Indonesia: Mangrove forest planted as tsunami shield

Fred Pearce New Scientist 17 Dec 14;

THE worst tsunami on record hit South-East Asia on 26 December 10 years ago, killing more than 227,000 people in total. I recently toured villages on the west coast of Aceh, the Indonesian province that bore the brunt of the impact, where 167,000 lost their lives when a 20-metre wave crashed ashore that morning. I also saw the results of heavy mangrove reforestation since the tsunami.

Can replanting mangrove forests on tropical coastlines really protect communities from the immense destruction of a tsunami such as the Indian Ocean killer wave that struck 10 years ago?

My guide was environmental scientist Agus Halim whose wife and two children died in the disaster. He helped mastermind ecological reconstruction of the damaged coastlines for the Indonesian government, and was clear in his answer. "They are very important for protecting coastal areas, because they can absorb wave energy," he says. And, thanks to the thousands of hectares of mangroves planted round Aceh since the tsunami, next time they would do the job – or at least, that's the hope.

The tsunami was caused by an earthquake just offshore. In the fishing village of Keude Unga, an old man in a cafe told me that the wave was higher than the trees. "Every building in the village was destroyed. The only people who survived were those who ran for the hills," he says. In some of the villages, nobody survived.

Nothing could have prevented massive destruction, nor stopped the permanent sea invasion that followed. The quake caused widespread land subsidence that shifted the shoreline inland by up to 800 metres and left the sites of villages, such as nearby Gle Jong, permanently submerged.

There is growing evidence that even under such extreme circumstances, mangroves' dense root and branch networks could help dissipate tsunamis, reducing their devastation.

Some early claims for the protective effects of mangrove forests in 2004 have been debunked as statistically unreliable, because there are too many variables to allow easy conclusions, such as difference in beach slopes or coast angles (Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, doi.org/bvd8ms).

But others are more robust, says Halim. A study found villages behind mangroves survived best (Science, doi.org/b564c7). And detailed analysis of satellite images of the west coast of Aceh by Juan Carlos Laso Bayas of the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany, suggests that forests in front of settlements resulted in 8 per cent fewer casualties during the tsunami (PNAS, doi.org/c6wrbg).

That figure sounds modest, but it represents perhaps 10,000 lives. And it could be conservative. Experiments by Tetsuya Hiraishi and Kenji Harada of Kyoto University, Japan, showed that a 100-metre belt of dense mangroves could reduce the destructive energy of a tsunami by as much as 90 per cent.

The tragedy is that, as in many places across the tropics, most of Aceh's mangroves had been uprooted before the tsunami, to make way for shrimp ponds.

Since 2004, many NGOs have tried to replant the trees. Perhaps the most successful has been the Green Coast project supervised by Halim and run by two NGOs based in the Netherlands, Wetlands International and Oxfam Novib. In return for planting trees, survivors were offered collateral-free loans to help start post-tsunami businesses in their villages. Wetlands International agreed to write off the debts if 75 per cent of the trees survived for two years. This was critical for the project's success, says Wetlands' Indonesian director Nyoman Suryadiputra.

That target was achieved almost everywhere. Close to 2 million trees have been planted around 70 villages. This included mangroves on mud, and fast-growing native casuarina pines on sandy areas.

The foreign aid groups left Aceh five years ago. Most of the projects started with Green Coast credit, including cafes, fishing boats and cattle-rearing farms, are doing well. Life is returning to normal. There seems to be a baby boom. Halim married again and has a child. We watched the boy play in the sand as we ate lunch at a beachside restaurant.

The science, reiterated in a UN report on mangroves in September, suggests the villagers of Aceh can be reassured that the trees will provide some protection from the ocean. But if they ever hear the roar of an approaching tsunami again, they should head for the hills as fast as they can.

Fred Pearce's trip to Aceh was funded by Wetlands International

This article appeared in print under the headline "Ten years after the tsunami"

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EU ministers set 2015 fishing quotas; campaigners say still too high

Reuters Yahoo News 17 Dec 14;

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union fisheries ministers agreed on Tuesday night to new catch quotas for next year, but environmental groups said the limits were still too high and would fail to end decades of overfishing.

The agreement was the first time ministers set catch levels on the basis of scientific advice in line with a new fisheries policy agreed last year, however not all the recommendations were followed.

While the quotas for mackerel and herring were reduced, cod and sole catches were kept at the same level or not cut by nearly as much as scientists had suggested.

Ministers also agreed to end the controversial practice of throwing unwanted fish back into the sea. From 2015, fishermen will have to keep all unwanted catches on board and count them towards their quotas.

