4 Jun 2017 (Sun): Marine Clean Up and Coral Rescue at Sisters Islands
Sisters' Island Marine Park
Changi five months after the oil spill
wild shores of singapore
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Best of our wild blogs: 17 May 17
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Malaysia: Dugong face risk of food decline
MOHD FARHAAN SHAH The Star 17 May 17;
JOHOR BARU: Johor is in danger of losing its seagrass along the coastline, which will have a negative impact on sea creatures, particularly dugong.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) faculty of geoinformation and real estate researcher Dr Syarifuddin Misbari said Johor was home to at least 12 of the world’s 60 seagrass species.
There is a 20km to 30km stretch in Johor waters where seagrass can be found in abundance, mainly in the eastern and southern parts of the coast.
“Despite the murky waters in the east of Johor, people can still see the seagrass at the Merambong shoal during low tide,” Dr Syarifuddin told The Star.
The Merambong shoal is situated between Johor and Singapore, along the Tebrau Straits near Gelang Patah.
“This area is the biggest seagrass area within Malaysian waters. It is about 2km long with a width of 700m and is home to at least 10 seagrass species,” he said.
He added that various factors, including development, had contributed to the decline in seagrass.
Dr Syarifuddin pointed out that the area is a known hotspot for dugong, a protected animal, as the mammal eats the seagrass there.
“Besides development, other factors include water quality and the presence of boats and heavy vessels along the eastern and southern Johor waters.
“This is also a major factor because the animal is shy and does not like the sound of ships or boats,” he said.
He said a dugong’s diet consists mainly of seagrass and a healthy adult dugong weighing 300kg consumes about 30kg of the plant daily.
“We have been conducting research with a group from Tokyo Metropolitan University in Japan. We have been using satellite images to map dugong sightings in Johor waters for the past four years,” he said.
Dr Syarifuddin added that the state government’s move to establish the Johor Marine Park near Pulau Tinggi and Pulau Sibu off the coast of Mersing was a good one as the water was cleaner, there was no development and heavy vessels did not ply those waters, making it an ideal location for dugong.
“Seagrass is important for our ecology. It is a natural defence to stop erosion around mangroves and is a natural habitat for dugong, sea turtles and other sea creatures.
“We will give our research results to the authorities in the hope of creating awareness of the importance of seagrass conservation.
“It will also help in the conservation of dugong in our waters,” he said.
It was reported that the carcass of an adult dugong was found at Pulau Tinggi near Mersing on April 21.
The state government is in the process of gazetting the area as a dugong sanctuary.
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Malaysia: Population of coral reefs and fishes in marine park increases
The Star 17 May 17;
ISKANDAR PUTERI: The population of coral reefs and fishes in the Sultan Iskandar Marine Park has increased by 30% following the state’s efforts to place artificial reefs in the sea.
Johor Health, Environment, Information and Education Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the artificial reefs were placed in the sea near the park’s waters as a long-term effort to counter the depleting fish supply there.
The artificial reefs were also an alternative to replace natural coral reefs as a breeding habitat for marine life, he said at the state assembly sitting in Kota Iskandar.
“Our efforts brought an increase in marine life as observed in April,” he said in reply to Abd Razak Minhat (BN-Serom) who wanted to know what the state has done to make the marine park a biodiversity icon in Johor.
Ayub said the state, through natural heritage preservation efforts under its Johor Sustainability Policy, gave priority to looking after the marine park as it is also a tourist attraction.
He said other efforts to care for marine life in Johor included gazetting a dugong sanctuary in the Sibu Islands, and which wasundergoing gazetting and zoning process.
On another matter, Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohamad said about 150 high-performing bumiputra contractors have been shortlisted to take part in the Gemas-Johor Baru Electrified Double Tracking Project.
He said the list was made by the Johor Centre for Contractor Development (JCCD) after reviewing the eligibility of the contractors according to the Transport Ministry’s criteria.
He said JCCD’s contractor development programme enables Johor contractors to be in the running for this project, which helps to ensure that the bumiputra status quo of the development is met.
