Best of our wild blogs: 27 May 12

Great start to the Festival of Biodiversity!
from Festival of Biodiversity 2012

Laced Woodpecker foraging on the ground
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Butterfly of the Month - May 2012
from Butterflies of Singapore

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Can we cope with 8 million on the island?

Much depends on how we plan - and provide - services to meet growing needs
Warren Fernandez Straits Times 27 May 12;

Xenophobia is alive and well around the world, including in some corners of this island.

Just look at the vitriol being spewed on the Internet against foreigners in the wake of the tragic accident on Rochor Road involving a speed demon from Sichuan.

A foreign observer might be forgiven for concluding that Singapore is not far off from spawning a nationalist party, whose rallying cry might be the mantra now being spouted by politicians of every stripe: 'Singaporeans first.'

This seems ironic in a nation where most people are second- or third-generation offspring of immigrants themselves. How has it come to this? What explains the visceral reactions to those who have arrived here more recently?

Sure, some new immigrants may be arrogant and uncouth. But when I hear venom being heaped collectively on 'foreigners', I can't help but wonder if those speaking realise that our forefathers too hailed from similar sources, probably spoke little English and had social graces that might not sit so comfortably in modern Singapore. They were probably looked down on, discriminated against, perhaps even abused, by their colonial masters.

Have we forgotten?

More importantly, what are the implications if Singapore turns inwards and spurns new additions to its ranks? Can a small city-state, ageing more rapidly than most other societies, really afford for immigration to become politically toxic?

Immigration and integration look set to dominate discussion, with several think-tanks and policy units releasing population projections and scenarios on dependency ratios recently. The Government also has a White Paper on the subject due later this year.

The anxiety in official circles is warranted, given that on current trends, there will be far fewer young people to support the elderly in future. The burden - financial, social, emotional - will be heavy. In response, many have begun asking what more might be done to boost Singaporeans' productivity, not just in the boardrooms but also the bedrooms.

But this debate begs wider questions - just how many people do we need, or want, on this island? How many can we cope with? The answers are crucial, for on them turn how we plan and prepare for the immigrants we allow in.

The trouble, though, is that because the issue is so highly charged, it is one that has often been sidestepped.

For a long time, Singaporeans were told that there might be 6.5 million people on the island 'by Year X'. But few seemed to know, or were willing to say, just when Year X was.

When asked, policymakers would hum, haw and assert that this was 'not a target' but a 'planning parameter' - whatever that meant. Presumably, it was believed that greater clarity would make it harder to achieve a happy outcome, socially and politically.

One day, however, Singaporeans awoke to read in The Straits Times that Singapore had close to five million citizens and residents. Year X was suddenly closer than we imagined.

We all know the result. Crowding, complaints, costs rising, as well as a mounting sense that things had gone too far, too fast, culminating in the voter backlash last May.

Given the time needed to ramp up infrastructure projects, it will be some years before the situation can be put right and social tensions are eased.

With immigration now an even more 'sensitive subject', my concern is that we might make the same mistake and seek to sugarcoat any discussion about just how many people this island can accommodate, physically, socially, and yes, politically.

Yet, there is just no running away from it. Going by population projections from the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), even if Singapore has as many as one foreigner for every two residents in the next 40 years, the population will continue to age and the labour force growth rate will decline.

The result: The number of working-age people to take care of each elderly person will keep shrinking.

The IPS study shows that with the most aggressive intake of foreigners, when one-third of the people are non-residents, Singapore's total population is likely to grow to 7.3 million by 2050. If the intake is lowered to one-quarter or one-fifth, we might have 6.1 million people on the island.

How many people can Singapore cope with: 6.1 million? 7.3 million? 8 million?

Many will baulk at these numbers. Urban planners are already sounding the alarm that more open spaces might have to be converted to high-density housing. They point to congestion on MRT trains, on the road, in malls and our housing estates.

Veteran statistician Paul Cheung sees it differently. He argues that the MRT network is overcrowded because it was not designed for today's population. So, Singapore should plan and build for 8 million in the future, he says.

In other words, it is not the lack of space or facilities that is the main constraint on future population growth as much as the failure to plan - and deliver - the infrastructure required.

Clearly, any discussion on an optimal population cannot be conducted in isolation, but in tandem with plans for housing, hospitals, schools, jobs, transport and leisure options for more people. Otherwise, present realities will constrain thinking about the future.

So, for example, more details are needed on development plans for areas such as Dempsey, the old Turf Club, the waterfront areas and former KTM railway land around Tanjong Pagar, as well as Bukit Brown and Bidadari, or even offshore islands like Tekong. How will these be built up, and when?

Such reviews are done periodically when urban planners unveil the long-term master plans for the island. The next review is due next year. But that might be a year too late.

Without putting the population debate into this wider context, it will be difficult to get minds around the idea of boosting the population to 6 million, let alone 8 million, while keeping the doors open to immigrants.

Ironically, rather than physical limitations, politics might then prove the ultimate constraint to population growth.

This could do Singapore a grave disservice. After all, experience in recent years has shown the benefits of a larger population - not only has it helped boost economic growth, it has also led to a wider range of lifestyle options, from museums to music events, restaurants and retail outlets.

Most Singaporeans are not mean-spirited or xenophobic. In my view, the present angst and anxiety stem from a sense that the provision of essential services has not kept up with the population boom, and fears that this unhappy state of affairs will continue, and perhaps worsen, in future.