Under the reformed common fisheries policy the EU committed to putting all fish stocks on a sustainable footing by 2015 where possible, or 2020 at the latest.

"We have succeeded in increasing the number of stocks that are now managed at sustainable levels," said Maritime Affairs Commissioner Karmenu Vella.

Where ministers ignored scientific advice, they were asked to show how the original proposal would have jeopardized the social and economic sustainability of the fishing fleets involved.

Environmental campaigners said the ministers had ignored the scientists too often and had given no evidence of a plan to end overfishing in the near future.

"Although catches will be reduced for several stocks, it is totally unjustifiable that fisheries ministers ignored 56 percent of the scientific advice," said Lasse Gustavsson, executive director of conservation group Oceana.

For example, ministers agreed a 5 percent increase in the total allowable catches for North Sea cod whereas scientists had advised a 20 percent cut, according to Pew, a scientific organization.

"Fish stocks and fishing communities are put at risk when ministers disregard the agreed policy and continue to legislate overfishing," said Uta Bellion, director of Pew's European marine program.

Ministers also ignored a recommended 60 percent cut to catches of Eastern Channel sole, opting instead for a 28 percent reduction.

The new catches will apply from Jan. 1.

(Reporting by Julia Fioretti; Editing by Crispian Balmer)

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Microplastic deposits found deep in world's oceans and seas

Study of 12 sites concludes that deep sea sediments are acting as a sink for substantial quantities tiny pieces of plastic

Adam Vaughan The Guardian 17 Dec 14;

Scientists believe they have solved the mystery of where tens of thousands of tonnes of missing tiny pieces of plastic are ending up – and the answer lies in the mud and sand on the ocean floor.

Researchers have previously been puzzled by why they found much less plastic on the ocean surface than they expected, but a study by a British and Spanish team concludes that deep sea sediments are acting as a sink for such “microplastics”.

Analysing samples from 12 sites in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean taken between 2001 and 2012, they found for the first time that substantial quantities of microplastics – which measure less than 1mm in length – had accumulated in deep sea sediment.

The tiny fibres were found at depths from 300m down at the shallowest in the Mediterranean to over 3,000m deep, at volumes 1,000 times higher than those at the surface of the sea.

Prof Lucy Woodall, of the Natural History Museum in London and the paper’s lead author, said: “This is the tip of the iceberg. Fibres are ubiquitous in our oceans and they do appear to be quite abundant in comparison with similar studies that have looked at similar things. The fundamental message of the paper is really quite simple: they’re there. Now we need to find out what the impacts are on our environment.”

A study earlier this month, the most comprehensive of its kind so far, estimated there are more than 5tn pieces of plastic in the world’s oceans, weighing nearly 269,000 tonnes. But the authors, who collected tens of thousands of pieces of plastic and then extrapolated that to model how many would be found worldwide, cautioned that the amount was just 0.1% of annual global plastic production.

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The new work sampling deep sea sediments, published in the Royal Society Open Science journal on Wednesday, found pieces of plastic that were commonly 2–3 mm in length and less than 0.1 mm in diameter.

“The prevalence of plastic microfibres in all sediment cores and on all coral colonies examined suggests this contaminant is ubiquitous in the deep sea. Furthermore, the wide variety of polymer types detected reveals that the accumulation and deposition of microfibres in the deep sea is complex and that they arise from a variety of domestic and industrial sources,” the study said.

Woodall added: “Pretty much everything [is a potential source for what we found]. Just look around in our environment, our computers have plastic, our bags have, our cups have. All those things can potentially end up in the ocean, so to pinpoint any particular source is just not possible.”

The abundance of plastic at such depths has potentially negative ramifications for marine life, though the study says more research is needed. “A range of organisms are known to ingest microplastics, and there is concern this could result in physical and/or toxicological harm,” the authors warn.

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Best of our wild blogs: 17 Dec 14

Birdwatching in Bidadari - Local residents ( December 2014)
from Rojak Librarian

Pollination of Golden Penda flowers by insects
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Hunting is a greater threat than logging for most wildlife in Borneo
from Mongabay.com news by Brittany Stewart

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Malaysia: 20 more protected areas in the works, says Adenan

YU JI The Star 17 Dec 14;

KUCHING: Another 20 protected areas will be created here in a bid to reverse habitat degradation, and the state is mulling over a proposal to arm more environmental agencies.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem said he planned to increase the number of national parks, nature reserves and animal sanctuaries in the state.

“We must remember that while Sarawak belongs to us, it also belongs to the monkeys, the rusa (deer)... they have been here much longer than we have,” he said.

