug 09;

Freshwater dolphins living in the Amazon river basin are being attacked and killed by local fishermen.

Conservationists have found a number of boto and tucuxi dolphins that have been struck with machetes and harpoons and left to die.

The fishermen attack the dolphins fearing they are stealing their fish and ruining their fishing gear.

Some of the killings may also be driven by strong cultural taboos that suggest the animals bring bad luck.

The discovery of the dolphins came during a survey designed to monitor the mortality rate of both Amazonian dolphins and manatees conducted by researchers at the Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development in Tefe, Brazil.

During the survey, the research team led by Miriam Marmontel and Carolina Loch recovered 18 dead dolphins, six of which were botos ( Inia geoffrensis ), also known as the Amazon river dolphin or pink river dolphin, and 12 were tucuxi ( Sotalia fluviatilis ), another species that lives in the Amazon basin that is more closely related to oceanic dolphins.

Three of the dolphins had unusual injuries.

"These lesions were recognisable as marks made by stabbing with machetes and harpoon wounds," says Loch.

The dolphins were found in two adjacent areas.

Both tucuxi carcasses were found floating in Amana Lake within the Amana Sustainable Development Reserve, a protected area, while the dead boto was found floating in the unprotected Tefe Lake.

Both locations are in the northwestern Brazilian state of Amazonas.

Crucially, no parts of the dolphins' bodies had been harvested, the researchers report in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation.

In some areas in the Amazonian basin, particularly in Colombia and Brazil, dolphins are killed for their body parts which are sold.

"The genital organs and eyes of tucuxis and botos are sometimes sold as amulets in popular markets of some Amazonian cities," says Loch.

She also explains that there is a growing trend toward using boto meat and blubber as bait to catch a scavenging catfish called the 'piracatinga' or Calophysus macropterus .

"This practice is possibly widespread in the Brazilian Amazon and may severely threaten [the boto's] conservation," Loch says.

But the three carcasses were unmolested apart from the initial fatal wounds.

That means that fishermen are killing the dolphins simply to eliminate rather than exploit them.

"Aquatic mammals such as whales, dolphins and sea lions are frequently seen as unwanted competitors for fisheries resources," says Loch. "This sense is also widespread in the Amazonian region, especially among fishermen."

Loch's team think the fishermen suspect the dolphins of taking too many fish, both from the river and from their nets, and damaging their fishing gear in the process.

Cultural beliefs, myths and superstitions may also be driving some of the killings.

For example, in some parts of the Amazonian, the boto is traditionally viewed as a mischievous and tempestuous being, both feared and respected.

In extreme cases, it is thought the dolphins transform themselves into handsome men who come ashore and seduce young women, which explains why their reproductive organs are sold as charms.

But while such beliefs sometimes protect the boto and other dolphins from harm, they can also lead people to kill them out of fear or to prevent unexpected teenage pregnancies.

The researchers say the three carcasses suggest that many more Amazonian dolphins are being intentionally killed, and the practice may pose a significant threat to their conservation.

An extensive education program must be started to mitigate the problem, Loch says.

"Environmental education activities with school children are fundamental to avoid these conflicts in the future," she says.

"Amazonian dolphins play an important role in the local culture of Amazonian region, and positive aspects of this influence should be reinforced and encouraged."

"Negative myths and legends linked to undesired pregnancy of women and enchantment of people should be respected as part of their culture, but should be clarified and negative attitudes towards animals should be discouraged."

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