So when it comes to population planning, I say better to spell it out. Yes, it will mean more debate, perhaps more political heat, and even some controversy.

But the alternative is worse: A lack of a clear consensus on the way forward could give rise to divisive, perhaps unstoppable, political pressures that could turn us inwards, and ultimately, downwards.

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Bringing nature closer to residents

In the pipeline: 80ha park, viewing towers, 30km cycling loop at central catchment area
Amelia Tan Straits Times 27 May 12;

Nature buffs will have greater access to flora and fauna in Singapore with a 30km cycling loop to be completed by 2018.

The circuit will go around the Central Catchment Nature Reserve which covers the Upper Seletar, Upper and Lower Peirce, and MacRitchie reservoirs.

It will be formed by joining 10.5km of existing park connectors and biking trails that go around the northern and western borders of Central Catchment Nature Reserve to a new 19.5kmpark connector. This connector will encircle the reserve's southern and eastern borders.

The new cycling loop was announced yesterday by Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin at the launch of the Festival of Biodiversity at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

He also announced that the Government will be developing a new 80ha park, named the Chestnut Nature Park, just outside of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

The park, which will be ready by 2015, will have forest trails, shelters and educational signs.

Two seven-storey towers will also be built to allow nature lovers to enjoy panoramic views of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

One tower will be located in the Chestnut Nature Park and the other will be built by 2018 in MacRitchie Reservoir Park.

Mr Tan said the developments are part of the Government's objective of bringing people closer to nature and noted that almost half of Singapore land's surface is covered by greenery.

He said: 'Our parks are easily accessed by residents, with most homes within a short walking distance of a park. That is something that we'll work towards.'

He said the Government will continue to engage Singaporeans on new ideas about adding diversity to the urban environment.

He added: 'There will be areas where we can't always agree on, but there is also so much more space that you have found that we can work on together.'

Commenting on the new developments, National Parks Board director of conservation Wong Tuan Wah said: 'Some people say they have no time to enjoy the outdoors. Since you have no time, we will bring the outdoors to you. And if you have more time, we can help you to learn more with things like signages at the parks.'

The cost of the new developments is not confirmed.

Nature groups and the public welcomed the new plans.

Dr Shawn Lum, president of the Nature Society (Singapore), said: 'The Chestnut area is rich in biodiversity but is currently visited mostly by scientists or serious nature buffs. I think more people will be encouraged to visit the area in the future because of the park; it makes it more accessible.'

Teacher Germaine Foo, 46, said: 'I will consider getting my children to use the cycling loop in the future during their school holidays because part of it is near our home in Yio Chu Kang.'

Yesterday was the start of the two-day Festival of Biodiversity. The event, held at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, features exhibitions, workshops and guided tours for the public.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam launched the festival yesterday.

I SPY ANIMALS

Video cameras are to be installed to give people at home a glimpse of the animals and birds that live in the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

Four of them will be placed in the wild by the National Parks Board, and will stream live videos of wildlife to its website.

The videos can be watched from the middle of September by clicking on the link: www.nparks.gov.sg/animalcam

Animals that can be viewed include otters and migratory birds which feed at the wetlands.

Amelia Tan

Nature reserves made more accessible to public
Alvina Soh Channel NewsAsia 26 May 12;

SINGAPORE: Members of the public can look forward to several new amenities at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin says these developments aim to make nature more accessible to Singaporeans.

Chestnut Nature Park, an 80-hectare park, is ideal for hiking and mountain biking.

The park features two seven-storey observation towers, offering scenic views, and a 30-kilometre cycling loop allowing residents to cycle from the heartlands to the nature reserves by 2018.

The loop will be built around the perimeters of the forests to safeguard the biodiversity cores of the reserve.

NParks says these new features aim to make nature reserves more accessible.

Wong Tuan Wah, Conservation Director of NParks, said: "The intention is to bring nature closer to people and people closer to nature. Very often, people say they have no time to see nature, so these initiatives allow people the opportunity to experience nature at their homes."

These developments, NParks says, are part of Singapore's transformation into a City in a Garden. They are also aim at enriching biodiversity.

Dr Shawn Lum, President of Nature Society of Singapore, said: "So what do we have in Singapore? We have eating, shopping, it's world-class. We have nature which is equally world-class and it just takes getting to know it a little bit better. There's just so much variety but the difficult part is that it's sometimes inaccessible."

And for those who rather appreciate nature from the comforts of their own home, there's good news.

NParks plans to install four cameras around the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve from mid-September.

Viewers can catch "live" footage of otters frolicking in a pond via their computers or mobile phones.

The park will be completed by early 2015, while both the towers and cycling loop are expected to be completed by 2018.

- CNA/de

New trail around Singapore's green heart
Today Online 27 May 12;

SINGAPORE - Come 2018, nature lovers, joggers and cyclists will have a verdant new trail to explore in the green heart of Singapore.

The 30km loop around the Central Catchment Nature Reserve will be linked to the Western Adventure Park Connector Loop and other park connectors, and join up with the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and the Dairy Farm Nature Park, among other areas.

The loop will be built around the forest perimeters "to safeguard the high biodiversity cores of the reserve", said the National Parks Board (NParks).

The plan was one of several announced by Minister of State (National Development and Manpower) Tan Chuan-Jin yesterday to bring Singaporeans closer to nature - and vice versa.

Speaking at the inaugural Festival of Biodiversity, Mr Tan also revealed that an 80ha plot outside the Central Catchment Nature Reserve will be developed into Chestnut Nature Park.