“They have no members in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly. They can’t speak for themselves, so human beings must speak for them, okay?”

The authorities had in the past underestimated the scale of illegal logging, he said at the sixth biennial Chief Minister’s Environmental Award ceremony here on Monday.

The state currently has 30 national parks, six wildlife sanctuaries and eight nature reserves, according to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation.

These encompass about 593,000ha of land (not including 206,000ha of protected bodies of water) in a state that is 12.4 million hectares in size.

It is possible that some of the new areas to be protected will be extensions to existing ones such as the Kubah National Park, where an adjoining section was damaged by illegal logging recently.

The last time a national park was extended was in May last year at Pulong Tau, near Miri, while the latest national park was Sampadi, gazetted in December 2010.

Adenan said the state government was also considering a proposal by the Natural Resources and Environment Board to provide its personnel with firearms.

Sarawak recently approved the arming of 50 Forest Department officers.

“If it is effective, why not so that we can have better enforcement?” he said.

He said Malaysians had seen more than enough environmental destruction to know that the country had a poor reputation for protecting its natural habitats.

He cited last month’s deadly Cameron Highlands landslide and 2010’s Rejang River logjam as some examples.

He said the youth tend to care more about the environment but often feel powerless to effect change.

“Some might say, what can I do? I can only do small things. Well, we can do our own little bit, start our own small ripple, and then this will turn into a wave,” he said.

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Indonesia lax when illegal loggers clear forests for palm plantations

Chris Arsenault PlanetArk 17 Dec 14;

A drop in world palm oil prices is not expected to slow illegal logging in Indonesia's rainforests as companies continue to expand plantations, according to a new report.

Between 1990 and 2010, Indonesia's palm oil plantations grew more than seven-fold to 7.8 million hectares, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) said in the report released on Tuesday.

About half the new plantations used land once occupied by natural forests, making the palm oil industry the leading driver of deforestation in recent years.

Much of the land is cleared without the proper permits, and local authorities have failed to enforce laws protecting forests from clear-cutting for plantations, the report said.

"The most depressing thing is the degree to which the government allows these crimes to go unpunished," Jago Wadley, the EIA's senior forest campaigner, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Indonesia is the world's largest palm oil producer.

Many of the archipelago's plantations are evading Indonesia's Timber Legality Verification System, legislation enacted in 2010 to stop the flow of illegal timber, the report said.

Indonesia's government aims eventually to expand palm oil production to cover 20 million hectares, so the problem of illegal logging to clear land could intensify.

The government acknowledges the problem of widespread illegal logging.

Last month newly inaugurated President Joko Widodo said: "It (illegal logging) must be stopped. We mustn't allow our tropical rainforest to disappear because of monoculture plantations like oil palm."

Corruption among local police helps drive environmental impunity, according to the report.

More than 1,000 land-related conflicts are under way across Indonesia, Wadley said, with rainforest residents often squaring off against palm oil plantation operators or illegal loggers.

(Editing by Tim Pearce)

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Back to the future: Scientists want 'rewilded' crops to boost agriculture

Chris Arsenault, Reuters Yahoo News 16 Dec 14;

ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Scientists should "re-wild" food crops by inserting lost genetic properties of ancient, edible plants in order to boost agricultural output for a growing population, a new study said.

Important properties of wild plants, including varieties of wheat and rice, have been unintentionally lost during thousands of years of breeding.

When humans first domesticated wheat around 7500 BC, farmers chose to use seeds based on a few selected traits, particularly their yields.

But such decisions, made by generations of farmers, could have weakened the resilience of crops in the face new challenges such as global warming, according to the study published on Tuesday in the journal Trends in Plant Science.

"We estimate that all crops would benefit from re-wilding," Michael Broberg Palmgren, a scientist at the University of Copenhagen and one of the study's authors, wrote in an email.

Re-wilded crops could become more drought tolerant, more resistant to cold, diseases and pests and more efficient in accessing soil nutrients, Palmgren wrote.

The scientists suggest using biotechnology to re-insert desired genes from wild varieties of popular crops into widely consumed strains in order to improve food security.

The plan is less controversial than other Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) as it does not involve the transfer of genes between unrelated organisms, Palmgren said.

Scientists are unsure how much more food could be produced if farmers follows their advice.

But they say that current problems such as climate change, population growth and soil degradation add to the urgency of harnessing the potential of ancient genetic material.