“The terms of the double-tracking project states that 50% of the contract value must be subcontracted to local contractors and from the percentage, 30% has to be bumiputra contractors,” he said.
He added that the Federal government awarded the project to China company CRCC CREC CCC Consortium Sdn Bhd (Consortium 3C) in November 2016.
Hasni said Johor had informed the Transport Ministry about the need to form a committee, led by the ministry, to oversee the subcontract acquisition and work conducted.
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Indonesia: Forestry Ministry hopes no forest fire this year
Antara 16 May 17;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) said it hopes that this year there would be no forest fire in Indonesia.
Forest fires have left a scene of destruction almost every year in a number of Indonesian regions such as Riau, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.
Secretary General of KLHK Bambang Hendroyono said the government has issued a regulation PP No 57/2016 revising PP No 71/2014 on protection and Management of Peat Ecosystem after the devastating forest fire in 2015.
"We want to be better than in 2016, when forest and bush fires were reduced up to 20 percent," Bambang said addressing "Global Peatlands Initiative" here on Monday, adding more effective measures have been made to prevent forest fires in 2017.
He said Indonesia, which has around 15 million hectares of peatlands or around 12 percent of its total land territory, could keep around 6 tons of carbon per meter.
Therefore, the government has established the Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG) in 2016 to be in charge of restoring around 2 million hectares of degraded peat lands in five years.
The ministry has set a target that in 2017 the agency could restore the condition of 400,000 hectares of damaged peatlands or 20 percent of the target for five years.
The Indonesian government already taken steps toward protection, restoration and management of peatlands such as by issuing regulation PP No 57 of 2016 banning the exploitation of peatlands until the ecosystem has been fully resorted, drying and burning peatlands and any activities that would reduce the water surface.
Bambang said there are four methods of restoring damaged peat ecosystem as outlined in PP 57/2016 -- natural successions, rehabilitation or replanting of areas having protective function or cultivation function in line with local wisdom, building water pools to maintain the level of the surface of ground water.
"These methods are important to ensure the restoration of 400,000 hectares peat ecosystem set for this year. One of the targets of BRG is canal blocking , building water pools to keep the humidity in the concession area " Bambang said.(*)
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Indonesia becomes global model for peatland restoration: UNEP
Antara 16 May 17;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia is the worlds model for restoring peatlands, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Taking into account the importance of tropical peat protection and restoration, the UNEP had launched the Global Peatland Initiatives (GPI) along with member countries that have peatlands, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Peru, and Indonesia.
The GPI was launched at the 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Morocco.
"The GPI is a foundation that allows Indonesia to serve as an example in the efforts to restore peatlands and lowland landscapes where peat domes are located," Tim Christophersen, UNEPs Senior Programme Officer, Forests and Climate Change, stated here on Monday (May 15).
Christophersen made the statement at the second meeting of GPI partners that was also attended by the representatives of the three countries, UN agencies, donors, universities, as well as civil societies.
The meeting aimed at updating global peatland-related databases and compiling sustainable peatland management experiences and peat restoration strategies.
Indonesia is considered to be the most compliant country for the Paris COP21, as it has become the first nation to conduct massive peat restoration activities and is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to one giga ton.
On the same occasion, Head of the Peat Restoration Agency Nazir Foead expected that the GPI would open great opportunities for the agency to share its experiences and take a cue from other countries on the protection and recovery of peat ecosystems appropriately, effectively, and efficiently.
"We are the most progressive country in terms of the policies to manage peatland areas. Other countries will be looking at Indonesia on how we are implementing conservation policies and arrangement points under the supervision of the UNEP," he noted.
According to the UNEP, peatland-related issues stem from the limitations and lack of knowledge of the importance of peat ecosystems to protect the global climate.
Consequently, peatlands, which are a vulnerable ecosystem with rich biodiversity, tend to be converted into cultivated concession areas through massive peat drainage.