The new park will feature amenities for nature walks, hiking and mountain biking. It hosts a rich biodiversity of wildlife, including the mousedeer, pangolin, monitor lizard and birds. There will be panoramic views of the nature reserve to be enjoyed at a new seven-storey tower - which will also facilitate research on animals that live among the tree canopies.

The development of the park - due to be finished by early 2015 - will involve the community in planting native plants and trees.

Another seven-storey tower will be built at MacRitchie Reservoir Park by 2018, to offer visitors more scenic views.

NParks will also work with nature groups to infuse more biodiversity into the urban landscape.

Noting the success of efforts to re-introduce the Oriental Pied Hornbill - which was locally extinct for more than 100 years, until artificial nesting boxes were set up in recent years - Mr Tan said NParks aims next to attract more species such as the Crimson Sunbird, Common Birdwing Butterfly and Lesser Whistling Duck into Singapore's urban green spaces.

"In 10 years' time, perhaps Singaporeans can have pleasant encounters with biodiversity on a daily basis," he said. "This is where I have to encourage all of you who are happy to see the birdlife returning back to Singapore, to encourage your neighbours and friends, who may sometimes complain about the birds' droppings ... It's a happy problem to have."

The Festival of Biodiversity is also on today at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. There are free activities for the public, such as exhibitions, workshops and guided walks.

Read more!

PUB has regular patrols around wetland bridge

Straits Times 27 May 12;

The PUB shares Mr Michael Low's concerns that cyclists may pose a danger to pedestrians if they do not dismount from their bicycles when crossing the bridge at Lorong Halus ('Wetland reserve needs wardens on the walkway'; last Sunday).

In addition to the 'Dismount And Push' signboards at both ends of the bridge, PUB officers conduct regular patrols in the area and will advise cyclists to dismount when crossing the bridge.

We have considered Mr Low's suggestion to demarcate lanes for pedestrians and cyclists, but found that it is not practical to do so as the bridge is too narrow, and pedestrians often stop on either side to view the scenery. Despite this, the PUB is working with community partners to drive awareness of how members of the public could work with us to enhance public safety.

The Lorong Halus Wetland is a recreational venue. It is important that visitors exercise consideration while using this community space.

Tan Nguan Sen
Director, Catchment and Waterways PUB

Wetland reserve needs wardens on the walkway
Straits Times 20 May 12;

Two incidents marred my enjoyment of the beautiful scenery during my walk at the Lorong Halus Wetland in Punggol recently.

First, a group of cyclists rode across the wooden bridge, which clearly had the signs 'Dismount And Push' at both ends. They blatantly disregarded pedestrians on the bridge and were oblivious to the dangers they posed to themselves and others. A woman cyclist also fell off her bike and hurt her hand.

Then, while I was on the way back, a cyclist whizzed past me and scolded me for hogging the road.

To prevent ugly confrontations, signs should be drawn on the roads to indicate lanes for walkers and cyclists.

There should also be roving wardens to enforce the rules, especially during peak periods like early mornings and evenings, and especially on weekends.

Disputes and accidents are bound to happen as the walkway becomes more popular.

Michael Low

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Indonesian environmental damage affects gross domestic product

Antara 23 May 12;

Bandung, West Java (ANTARA News) - The continuing environmental pollution and damage in Indonesia is eroding five percent of the country`s gross domestic product growth per year, according to the World Bank.

Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya stated here on Tuesday that the research conducted by the World Bank in 2009 indicates that Indonesia`s development is still not based on sustainability principles that prioritize the preservation of nature.

"The increase in income per capita is rapidly driven by the magnitude of the liquidation of our natural resources and environmental assets. There is continual exploitation of natural resources and excessive destruction of the country`s natural assets, despite the fact that this results in tremendous damage to the present generation, in the form of natural disasters," he observed.

Kambuaya also cited several indicators suggesting that the quality of Indonesia`s environment is still far below expectations. The country has ranked 74th out of 132 countries in the environmental performance index released by the Yale Centre for Environmental Law and Policy.

Indonesia scored 52.29 out of a maximum value of 100 in the index.

"That`s still way below some Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia and even Vietnam," Kambuaya remarked.

According to Kambuaya, Indonesia`s deforestation rate during the last decade reached an average of 1.17 million hectares per year, while the damaged reef areas in Indonesia for 12 years reached 70 percent.

However, the Indonesian government remains committed to sustainable development through the National Long-term Development Plan 2005-2025 as well as its medium-term development plans for 2010-2014, Kambuaya noted.

The government`s application of green economy comprises four elements in the development programme: poverty reduction, decent work, sustainable economic growth and environment internalisation in development activities.

Kambuaya claimed that the green economy implementation actually depends on one key factor that changes the value of human behavior and makes it environment-friendly.

Each individual member of the community, business and government is expected to contribute to the implementation of a green economy by adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle, Kambuaya noted.

"A variety of environment-friendly lifestyles have been taught through the values regarding traditional wisdom and ethics of the environment, which have been rooted in people`s lives," he said.

He acknowledged the fact that many companies still do not carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment. From among 1,002 companies assessed by the Ministry of Environment in 2011, he continued, the majority of companies were categorised as red because they did not manage their waste properly.

Kambuaya promised strict law enforcement against companies that do not manage their waste products according to the government`s regulations.