(Reporting By Chris Arsenault; Editing by Ros Russell)

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Parts of Pacific Ocean close to El Nino thresholds: Australia weather bureau

Colin Packham PlanetArk 17 Dec 14;

Surface temperatures of the equatorial Pacific Ocean have exceeded El Nino thresholds for several weeks and there is a greater than 70 percent chance of the weather pattern emerging, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said on Tuesday.

The BOM had earlier projected at least a 70 percent chance of El Nino arriving by February 2015. The weather event occurs every four to 12 years and can trigger drought in some parts of the world while causing flooding in others.

"Typically, after the ocean has exceeded thresholds for an extended period, an El Nino is considered to be underway," the BOM said in a statement.

However, the BOM said trade winds, cloudiness and tropical rainfall, have not shown sustained and widespread patterns consistent with the weather event linked to hot, dry weather.

Japan last week declared an El Nino, marking the first declaration by a major meteorological bureau of the much-feared weather phenomenon, which had been widely expected to emerge this year.

(Editing by Himani Sarkar)

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Best of our wild blogs: 16 Dec 14

Internship position open
from News from Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and We will be officially opened in Apr 2015!

Pond Heron plunge-fishing
from Bird Ecology Study Group

barracuda cant jump @ SBWR - Dec 2014
from sgbeachbum

Article Alert! – Review articles on giant clam ecology
from Neo Mei Lin

AVA takes action on large marine trash washed up at Sungei Buloh
from wild shores of singapore

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Lifeline for offshore marine research unit

Audrey Tan, The Straits Times AsiaOne 16 Dec 14;

Singapore's only marine academic research station has overcome its money woes and found a way to prevent its centre from being shut down.
Its lifeline is a set of cables and water pipes that, when up and running, will provide potable water and electricity from a nearby grid to its offshore facility on St John's Island.

This means that by 2016, the National University of Singapore's Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) will no longer have to pay through its nose for generator maintenance, diesel fuel and fresh water.

"Diesel is expensive, and as seawater is corrosive, it is a nightmare to maintain the generator," said Professor Peter Ng, who stepped down from TMSI's helm in September, after six years as director.

The St John's facility was established in 2002 to study aspects of marine biology such as aquaculture, giant clams, corals and ecotoxicology. TMSI's other centre in the NUS Kent Ridge campus focuses on environmental modelling, climate change and underwater communications, among other things.

But since 2010, the offshore research facility has been beset by rising operating costs, such as running boats to and from the island, security and, most notably, diesel for the lab's generator.

This year, for instance - out of a total institute budget of $1.9 million, operating costs amounted to more than $1.7 million. About half of this was spent on diesel alone. In addition, fresh water had to be trucked in from the mainland by boat, adding to costs.

In January, the St John's laboratory looked set to close its doors for good, as it was unable to cover its operating costs.

Back then, lead researchers had been told by the university not to accept new projects involving the lab, as it was "no longer financially possible or justifiable to continue operations on (St John's Island)".

But there has been a last-minute reprieve.

Professor Ng suggested tapping the output from nearby Kias Island, a reclaimed shoal that could supply power to St John's, Pulau Seringat and Lazarus Island, three linked islands.

Cables had been installed there in 2006 as part of plans to develop the area for high-end resorts or housing, although those plans are now on hold.

The cost of building a sub-station and laying additional cables about 1.5km to 2km in length is high, at $6 million to $8 million.

But in May this year, TMSI was given a lifeline. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), which has a marine aquaculture centre adjacent to TMSI's premises on the island, came on board to help pay for the extension of the cables.

Responding to queries, the AVA confirmed that it will be co-funding the project, and that a tender will be called next year.

Said its spokesman: "The project will help to reduce the utility cost for the facility, which is currently running on generators."

Professor Wong Sek Man, TMSI's new director, stressed why the centre is so important.

"Singapore is a maritime nation, surrounded by water," he said. "It is important to study how factors such as climate change, our intense shipping industry and invasive species could affect our waters."

A coastal facility would aid in this research, as it provides researchers with easy access to oceanic samples, he added.

Prof Wong is a virologist by training and the director of alumni relations and special duties at the NUS Faculty of Science.

One research focus will be the effect of climate change on sea levels and marine organisms.

"With climate change and global warming, ice melting could lead to a rise in water levels," said Prof Wong.

"As ice melting will dilute the salinity of the ocean, there could be changes in the marine ecosystem."

Another key area is green engineering techniques that would allow development and conservation to co-exist.

This includes, for instance, using design or materials to promote biodiversity or coral colonisation when building seawalls, or devising structures to manage the impact of sedimentation during dredging and building works.

Prof Wong added that his background in virology could also help advance Singapore's maritime research.