Such land use policy is certainly inappropriate. Hence, the governments of several countries having large peatlands need to adopt firm measures to protect these areas, as it is also in line with the Paris Agreement.(*)
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Chinese appetite for totoaba fish bladder kills off rare porpoise
Only 30 vaquita are left in Gulf of California as pirate fishermen net them when fishing for highly valued totoaba maws
Damian Carrington The Guardian 16 May 17;
The world’s rarest marine mammal is on the verge of extinction due to the continuing illegal demand in China for a valuable fish organ, an undercover investigation has revealed.
There are no more than 30 vaquita – a five-foot porpoise – left in the northern Gulf of California today and they could be extinct within months, conservationists have warned. The population has been all but eradicated by pirate fishermen catching the large totoaba fish and killing the vaquita in the process.
The totoaba, which is itself highly endangered, is caught for its swim bladders which are smuggled to China for sale on the black market. Undercover investigators found the swim bladders, called maws, for sale in Shantou in Guandong province, at an average price of $20,000 per kilogram. The cost has led to the maws being dubbed “aquatic cocaine”.
“The demand is still strong and stable – it is not going down – and prices are climbing again,” said Andrea Crosta, from the Elephant Action League, an intelligence-led group now targeting all wildlife crime and which conducted the totoaba investigation.
“Because it is very expensive, it remains a product for wealthy people,” he said. “The law enforcement is very weak because it is not top priority and probably because it involves rich and powerful people.”
One trader in the illegal maws told the investigators: “When the government comes to check, they call and inform us earlier and we will hide them when they come.” However, the trade is less open than it once was. Chinese buyers of maws prefer those from domestic waters but these are exceedingly rare now, having been intensively fished for many decades.
The demand for totoaba maws is driven by its use as a business gift, investment or wedding dowry, as well as its supposed medicinal benefits, the investigation found.
The fish are captured in gillnets, which the Mexican government has banned although illegal fishing persists. The ban will expire at the end of May and the conservation group WWF called on Tuesday for Mexico to introduce and enforce a permanent ban on all gillnets.
“Time is rapidly running out for the vaquita – we could tragically lose [it] in a matter of months,” said WWF’s Chris Gee. “The last hope for the species is the Mexican government immediately putting in place and properly enforcing a permanent ban.”
The WWF is also urging the Chinese and US governments to collaborate with Mexico to intercept and halt the illegal transport and sale of totoaba maws, which are thought to be moved via drug-smuggling routes or hidden in legal fish products.
In 2015, Mexico’s federal environment agency Profepa revealed the totoaba maws were more valuable than cocaine in the country, with a kilogram selling for the same as 1.5kg of the drug. The price uncovered by EAL investigators make the swim bladders 10 times more valuable than caviar and 30 times more than elephant ivory.
With the extinction of the vaquita looming, an $4m emergency plan is being put in place to round up a few individuals, with the help of US navy-trained dolphins, and place them in a sanctuary. However, capturing vaquita has not been attempted before, meaning the success of the plan is uncertain.
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38 million pieces of plastic waste found on uninhabited South Pacific island
Henderson Island, part of the Pitcairn group, is covered by 18 tonnes of plastic – the highest density of anthropogenic debris recorded anywhere in the world
Elle Hunt The Guardian 16 May 17;
One of the world’s most remote places, an uninhabited coral atoll, is also one of its most polluted.
Henderson Island, a tiny landmass in the eastern South Pacific, has been found by marine scientists to have the highest density of anthropogenic debris recorded anywhere in the world, with 99.8% of the pollution plastic.
The nearly 18 tonnes of plastic piling up on an island that is otherwise mostly untouched by humans have been pointed to as evidence of the catastrophic, “grotesque” extent of marine plastic pollution.
Nearly 38m pieces of plastic were estimated to be on Henderson by researchers from the University of Tasmania and the UK’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, weighing a combined 17.6 tonnes.
The majority of the debris – approximately 68% – was not even visible, with as many as 4,500 items per square metre buried to a depth of 10cm. About 13,000 new items were washing up daily.