Every year, there is an increase in the number of companies that are subjected to administrative sanctions and brought to justice, he added.
(A050)

Editor: Ella Syafputri

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Cambodian forest campaigners fight rampant logging

Suy Se AFP Yahoo News 26 May 12;

Frustrated by government inaction, Cambodian citizen patrollers are risking their lives to take on the country's illegal loggers in a bid to save their shrinking forests.

The shooting of a prominent environmentalist by a military policeman last month after he refused to hand over logging photos rocked the kingdom and shone an unflattering light on government conservation efforts.

Forest communities who depend on the woodlands for their survival say they plan to keep Chhut Vuthy's brand of grassroots activism alive by stepping up the patrols he introduced last year to monitor forest crimes.

"We are all Chhut Vuthy," supporters said at a recent memorial rally in the remote jungle in southwestern Koh Kong province where the 45-year-old was gunned down.

Rampant illegal logging contributed to a sharp drop in Cambodia's forest cover from 73 percent in 1990 to 57 percent in 2010, according to the United Nations.

"We must protect the forest before it's gone. The forest is our rice bowl," 58-year-old Chan Yeng told AFP at the rally, recalling how she once helped confiscate a chainsaw while on patrol in northeastern Prey Lang forest, where the livelihoods of thousands of indigenous people are at risk.

She said the patrols work: after talking to loggers, documenting their activities or preventing them from benefitting from their illegally harvested timber, her community has seen a drop in forest crimes in recent months.

In the past, when Vuthy was still alive, the patrollers even went so far as to burn hidden caches of luxury timber worth tens of thousands of dollars.

In what will be their largest coordinated action yet, hundreds of villagers plan to patrol forests across 10 provinces in June, according to the Communities Peace Building Network, which coordinates grassroots forest activities.

Campaigners admit it could be risky but they say forest communities are willing to put themselves in harm's way because they cannot rely on the authorities to save the country's natural riches.

"Given the government's inaction or inability to stop illegal logging and to stop deforestation, I think it now falls to the Cambodian public to do something," said Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights.

Government spokesman Ek Tha said he welcomed civilian efforts to help preserve the country's pristine woodlands but rejected accusations that it was a sign that authorities were failing to tackle the problem.

"You can't control 100 percent of the natural resources across the nation," he told AFP.

In its haste to develop the impoverished nation, the government has been criticised for allowing well-connected firms to clear hundreds of thousands of hectares (acres) of forest land -- including in protected zones -- for everything from rubber and sugar cane plantations to hydropower dams.

Rights groups and environmental watchdogs have linked many of these concessions to rampant illegal logging, and say armed government forces are routinely used to act as security guards for offending companies.

Following the outcry over Vuthy's death, Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered a freeze on new land grants, a move cautiously welcomed by environmental groups, who nevertheless argue it will not save the forests already under threat.

For that, campaigners say, more people like Vuthy are needed.

One of them is Prum Dharmajat, 41, a Buddhist monk who lives in Aoral wildlife sanctuary in southwestern Kampong Speu province.

He has quietly dedicated the past 10 years of his life to preserving a two-by-three-kilometre (1.2-by-1.8-mile) patch of forest near his hut -- with a few tips from Vuthy along the way.

The area has long been stripped of its valuable trees, but Dharmajat, whose name translates as "Nature", tries to dissuade loggers from felling the remaining ones for firewood or charcoal, with some help from the villagers and children he educates about conservation.

"The destruction of nature is happening too quickly," the orange-clad holy man told AFP, a gaggle of children swarming around his wooden hut.

But even for monks -- highly revered in this staunchly Buddhist nation -- standing between a logger and a lucrative haul can be a dangerous undertaking.

Dharmajat said he has been threatened many times, and after a recent visit to Phnom Penh he returned to find several trees felled and 11 peacocks poisoned close to his home, in what he believes was an act of revenge by frustrated loggers.

Dharmajat is undeterred, however, and said he supported the plans for more community patrols as an effective tool to deter forest crimes.

But he urged patrollers and those accused of harming the forest to peacefully handle their inevitable confrontations.

"We have to resolve it so that no blood is shed," he said.

Read more!

Will Rio+20 Spark a Green Revolution?

Stephen Leahy IPS News 25 May 12;

UXBRIDGE, Canada, May 25, 2012 (IPS) - Think of Rio+20 as the hothouse to grow the green ideas and values humanity needs to thrive in the 21st century.

No one is expecting, or even wants, a big new international treaty on sustainable development said Manish Bapna, interim president of the World Resources Institute, a global environmental think tank based in Washington, D.C.

"The important action will be on the sidelines of the formal negotiations," Bapna told IPS in an interview.

Blocs of countries, civil society organisations and representatives of business will meet, create coalitions and make commitments on specific issues and on regional concerns.

"There could be some exciting specific commitments coming out of Rio," Bapna said.

Perhaps the most important outcome from Rio+20 would be to put to rest the erroneous belief that protecting the environment comes at the cost of economic growth when it is in fact the opposite. Without a healthy, functioning environment, humanity loses the benefits of the environment's "free products": air, water, soil to grow food, stable climate and so on.

"One of the big hurdles to a sustainable future is that officials in many countries think they can't afford to move onto a more sustainable pathway," he said.

Bapna hopes Rio+20 will generate a "new narrative" - a wider understanding that there is no viable alternative to the transition to low-carbon, resource-efficient economies that alleviate poverty and create more jobs.

As many as 50,000 people are expected to participate in hundreds of events at the Rio+20 Earth Summit spanning two weeks in mid-June in Rio de Janeiro. More than 130 world leaders will attend, including Russia's Vladimir Putin as well as the prime ministers of India, Manmohan Singh, and China, Wen Jiabao.