"Viruses are thought of as something that affects only humans. But in fish farming, for instance, it is easy for such viruses to spread," he noted, adding that this would be a concern for Singapore and local fisheries.

About his successor, Prof Ng said: "Viruses may not be sexy, but it doesn't mean they are not important. Prof Wong is able to bring his expertise to this area of marine research and grow it."

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AVA investigates allegations of animal deaths at cat cafe

EMILIA TAN Today Online 16 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE — Cat cafe Cuddles, which opened at *SCAPE in mid-September, is being investigated by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) over some cat deaths and complaints about its training for staff, among other things.

The allegations are made by some ex-employees of the cafe, who said as many as eight cats have died.

Mr Jonathan Tan, who owns the cafe, confirmed the cat deaths but declined to say how many of the 30 he had bought for the business had died. He left 10 of these cats in his home after the authorities capped the number of cats he could have at the shop at 20.

Mr Tan said the cats died after undergoing sterilisation or had feline infectious peritonitis — a disease caused by a coronavirus that attacks the cells of the intestinal wall and is fatal in more than 95 per cent of cases, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

When contacted, the AVA would only say it is “investigating the various allegations against Cuddles Cafe”.

Dr Jeremy Lee, a veterinary surgeon interviewed by TODAY, said cat deaths arising from sterilisations are quite rare “although we do see complications such as infections of surgical wounds caused by animals licking its wounds”. He said: “The risk of complications also depends on the health status of the cat at the time of the operation — healthy cats are at lower risks of complications.”

Dr Lee added that feline infectious peritonitis is “not as common now as compared to the early days of vet medicine”, noting that he sees an average of one case every three months. “It’s not an infectious disease but it’s fatal most of the time.”

The former staff of Cuddles Cafe also claimed that there was no proper training provided to staff on handling and taking care of cats — something that Mr Tan refuted. One of the ex-employees, who only wanted to be known as KJ, said: “The owner of Cuddles Cafe would just show us YouTube videos of how to shower cats.”

Mr Tan, however, said that his staff are taught how to handle cats, including checking for cats’ comfort level, grooming, showering, cleaning them, as well as how to disinfect their food and water sources, and litter boxes.

The ex-employees also expressed concern over the health of the cats in the cafe as they had had contact with the cats that died before the cafe opened for business.

In response, Mr Tan said that although the cats “lived together at some point before the cafe opened”, the cats in the cafe are all healthy.

“We constantly monitor the cats’ health and their general well-being, and bring them for veterinary attention should they be sick,” he added.

Mr Tan also told TODAY that the interim licence the AVA issued to it for the display of cats expires tomorrow but he has not heard from the authorities about the licence renewal.

Cuddles Cat Cafe owner refutes ex-employee's allegations
Channel NewsAsia 16 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE: The owner of Cuddles Cat Cafe, which is currently facing allegations of multiple cat deaths and complaints about how its staff was trained, has come out to say that the current allegations against his shop are untrue.

The cafe at *SCAPE, which houses a total of 18 felines, is the largest of its kind in Singapore, spanning across 2,500 square metres.

Owner Mr Jonathan Tan said: "We are in the midst of obtaining evidence regarding this situation. We will like to emphasise that the current allegations are not true.

"Ever since we opened the doors for operation, none of the cats have passed away and all the cafe cats are completely healthy. We have started acquiring cats for this business since January this year. The moment we detect that any cat requires medical attention, we will bring them straight to the vet for veterinary attention."

He added that staff are provided training before they join on how to look out for signs and symptoms of medical or behavioural problems in the cats.

Mr Tan said this in response to queries, after Facebook user Emily posted further allegations online in response to a report that said that the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) was investigating the cafe. It was reported that Cuddles was being investigated for the deaths of several cats and complaints about its training for staff, following allegations by former cafe staff.

In her post, Ms Emily - who said that she had worked with Cuddles "short of a month" - alleged that Mr Tan was negligent in his decision making. She added that he had brought kittens to be sterilised before they were sufficiently mature, and reiterated the accusations that no training was given to staff, who were chosen based on their looks over their experience.

"Guys, I'm prepared to give up my life for the cats at the cafe should that happen," wrote Ms Emily. "Even though I've only been with them short of a month, I genuinely love them (the cats) all ... no matter what souvenir claw or bite marks they give."

"Honestly, the staff are the only ones giving these poor kitties love, and I believe they deserve better," she added.

However, Mr Tan disputed Ms Emily's account, issuing a follow-up Facebook post detailing the deaths of seven cats, which died during the span of January to September, before the cafe opened.