Jennifer Lavers, of the University of Tasmania’s institute for marine and antarctic studies, told the Guardian the sheer volume of plastic pollution on Henderson had defied her expectations.
“I’ve travelled to some of the most far-flung islands in the world and regardless of where I’ve gone, in what year, and in what area of the ocean, the story is generally the same: the beaches are littered with evidence of human activity ...
“However, my thought was the remarkable remoteness of Henderson Island would have afforded it some protection. I was totally wrong.
“The quantity left me speechless and that’s why I went to such pains to document it in such detail.”
Lavers found hundreds of crabs living in rubbish such as bottle caps and cosmetics jars, and has been told of one living inside a doll’s head.
“From the looks on people’s faces, it was quite grotesque,” she said. “That was how I felt about all these crabs – we are not providing them a home, this is not a benefit to them.
“This plastic is old, it’s brittle, it’s sharp, it’s toxic. It was really quite tragic seeing these gorgeous crabs scuttling about, living in our waste.”
The largest of the four islands of the Pitcairn Island group, Henderson Island is a Unesco World Heritage Listed site and one of the few atolls in the world whose ecology has been practically untouched by humans.
The island exhibits remarkable biological diversity given it covers only 3,700 hectares, with 10 endemic species of plant and four land bird species. Its isolation had, until recently, afforded it protection from most human activities.
Lavers said her findings had proved to her nowhere was safe from plastic pollution. “All corners of the globe are already being impacted.”
Like seabirds and turtles, remote islands serve as sentinels for the health of the wider marine ecosystem, “acting like a sieve or a trap, filtering out the ocean”, she said.
The state of Henderson – “the most polluted, most remote island in the whole world” – was indicative of the extent of the problem, and the “absolutely mind-boggling” rate at which plastic was being produced globally.
The 17.6 tonnes of plastic on Henderson accounted for only 1.98 seconds’ worth of annual production, found the paper – co-written by Lavers with Alexander Bond – published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday.
“Across the board, no country got a free pass on this – we found bottles from Germany, containers from Canada, I think it was a fishing crate from New Zealand. What that says is we all have a responsibility in this, and we have to sit up and pay attention to that.”
The threat to biodiversity posed by plastic debris has come under increased scrutiny as findings reveal the extent of the problem, with millions of tonnes ending up in the ocean every year.
In February, scientists reported “extraordinary” levels of toxic pollution in the Mariana trench, with plastic waste facilitating the spread of industrial chemicals to one of the most remote and inaccessible places on the planet.
At the world oceans summit in early March, Indonesia pledged to put up to $1bn a year towards reducing plastic and other waste products polluting its waters, setting a goal of a 70% reduction in marine waste within eight years.
Laver said individuals and governments had a part to play in reducing the amount of plastic polluting the world’s oceans, but the key was urgency.
“For me, marine plastic pollution is the new climate change, but I would like for us to not make the same mistakes. We’ve been arguing about climate change, and whether it exists and what is changing, for the better part of 40 years ...
“Let’s not wait for more science. Let’s not debate it. The rate of plastic in our oceans is absolutely phenomenal, and we need to do something now.”
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Thirst for bottled water growing in Singapore
Consumers spent $134 million on it in 2015, but health benefits are not proven
ABIGAIL NG, THE STRAITS TIMES New Paper 16 May 17;
Getting clean water in Singapore is as easy as turning on the tap, yet retail outlets are awash with brands of bottled water.
Data from research firm Euro-monitor International showed that the thirst for bottled water is growing here. Consumers spent $134 million on it in 2015 - nearly 24 per cent more than in 2010.
At least 12 brands of bottled water are sold here, and more have recently been added to the shelves, with two brands of alkaline water introduced at Sheng Siong last year.
Alkaline water has higher than usual pH levels and is touted to have health benefits, though these are not proven.
As brands come up with new ways to make their products stand out, the question is: Do their marketing claims hold water? And ultimately, should one be drinking bottled water at all?