U.S. President Obama has not confirmed his attendance at the 20th anniversary of world's first Earth Summit that gave birth to three major environmental treaties on climate change, biodiversity, and land degradation and desertification.

In just about every environmental category things have only become worse since 1992. However, a few countries like Germany understand the environmental and economic necessity of shifting onto a more sustainable path, Bapna said.

"Germany is making the single-most important effort in the world to fight climate change by de-carbonising their economy," he noted.

Germany is committed to double its energy and resource productivity by 2020, which will generate news jobs and enhance its competitiveness in a world with fewer and more expensive resources.

Consumption of fresh water, oil, copper and gold are on pace to triple by 2050, according to a 2001 U.N. report. Except there simply aren't enough resources left on the planet to manage that.

About 22 percent of Germany's energy comes from renewable sources and its goal is to reach 35 percent by 2020, and grow to 80 percent by 2050. Major efforts in improving energy efficiency have been the key in making this shift.

Rio+20 needs to engage people on the sidelines with a new "story" about the imperative to live sustainably with examples of how new markets and green jobs are being created, Bapna said.

The official Rio+20 negotiations are going so badly that an extra week of talks will be held next week. Those negotiations involve what's called the "zero draft". It is intended to be the roadmap for sustainable growth, often called the green economy, and will likely include a set of sustainable development goals.

However, like all U.N. agreements, every word requires unanimous approval by all nations, which is extremely challenging.

"We recognise that we can not continue to burn and consume our way to prosperity. Yet we have not embraced the obvious solution – the only possible solution, now as it was 20 years ago: sustainable development," said United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon in a statement Thursday.

Ban acknowledged the negotiations were "painfully slow" and personally pushed for the extra week of talks urging countries to look beyond their national interests.

"Rio offers a generational opportunity to hit the reset button: to set a new course toward a future that balances the economic, social and environmental dimensions of prosperity and human well-being," he said.

With less than 30 days left to the high-level segment, there is still "no agreed definition of what the green economy is," said Craig Hanson, director of the People and Ecosystems Program at World Resources Institute.

There is growing consensus about the need for green growth and development but people are uncertain what a green economy actually looks like. Germany offers an example with its clean energy efforts that have created 370,000 jobs, Hanson told IPS.

Niger's success in reversing desertification in the Sahel is another, he said.

Negotiations on how to get to greener economies have been a struggle with some countries putting their national interests ahead of what might be best for the planet and future generations he acknowledges.

Phasing out the hundreds of billions of dollars governments dole out in fossil fuel subsidies annually would be best for future generations but it is unclear what countries are prepared to do, said Bapna. "Will they reaffirm previous promises or make firm commitments at Rio? We just don't know."

The U.N.'s Sustainable Energy for All initiative has serious momentum and a bloc of countries could make firm financial commitments to help bring clean energy to world's poorest people, he added.

About 1.4 billion people have no access to electricity and 2.5 billion use traditional biomass for cooking, which has many health and environmental impacts. Bringing electricity to those without out would cost 30 to 40 billion dollars a year - a fraction of the amount spent on current fossil fuel subsidies.

The world has changed since 1992. Things are a lot less predictable. There is no overarching green vision uniting all countries.

"What we do know is this is the critical decade. The world needs short-term commitments to act," said Bapna. "Rio will be a pretty remarkable event.... We need confidence and hope to come out of Rio."

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 25 May 12

Bringing a glimpse of Cyrene to the Festival of Biodiversity
from wild shores of singapore

Sneak preview of “Singapore Got Wildlife, Meh?”!
from Festival of Biodiversity 2012

Join us at the “Conserving our Biodiversity Symposium”, Festival of Biodiversity (26-27 May 2012)
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

See, feel & experience biodiversity at Festival of Biodiversity
from Toddycats!

Celebrate World Ocean Day with us @ Pasir Ris Site 6
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

Children’s Season 2012: Open House at the Raffles Museum
from Raffles Museum News

Oriental White-eye eating flower bud of pink mempat
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Detouring around a hornet’s (Vespa affinis) nest in Mandai Besar mangrove
from Otterman speaks and Back to beautiful Mandai mangroves and mudflats

Read more!

Call of nature

A new festival aims to educate Singaporeans on the country's diverse flora and fauna
Rachel Chan Straits Times 25 May 12;

A bird and butterfly race is on tomorrow at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, in which students will use two new iPhone apps to help them identify and record the species sighted.

The race will launch the Bird Guide and Butterfly Guide apps, created by the Nature Society (Singapore), and is also a highlight of the inaugural Festival of Biodiversity this weekend.

The two-day event, which aims to educate the public about Singapore's diverse wildlife, is on at the Botanic Gardens. Some 2,000 people are expected to participate in free activities, such as a nature and biodiversity conservation symposium; a garden-city-themed photography exhibition; and an exhibition showcasing Singapore's marine life.

The National Parks Board (NParks) is co-organising the festival with the Biodiversity Roundtable, a group comprising members of the natural history community including the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (Acres)and Nature Society (Singapore) and government agencies.

The idea for such a festival came from the roundtable session, after participants realised there was a need to engage the public. It also wanted to raise awareness and the profiles of other organisations doing their part to conserve Singapore's natural heritage.

The annual festival is held in conjunction with the International Day of Biological Diversity, which falls on May 22. The date was designated by the United Nations in 2000 to promote biodiversity issues.