On the point that cats were brought for sterilisation before time, he said the three kittens that died during the course of the sterilisation had all been "certified completely healthy for sterilisation in accordance to a vet" and had "no pre-existing medical conditions". The kittens were between four and nine months old.

Dr Christopher Tham, head veterinarian at Jerih Veterinary Clinic, said: "In most cases, the acceptable age still varies, there is still some debate over that. Most of the time, the acceptable age is about four months old.

"They can go through anaesthetics and minor surgical procedure. Weight wise, we want to make sure they are heavy enough, big enough. If they are four months old and they look scrawny and skinny and thin, we will say let's wait a couple of months later before we proceed with any surgery."

As for the other four cats that contracted Feline Infectious Peritonitises (FIP), Mr Tan said it is a "fatal, incurable disease that affects cats". Peak ages for FIP are from six months to two years old, he added, and the four fell in this age range.


While Mr Tan gave his assurance that his cafe adopts the best practices for both his cats and customers, many animal lovers have expressed their anger on the net.

The cafe was closed on Tuesday (Dec 16), a day before his current three-month interim licence expires.

TAKING ALLEGATIONS 'SERIOUSLY': CAT WELFARE SOCIETY

The Cat Welfare Society (CWS) also said it is taking all allegations against Cuddles Cat Cafe and its owner "seriously".

"We have taken these allegations seriously and provided all feedback received to AVA to aid in the investigation," said CWS. "We also hope that AVA investigates the supplier of bred cats to the cafe for its condition, care and sale protocols, which may have contributed to the FIP condition and compromised health."

CWS CEO Ms Joanne Ng said Mr Tan had previously interacted with the society before he opened his store in September.

"We spoke before at a very initial stage and encouraged them to adopt cats. They came to one of our adoption drive and that's it," said Ms Ng. "Thereafter, the public alerted us they listed CWS as partners on their website and we instructed them to remove it. And they did take it down."

CWS has also said that in the event that the cat cafe is closed down, “CWS will offer to help AVA with sterilisation of the cats and help re-home the cats”.

- CNA/av/ek

Cat cafe under AVA investigation confirms seven cat deaths
XUE JIANYUE Today Online 17 Dec 14;

TODAY earlier reported that the cafe, which opened at *SCAPE in mid-September, is being investigated by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) over several cat deaths and complaints about its training for staff, among other things. The allegations were made by some ex-employees of the cafe. Cafe owner Jonathan Tan had earlier confirmed the cat deaths — which occurred after sterilisation or due to feline infectious peritonitis — but declined to say how many had died.

Today, the cafe posted detailed accounts of the seven deaths.

A nine-month old male cat by the name of Cookies, for example, developed a anaphylactic reaction – a serious and rapid allergic reaction that may cause death – to sedation administered before the sterilisation. This was despite the cat being certified completely healthy for sterilisation by a vet, and having no pre-existing medical conditions, said the cafe.

With regards to the FIP infection, the cafe said the infection is a mutation of Feline Enteric Coronavirus (FECV). FECV itself is “very common” especially in places where large groups of cats are kept together, such as animal shelters, the cafe said.

Exposure to FECV often produces no clinical signs and carriers of this virus may pass the infection to another cat. In cats with weak immune systems, such as very young and very old cats, the chances of mutation to FIP – which is fatal and incurable – increases, they said.

Adding that they hope members of public will now be able to evaluate the deaths as fairly as possible, the cafe said: “We love our cats a lot, and we want the best for them. None of us here at Cuddles would want any of our cats to pass away. We have consulted with experienced vets on the topics of sterilisation and Feline Infectious Peritonitises.”

They added: “Nonetheless, we apologise to the public for any upset caused. We understand that there are more publications and rumours being spread. We will do our best to answer each and everyone of these allegations in due time.” 
Investigations are currently underway by the AVA.

Facebook comments made in reaction to the cafe’s statement were largely negative and cafe staff were seen engaging the commenters.

A Facebook user by the name of Zuraidah Banafee was not persuaded by the cafe’s explanation. “We have a number of other cat cafes here, many have been around longer and some new. The fact that Cuddles has been the ONLY one in the news for all the wrong reasons to no end, speaks for itself,” she said.

Another user, Weixing Changprom, criticised the environment the cats were immersed in.

“The cats are just like your little chess pieces to manipulate your business, in all honesty from my experience of 15 years of keeping cats, cats don’t need to be around an environment where tons of strangers come touching them, screaming and laughing at volume detrimental to a cat’s hearing,” he said.