Experts said there are differences in the sources and treatment processes, but it is difficult to say if one is better than another.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) regulates the import of bottled water and, based on the source of the water and the way it was treated, classifies brands into five types - natural mineral water, packaged drinking water, mineralised drinking water, distilled water and spring water.
Dr Wuang Shy Chyi, domain lead for water technology at Temasek Polytechnic's School of Applied Science, said each type of water comes with its own set of claims.
For example, due to the natural sources, mineral water can contain trace amounts of elements. Some, like arsenic, can be beneficial in tiny quantities, but others may not be good for the body.
"Some minerals, like fluoride, may also be present in quantities that are not acceptable to certain groups of people," Dr Wuang said. They include infants and young children, who get fluoride in tap water.
STUDY
A 2012 Harvard School of Public Health study found that children in high-fluoride areas had much lower IQ scores than those in low-fluoride areas.
Dr Wuang added that more awareness of each type of drinking water can help "consumers make informed choices".
Associate Professor Richard Webster from Nanyang Technological University's School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences said water marketed as artisan or untouched by humans is not better.
"It is just a marketing gimmick," he said. "There is no real difference from other bottled water."
The benefits of a new entrant - water with added oxygen - are unproven, he added.
"We get enough oxygen from breathing air, so adding it to water will not make any difference," he said.
Home-grown water treatment specialist Hyflux is working with Changi General Hospital to see if its oxygenated Elo Water can help diabetics achieve better glycaemic control.
For the consumer, however, price appears to be the main criterion in choosing bottled water.
A FairPrice spokesman said sales for the budget range of bottled water has increased.
Similarly, at Sheng Siong, the cheapest bottled water is the most popular.
According to national water agency PUB, tap water can be 1,000 times cheaper than bottled water - a 600ml bottle of drinking water costs between 50 cents and $1, while tap water costs 0.1 cent for the same amount.
Giving his assessment of the tap water here, Dr Webster said: "It is better than what is available in many other countries."
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Commentary: Expansion of dog adoption programme doesn't improve stray dog situation in Singapore
The expansion of the ADORE project was a significant step for animal welfare, but culling is still an inevitable outcome for most stray dogs, argues Save Our Street Dogs' Dr Siew Tuck Wah.
Siew Tuck Wah Channel NewsAsia 16 May 17;
SINGAPORE: Last week, the ADORE (Adoption and Rehoming of Dogs) project was expanded to allow dog handlers from the K-9 units and Military Working Dog Unit to adopt retired sniffer dogs. In many ways, this was a significant step, not only for animal welfare, but for Singapore society.
Under current HDB rules, only certain toy breeds, such as Schnauzers and Shihtzus are allowed in HDB flats. In addition, the dogs have to be below 40cm in height and under 10kg in weight.
UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION WITH STRAY ANIMALS
The ADORE project, introduced in 2012, allowed medium-sized mixed-breed dogs below 15kg and 50cm to be adopted and housed in HDB flats, under a stringent framework. Now, with this new expansion to include K-9 unit dogs, even larger breeds such as Labradors and English Spaniels will be allowed in HDB flats, for the first time in Singapore’s history.
Singapore has always been caught in an uncomfortable situation with regard to wildlife and stray animals. Although there is increasing awareness over animal-related issues, complaints are also on the rise. This is largely due to rapid urbanisation and deforestation - animals’ hiding places are increasingly being levelled to the ground to make way for housing estates and other developments.
In areas such as Punggol, many residents come face-to-face with stray dogs who lived there long before they did. The result is conflict. Humans are unhappy with dogs roaming near their homes; dogs protect their territories by barking. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) received about 5,000 complaints about stray dogs last year, demanding for them to be removed.
Traditionally, AVA’s default method of solving these conflicts was to catch and cull these stray dogs. 23,229 stray dogs were culled over the last 12 years. Matters have improved in recent years - AVA is now working much more closely with animal welfare groups (AWGs) to rehome impounded dogs and help manage human-dog conflict.
At the same time, AWGs are actively sterilizing stray dogs, so that their population in the wild will not rise.