Talks, given by nature lovers, range in topic from dragonflies, to habitat loss and conservation, to the importance of examining dead animals.

Two books will also be launched at the festival: Our Fragile Rainforest by Dr Leong Tzi Ming and James Gan, and Caterpillars Of Singapore's Butterflies by Khew Sin Khoon and Horace Tan.

Walk on the wild side
Straits Times 25 May 12;

The Festival of Biodiversity's activities are free and take place at the Singapore Botanic Gardens tomorrow and on Sunday. Here are our picks.

Book it

FESTIVAL OF BIODIVERSITY

Where: Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens

When: Tomorrow and Sunday

Admission: Free

Info: Go to www.nparks.gov.sg/festivalofbiodiversity or the blog at http://festivalofbiodiversitysingapore.wordpress.com/

THE RAINFOREST TOUR

What: Follow a volunteer guide through the rainforest trail at the Botanic Gardens. The one-hour tour is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.

When: Tomorrow, 10 to 11am, 11am to noon; Sunday, 9 to 10am, 4 to 5pm.

Where: Meet the guide at the Visitor Centre 15 minutes before the tour starts.

BODIES OF EVIDENCE: A MORBID CELEBRATION OF BIODIVERSITY

What: Learn what dead animals can tell us about wildlife and the impact of human activities on the natural environment in urban Singapore. Presented by nature blogger Ivan Kwan.

When: Sunday, 2 to 2.45pm

Where: Function Room

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY OF THE PAST 200 YEARS AND ITS EFFECT ON HABITAT LOSS

What: A presentation, with aerial photos and satellite images, on how urban development has changed Singapore's natural environment starting from the late 1700s, when Teochew gambier planters from the Riau Islands arrived. Presented by Mr Tony O'Dempsey, chairman of the Vertebrate Study Group of the Nature Society.

When: Sunday, 2 to 2.45pm

Where: Function Room

SINGAPORE HORNBILL PROJECT - RETURN OF THE KING

What: A 40-minute documentary filmed by a team of dedicated researchers, citizen scientists and bird-lovers who spent more than six years studying the Oriental Pied Hornbill. This bird was thought to be extinct in Singapore as it had not been seen for more than 150 years. The 2010 film chronicles the efforts at helping the hornbill re-establish its home here after it was rediscovered in 1994.

When: Tomorrow, 11am; Sunday, 10am

Where: Function Room

SINGAPORE GOT WILDLIFE MEH?

What: A slideshow of short video clips and photos of native wildlife, taken by various nature enthusiasts. Catch interesting images, such as those of animals coupling in the reefs and those answering the call of nature while perched high up on the trees.

When: Tomorrow, 10am; Sunday, 3pm

Where: Function Room

STORYTELLING SESSION FOR KIDS

What: Librarian Chen Wanyingfrom the Bukit Merah Regional Library will be reading books such as The Giving Tree and The Lorax. For ages four and up.

When: Tomorrow, 11to 11.45am, 3 to 3.45pm

Where: Ridley Hall

MACRO WORLD OF SINGAPORE

What: An introduction to macro nature photography and basic techniques by accomplished nature photographer Lee Yan Leong who has shot for the United Nations Environemental Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre. He will share where shooters can go, the range of subjects available in Singapore, and the ethics of nature photography. Recommended for ages 15 and above.

When: Sunday, 1 to 1.45pm

Where: Function Hall

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Indonesia: only 7-10 Javanese leopards in East Java National Park

Count Baluran Javanese leopards with fingers
Antara 24 May 12;

Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA News) - There are only about 7-10 Javanese leopards (Panthera pardus melas) remaining in Baluran National Park in Situbondo, East Java, according to a photographer.

"I took the photograph of a Javanese leopard on February 18, 2012, and it was the first ever picture taken after 22 years," Nurdin Razak, a wildlife photographer from Gresik, stated here on Thursday.

He said the photo of the Javanese leopard would be featured in "Surabaya Wildlife Photo Exhibition" at the House of Sampoerna from May 26 to June 17.

The academician from Airlangga University school of tourism explained he encountered the Javanese leopard at dawn on Saturday on February 18 and later managed to take its picture at night while traveling with a ranger in a car.

He noted the Javanese leopard was an endangered species because there were only around 250 left in the wild worldwide and just about 7-10 in Baluran National Park.

The wildlife photographer, who has covered 33 national parks in Java and Bali, said the leopard whose picture he had taken was 1.8 metres long from head to tail.

"I think the animal was about two and a half years old when I spotted it at the Baluran evergreen area, some 4.7 km east of Bekol in Situbondo," Nurdin added.
(O001)

Editor: Ella Syafputri

Javan leopards on brink of extinction
Otniel Tamindael Antara 28 May 12;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The population of Javan leopards (Panthera pardus melas), who are thought to have migrated from South Asia to Java along a land bridge that bypassed Sumatra and Kalimantan during the Middle Pleistocene, continues to decline.

If nothing is done immediately to conserve this critically endangered species, it will soon vanish in the next few years.

According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUNC), the population of Javan leopards in the wild is estimated at less than 250 worldwide.

Meanwhile, Nurdin Razak, a wildlife photographer from Gresik, East Java, stated in Surabaya on Thursday that only about 7-10 Javan leopards remained in Baluran National Park in Situbondo.