Some users expressed appreciation for the cafe’s detailed explanation. Ms Danella Lim, who described herself as a regular visitor at the cafe, said the cafe had always briefed visitors on how to handle the cats.

“I’m sure no one wants to see another living being die without cause or at least without attempting some form of medical intervention,” she wrote. “Cuddles Cat Cafe has attempted to provide a very detailed explanation as to the reasons why these unfortunate events have occurred yet it is not sufficient for many.”

Animal exhibition license for Cuddles Cat Cafe will not be renewed: AVA
Channel NewsAsia 17 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE: In response to media queries, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said on Wednesday (Dec 17) that it would not be renewing Cuddles Cat Cafe's animal exhibition license, as it is still "investigating the various allegations" against the establishment.

Cafe owner Jonathan Tan, who is the subject of scrutiny for allegations of multiple cat deaths and complaints about staff training, had said earlier that he was putting the business up for sale.

In a Facebook post, Mr Tan said: "After thorough considerations, I believe that in the best interest of our cats, they should be kept together as a family under a new owner. Hence, Cuddles Cat Cafe will be offered up for a business takeover."

He invited interested parties to drop him a message, and thanked everyone who supported and believed in the cafe. "I would have hoped for an opportunity to improve, but circumstances would not allow it. I am truly sorry about everything," he said.

Mr Tan added that he will be "screening the new owners very thoroughly".

In the post, Mr Tan also apologised for the deaths of the seven cats. "Under my care, seven cats died in a one-year time-period – accidents from sterilisation surgery, as well as the fatal FIP disease. My inexperience resulted to these issues. I am very sorry towards Cookies, Puffy, Earl Grey, Munchy, Pumpkin, Foxy and Cream."

- CNA/dl

Owner of cat cafe under AVA investigation writes lengthy apology to public
EMILIA TAN KENING Today Online 17 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE — Cuddles Cat Café owner Jonathan Tan today (Dec 17) publicly addressed the death of seven cats at his establishment and said he is looking for interested parties to do a business takeover.

Mr Tan wrote a lengthy apology on Facebook, “seeking forgiveness from the public, and to express my upmost regret and remorse on the current situation”.

“Under my care, seven cats died in a one year time-period.... My inexperience resulted to these issues,” he admitted.

Mr Tan also addressed other allegations against his business like the health statuses of his 30 cats and the lack of proper training provided to his staff.

“I have been on a learning journey since the opening of the café, and I regretfully admit that there were lapses in the standards in the initial phase of the café,” he said.

He also admitted that some of his cats were sick with Ringworm and Irritable Bowel Syndrome and some ex-employees and other cats had contracted Ringworm as a result.

Although he said he would have liked for an opportunity to improve, “circumstances would not allow it”.

The 30-year-old called for interested parties to do a business takeover, with a wish to keep the remaining cats together as a family under a new owner instead of rehoming them. Mr Tan said he would screening prospective owners “very thoroughly”.

“As a closing note, Cuddles Cat Café hopes that the premises would continue to improve to provide the best possible loving environment for our cats to live and thrive in,” Mr Tan wrote.

Two other posts put up on the café’s Facebook page earlier were harshly rebutted by angry netizens. One commented that Mr Tan was “only interested in the dollars and cents,” more than the welfare of the cats, while others suggested that he should have adopted instead of buying cats for his café.

The café’s license to display animals expires today (Dec 17). Cuddles café’s animal exhibition licence will not be renewed as investigations are still ongoing.

Cuddles Cat Cafe closes but staff volunteer to care for cats
EMILIA TAN Today Online 18 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE — Operations at Cuddles Cat Cafe ceased today (Dec 18) and its staff were told they would no longer be employed there, after the authorities did not renew the cafe’s licence to display animals while they investigated the seven deaths of cats under the owner’s care.

However, even after they were informed by owner Jonathan Tan that the four-month-old cafe was closed, more than 10 employees offered to lend a helping hand and return to the cafe to continue grooming, feeding and taking care of the remaining cats, without expecting to be paid.

Responding to TODAY’s queries about the immediate plans for the cats, an employee who declined to be named said: “People are asking us a lot of questions that we have no answers or control over. We just hope that the cats will not be separated. As staff, we can see the special bonds that the cats have with each other.”

He added: “We are also not worried about our pay because he’s (Jonathan) our boss and I trust him. We’ve been getting our pay very promptly at the end of every month, so I believe that it would be as usual this month.”

Others who worked at the cafe took to social media to express their sadness over the closure.

Ms Claris Pang posted her thoughts on her Twitter account @Thewayiluv: “Even though I’ve been there for a month only, I’ve really enjoyed working there, with my Cuddles family and my babies furballs.”