AWGs like SOSD also carry out dog adoption drives to encourage the adoption of strays and match them with suitable owners. (Photo: SOSD/FB)
Our work as an AWG is, however, paved with difficulties. HDB’s rule of allowing only small dogs means that stray dogs cannot be rehomed in more than 80 per cent of Singapore’s households.
CULLING STILL INEVITABLE OUTCOME FOR MOST STRAY DOGS
Although progress has been made with the ADORE project, it does not significantly improve the dire situation. Singapore’s stray dogs are mostly large. The majority are about 55 to 65cm tall and weigh 18 to 25kg. Only 10 per cent of dogs in shelters qualify for the ADORE project.
With more than 1,500 dogs already stuck in shelters with no homes to go to, AWGs are unable to take in any more dogs whose lives are on the line. The result - culling is still the inevitable outcome for the majority of stray dogs.
Repeated calls to increase the size of dogs allowed in HDB flats have been futile. HDB’s worry may be that Singaporeans are not ready to have larger dogs living amongst them. They may be worried that the idea that large dogs are “dangerous” is still widespread among people who do not like dogs.
The truth is, larger dogs bark less, are more gentle and are better with children than smaller dogs. The character of a dog has nothing to do with its size. Large dogs are bigger but they are not dangerous, nor do they cause more problems.
On the contrary, dog-related problems are mostly caused by irresponsible pet owners. Size has nothing to do with it.
ALLOW LARGER MIXED-BREED DOGS IN HDB FLATS
HDB’s concerns may be largely unfounded and can easily be overcome. First, the rules on dogs were formulated half a century ago, at a time when flats were smaller and packed denser together. Stricter rules were needed to ensure harmony for families living in close proximity.
Today, HDB flats are larger and better designed. In fact, most condominiums are even smaller than HDB flats – and yet there are no restrictions on the size of dogs allowed.
Second, the socio-economic factors in Singapore have changed. We are now more educated and more affluent. We are starting to take notice of issues such as animal welfare and we are definitely more receptive towards dogs than we were 50 years ago.
The ADORE project goes a step further in ensuring dynamics in a HDB neighbourhood are not upset when a new dog is introduced. For instance, all ADORE dogs are required to undergo obedience training by a panel of accredited dog trainers. In addition, neighbours are interviewed prior to adoption to ensure that they are receptive of a larger dog in their vicinity.
This robust framework has worked very well for medium-sized dogs, and we are confident that it will work too for the larger sniffer dogs from K-9 units and for larger mixed-breed dogs as well.
LET STRAY DOGS FIND LOVING HOMES IN SINGAPORE
Increasingly, Singaporeans are calling for a humane method to deal with the stray dog problem, rather than culling them. In a study conducted by The Nielson Company and Save Our Street Dogs in 2015 to examine Singaporeans’ attitudes towards stray dogs in Punggol, 82 per cent of participants agreed that homeless dogs should be rehomed and only 2 per cent wished for dogs to be trapped and culled.
It is heartening to know that Singaporeans care. However, this vision can only be fulfilled, if existing regulations are relaxed to allow larger mixed-breed dogs in HDB flats.
In a world divided by trends like extremism and protectionism, it has become increasingly important to foster a more tolerant, kinder society. If a simple policy change can do that, there is very little reason not to look into it.
The K-9 expansion of ADORE is the first sign of some light at the end of the tunnel and a significant step in moving Singapore forward in the right direction. We are extremely grateful to MND for the initiative, and we look forward to the day when the thousands of stray and shelter dogs in Singapore no longer face persecution, but instead, are able to find loving homes.
Dr Siew Tuck Wah is President of Save our Street Dogs.
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Malaysia: Dugong sanctuary at Pulau Sibu soon
Low Sock Ken The Sun Daily 15 May 17;
KOTA ISKANDAR: The state government is in the process of setting up a Dugong sanctuary at Pulau Sibu, Mersing, said Datuk Ayub Rahmat.
The Johor Health and Environment, Education and Information committee chairman said the sanctuary will provide a safe haven for the dugong and protect its seagrass habitats.