He said that Javan leopards are found in Baluran, Alas Purwo, Meru Betiri, Bromo Tengger Semeru, Merapi and Merbabu, Ceremai, Gunung Gede, Ujung Kulon and Gunung Halimun National Parks on Java Island, but their total population is unknown.

While roaming through the Baluran National Park one night in February this year, Nurdin got the chance to photograph a Javan leopard.

"I took the photograph of a Javan leopard on February 18, 2012; it was the first ever picture taken in the last 22 years," Nurdin Razak remarked.

He added that the photo would be featured in the "Surabaya Wildlife Photo Exhibition" at the House of Sampoerna from May 26 to June 17.

The academician from Airlangga University`s school of tourism explained that he first encountered the Javanese leopard at dawn on February 18, 2012, which was a Saturday; he later managed to photograph it at night while travelling with a ranger in a car.

He pointed out that the Javan leopard was an endangered species because there were only about 250 of them left worldwide, with only about 7-10 in Baluran National Park.

The wildlife photographer, who has explored 33 national parks in Java and Bali, said that the leopard whose picture he had taken was 1.8 metres long from head to tail.

"I think the animal was about two-and-a-half years old when I spotted it at the Baluran evergreen area, some 4.7 km east of Bekol in Situbondo," Nurdin stated.

He noted that due to population growth, agricultural expansion and uncontrolled poaching, the population of Javan leopards is threatened by loss of habitat, which will eventually lead to their extinction.

Therefore, according to Nurdin, an overall effort should be made to protect these animals from extinction, including the enforcement of strict hunting laws.

Interestingly, the Javan leopard has also become a symbol of friendship between the people of Indonesia and Germany, and Berlin`s Tierpark is the only zoo which keeps the animal.

On January 16, 2012, two Javan leopard cubs - a male and a female - were born to their mother Shinta and father Wuppi in Tierpark zoo. The local community greeted their birth enthusiastically.

In a press conference before dozens of local newsmen, the Indonesian Ambassador to Germany, Eddy Pratomo, gave them traditional names: the female cub was named "Srikandi" and the male, "Arjuna."

The 6-year-old Shinta, the mother of Srikandi and Arjuna, was born in Taman Safari Indonesia, while Wuppi, 18, was raised in Wupertal, Germany.

According to Eddy Pratomo, the birth of the Javan leopard cubs was met with great enthusiasm from the German people, especially the citizens of Berlin.

"Even before the press conference on the birth of the Javan leopards, the German media had begun to publicise it," Eddy Pratomo observed.

He also appealed to the German people to love the rare animals as a symbol of friendship and goodwill between Indonesia and Germany.

"It also adds a note of happiness for the 60th anniversary of Indonesian-German relations this year," he said, adding that the successful breeding of the Javan leopard was an achievement of cooperation between Tierpark Berlin and Taman Safari Indonesia since 2010.

As part of this cooperation, Tierpark Berlin had lent a jaguar and a giraffe to Taman Safari Indonesia, which reciprocated by lending a pair of Javan leopards to Tierpark.

In addition to the Javan leopards, Tierpark Berlin also keeps a pair of Sumatran tigers and Sumatran elephants.

Several national parks on Java Island are said to keep Javan leopards, from Ujung Kulon on the tip of West Java to Alas Purwo on the tip of East Java, but because of habitat loss, their population is now unknown.

Wildlife Extra News has reported on its official website, www.wildlifeextra.com, that a rare Javan leopard was released back into the wild in June 2009, almost a year after it was found trapped in West Java.

The website stated that a team comprising members from the UK charity International Animal Rescue (IAR) and the Animal Sanctuary Trust Indonesia (ASTI) rescued the highly endangered animal, which they named "Aceng," and restored it to health.

Finally, on June 18, 2009 - almost 10 months after he was rescued - Aceng began his journey back to freedom in the wild.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR)

Editor: Priyambodo RH

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Philippines: Whale, dolphin strandings increase

WWF-Philippines Malaya Business Insight 25 May 12;

This summer, don’t panic if you see a dolphin or whale stranded on the beach.

Call the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) and the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines or local authorities.

“WWF-Philippines alone has a 25,000-strong following on Facebook and pools volunteer experts from a wide range of disciplines to accomplish conservation goals,” Pagaduan, WWF-Philippines Hamilo Coast Project Manager. “We’re just a Facebook message or a text away.”

According to WWF-Philippines, cetacean strandings are increasing; in response, it conducts workshops on what to do during the strandings.

Cetaceans include all whale, dolphin and porpoise species, divided by type. Odontocetes or toothed whales feed primarily on fish and squid. Mysticetes or baleen whales have fringed strips of hair-like plates in place of teeth and feed primarily on plankton, krill and tiny fish.

Twenty eight – a full third of all known species – have been recorded in Philippine waters as of 2012.

Each year, thousands of cetacean strandings are reported worldwide. Some die at sea and wash ashore, while others become trapped in shallow water. Left unaided, many die within a day or two.

About a dozen stranding events are reported in the Philippines yearly, most occurring during the amihan or northeastern monsoon from November to March when strong winds generate stronger-than-usual currents.

“Our priority should be to return stranded cetaceans to their natural habitats as soon as possible,” says WWF-Philippines Vice-Chair and CEO Lory Tan.

Cetacean strandings are caused by the presence or a lack of food, predators, stress, injuries, disease, pollution, rough seas, tidal fluctuations, undersea quakes, seismic testing, blast fishing or the disruption of magnetic fields used by some cetaceans for navigation.