Ms Hannah Lim tweeted on her account @Lhyhx: “No place can ever replace cuddles. I’ll never feel as happy anywhere else.”

While Mr Tan had previously announced through a Facebook post that he was putting up his business for sale, it is not yet known if the cats would be rehomed or continue living at the cafe under a new owner.

Cat Welfare Society chief executive officer Joanne Ng said in a statement: “We have offered our assistance to Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (in rehoming and sterilisation) and also urge that they ensure that provisions are made for the cats at the cafe and owner’s home under experienced personnel.”

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Singapore Zoo to end elephant rides by January 2015

Channel NewsAsia 15 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE: Starting Jan 5, 2015, elephant rides and other activities where elephants are taken out of their exhibits will cease at the Singapore Zoo.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) on Monday (Dec 15) announced it would be introducing the protected contact elephant management system for the two elephants at Night Safari and eight at the Singapore Zoo. The two attractions will be among the first zoological institutions in Asia to implement the protected contact management system for all elephants in its collection, it added.

The new system, which will take three to five years to be implemented, will require all staff training and interaction with elephants to be conducted through a physical safety barrier. The system will be based on positive reinforcement where animals are motivated by rewards such as food.

Said Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, the Chief Life Sciences Officer at WRS: “The decision to adopt the protected contact management system was made after an internal review by our elephant managers and healthcare experts, who found that this system of management offers a safer work environment for the elephant keepers.

"Importantly, the new system will continue to allow our keepers access to the elephants for their daily care, although separated by a safety barrier.”

Though elephant rides and other activities where elephants are taken out of their exhibits will cease, “visitors to Singapore Zoo will still be able to enjoy the Elephants at Work and Play show, and take part in elephant feeding sessions which happens after each show,” added WRS.

- CNA/ek

Singapore Zoo to cease elephant rides
Today Online 15 Dec 14;

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Zoo will no longer offer elephant rides and other activities where elephants are taken out from their exhibits, from Jan 5.

This is part of a new elephant management system being adopted by Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), which enhances the safety for those working with elephants while ensuring proper animal care and welfare.

However, visitors to Singapore Zoo will still be able to enjoy the Elephants at Work and Play show and take part in elephant feeding sessions which happen after each show for now.

Under the new protected contact management system — which is already in place at zoos elsewhere in the world — all staff training and interaction with elephants will be conducted through a physical safety barrier. The system is based on positive reinforcement where animals are motivated by rewards such as food.

By ceasing programmes involving direct visitor contact with the elephants, the animals will be able to spend more time in the exhibits and to socialise among themselves.

WRS chief life sciences officer Cheng Wen-Haur said in a statement today (Dec 15): “The decision to adopt the protected contact management system was made after an internal review by our elephant managers and healthcare experts, who found that this system of management offers a safer work environment for the elephant keepers. Importantly, the new system will continue to allow our keepers access to the elephants for their daily care, although separated by a safety barrier.”

The Singapore Zoo and Night Safari currently have 10 elephants. The new system will take three to five years to fully implement as it will involve major redesign and construction of the elephant exhibits, back-of-house facilities, re-training of the elephants and elephant keepers.

No more elephant rides at zoo from Jan 5
Tanjeetpal Singh, My Paper AsiaOne 16 Dec 14;

Elephant rides will no longer be offered at the Singapore Zoo from Jan 5.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) is phasing in a new elephant-management system at the Night Safari and zoo over the next few years.

This is to improve the animals' welfare by allowing them to spend more time in the exhibit socialising among themselves.

It will also offer elephant keepers greater safety. A bull elephant gored its keeper in 2001, but no other serious injuries have been reported since.

Under the new management system, all contact with the elephants can take place only while they are in their enclosure. Visitors must stand outside the exhibit's safety barrier.

At present, visitors to the zoo can ride elephants and catch them during special appearances.

Cheng Wen-Haur, chief life sciences officer at WRS, said: "The decision to adopt the protected contact management system was made after an internal review by our elephant managers and health-care experts, who found that this system...offers a safer work environment for the elephant keepers."

Visitors will still be able to see the elephants at the Elephants of Asia exhibit.

"I remember taking the elephant ride when I was five or six. It was an experience which I enjoyed and treasure," said Simon Tang, a 25-year-old sales executive.

"It's sad to think that children will no longer be able to enjoy the rides, although if animal welfare and staff safety will be greatly improved after this, then I think the zoo is doing the right thing."

The new system will take three to five years to implement, and involves major redesign of the exhibits.

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