In December 2009, a stranded 29-foot Bryde’s Whale (Baleanoptera edeni) was towed and set-free by locals in nearby Barangay Calayo, Nasugbu.

Earlier, in February 2009, 300 Melon-headed Whales (Peponocephala electra) were stranded off Pilar and Orion towns in Bataan, in the largest recorded stranding event in Philippine history. Three of the whales died but the majority were herded to deeper waters by volunteers.

The next month, in Odiongan, Romblon, another pod of 100 Melon-headed Whales was ushered back to deeper waters.

Recently, WWF-Philippines conducted a two-day rescue workshop at Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas. Over 40 staff members and officers of Hamilo Coast underwent classroom and field sessions on cetacean biology, identification, threats, conservation and actual rescue techniques.

“WWF conducts these workshops so local leaders know just what to do,” explains Tan, author of the multi-awarded book, “A Field Guide to Whales and Dolphins in the Philippines”.

“Few Filipinos realize that whales are found right here in the Philippines,” says Pagaduan. “Training local residents to rescue cetaceans far more than ensures the safety of stranded whales and dolphins – it cultivates their natural sense of stewardship.”

Since 2007, Hamilo Coast has been working closely with WWF to restore and protect the degraded coastlines and marine resources of Nasugbu, Batangas. The 8,000-hectare eco-tourism project has fused tourism with sustainable land development by balancing conservation and land conversion.

“When I was young, beached dolphins used to be slaughtered for meat,” recounts Zaldy Flores, Hamilo Coast Security Officer and a resident of Barangay Calayo. “The skills shared by WWF have given us both the competence and confidence to deal with future strandings. We’re now ready to rescue all stranded whales and dolphins in Nasugbu.”

“You don’t have to be a doctor or a vet to save lives,” dolphin mural painter AG Saño points out.

“Jessie De Los Reyes, a Bantay Dagat or Sea Patrol volunteer based in Calatagan, Batangas, was able to rescue and release hundreds of sea turtles, dolphins, sharks and even a large whale because he attended a workshop like this. If one person can do this, imagine what can happen if all 40 people here emulate him.”

Saño, Tan, Pagaduan, Marlyn Santiago, Vanessa Vergara, Joanne Arnaldo and Gregg Yan conducted the Cetacean rescue training.

Since 1997, WWF has been collaborating with leading Filipino marine mammal experts and conservationists to conduct marine mammal training programs with local governments, coastal communities and private sector allies.

“All Filipinos can do their part,” says Saño. “When at the beach, throw your trash in bins. Here and abroad, never order whale or dolphin meat. Finally, we call on everyone to boycott dolphin shows. If you love dolphins, then please watch them in the wild. Palawan, Bohol, the Tañon Strait and the Davao Gulf are excellent places to see them in their natural element.”

To schedule a cetacean stranding workshop, email: kkp@wwf.org.ph.

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Thai government urged to protect Irrawaddy Dolphins in Songkla Lake

Thai News Agency The Nation 25 May 12;

A Songkhla-based Irrawaddy Dolphin conservation club and concerned officials have urged government agencies to come up with proper conservation measures for the critically endangered species in the Songkhla Lake, Thai News Agency reported Thursday.

Uthai Yordchan, president of Ban Laem Hat Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation Club, together with the Songkhla Farmers Council and its members submitted a letter to the agriculture and cooperatives minister and the natural resources and environment minister via Songklha Governor Grisada Boonrach.

The club called on the government agencies to enact measures to resolve problems related to the dying-out of the species in Songkhla Lake and to conserve the dolphins as well as urgently resolve fishing activities related to the netting of Mekong Giant Catfish in the Irrawaddy Dolphin conservation zone in Songkhla Lake.

Irrawaddy dolphins are considered as one of the five most valuable natural resources and are equally valuable to residents of the Songkhla Lake Basin, the group explained.

In April and May this year, about seven Irrawaddy dolphins were found dead. They had been netted together with the Mekong Giant Catfish.

The remaining dolphins inhabiting Songkhla Lake were thus endangered and at high risk of extinction in the near future.

An estimated 30 Irrawaddy dolphins currently inhabit Songkhla Lake, according to Santi Ninwat, professional fisheries biologist at the Songkhla-based Thailand Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre.

Thai's Irrawaddy Dolphins At Risk Of Extinction
Bernama 25 May 12;

SONGKHLA, May 25 (Bernama) -- A Songkhla-based Irrawaddy Dolphin conservation club and concerned officials on Thursday urged relevant government agencies to determine proper conservation measures for the critically endangered dolphins in the Songkhla Lake.

Uthai Yordchan, president of Ban Laem Hat Irrawaddy Dolphin Conservation Club together with Songkhla Farmers Council members submitted a letter to the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister and the Natural Resources and Environment Minister via Songklha Governor Grisada Boonrach.

The club called on government agencies to take steps to resolve risk factors related to the extinction of the dolphins in Songkhla Lake and to find ways to conserve the dolphins, Thai news agency reported.

Irrawaddy dolphins are considered a valuable natural resource among residents in the Songkhla Lake Basin, the group explained.

In April and May this year, local fishermen found seven dead dolphins in the Irrawaddy Dolphin conservation zone in Songkhla Lake.

The club said that the remaining dolphins in Songkhla Lake are endangered and at high risk of extinction in the near future.

Santi Ninwat, a fisheries biologist at the Songkhla-based Thailand Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre, said an estimated 30 Irrawaddy dolphins currently inhabit the Songkhla Lake.

-- BERNAMA

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