He was replying to a question from Abd. Razak Minhat (BN-Serom) in the state assembly here today.
Ayub said more small islands in Mersing are being gazetted as Taman Laut Malaysia under the Fisheries Act 1985, as measures to protect sealife in the Johor waters.
The population of these marine mammals have been on the decline for some time due to sea water pollution that caused damage to seagras, which is the primary source of food for the marine life.
It was reported that about 40 to 50 dugong remain in the waters off the east coast of the state in Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Pulau Sibu and Pulau Tinggi in Johor.
The sightings of dugong carcasses is not uncommon on the islands off Johor, the latest being the carcass of a dugong that was found washed ashore at Pulau Tinggi in April this year.
He told the assembly that the growth of coral reefs and the fish population in the Sultan Iskandar Marine Park (TLSI), Mersing, is estimated to rise by 30% following the placement of artificial reefs in the area.
He said the increase was noted through observations made in the area last month.
"The artificial reefs were placed in the TLSI waters as a long-term measure to overcome depleting fish sources. It is also an alternative to replacing coral reefs as breeding grounds for fish and to protect marine life," he said.
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Best of our wild blogs: 15 May 17
15-21 May: Week 2 of Pesta Ubin
Pesta Ubin 2017
Checking up Beting Bemban Besar
wild shores of singapore
Sailfin Armoured Catfish (Pterygoplichthys sp.) @ Lower Seletar Reservoir
Monday Morgue
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Malaysia: Customs seizes 330 tortoises worth RM1.2mil at KLIA
JO TIMBUONG The Star 15 May 17;
SEPANG: The Customs Department intercepted a smuggling attempt involving more than 330 tortoises valued at RM1.2mil at the KL International Airport on Sunday.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of officers searched the air cargo warehouse at the Free Commercial Zone and found five boxes containing suitcases.
They found 325 Indian Star tortoises and five Ploughshare tortoises wrapped in moist pouches in the suitcases.
The tortoises were found alive and are believed to have been sedated.
The cargo arrived from Antananarivo Airport in Madagascar declared as "stones".
The fake address on the airway bill was a shop supposedly located in Salak Tinggi here.
Customs Enforcement Division deputy director Abdull Wahid Sulong said it was the first time that they found tortoises smuggled via air cargo.
"We've had five similar cases since 2015 and smugglers usually either hand carry or smuggle them through the post," he said.
Abdull Wahid said the Ploughshare tortoises could fetch US$4,000 (about RM17,339) each while the Indian Star species could sell for US$1,000 (about RM 4,334) each on the black market.
"These tortoises would normally be kept as exotic pets but we aren't able to determine whether they are destined for that or for traditional medicine," he said.
330 exotic tortoises smuggled in via suitcases
JO TIMBUONG The Star 16 May 17;
SEPANG: Quick action by the Royal Malaysian Customs saved 330 tortoises from being encased in glass tanks by local exotic pet enthusiasts.
On Sunday, the department’s enforcement team intercepted the smuggling of Ploughshare and Indian Star tortoises, estimated to be valued at RM1.2mil, at KLIA.
Acting on a tip-off, a Customs enforcement team searched the air cargo warehouse at the Free Commercial Zone here and found five boxes, each containing a suitcase.
Upon further investigation, enforcement officers found 325 Indian Star tortoises and five Plougshare tortoises wrapped in moistened pouches inside the suitcases.
The illegal cargo came in from Antananarivo Airport, Madagascar, and were supposed to be passed off as “stones”, according to the airway bill. The bill also bore a fake address of a shop allegedly located in Salak Tinggi.
All the tortoises were alive and believed to have been sedated.
Customs deputy director of enforcement Abdull Wahid Sulong said this was the first time the tortoises were smuggled through air cargo in large numbers.
“We’ve had five similar cases since 2015 and smugglers either bring them in smaller quantities through hand carry luggages or smuggle them through post,” he told reporters yesterday.
Abdull Wahid believed the tortoises were to be sold in the local black market.
Ploughshare tortoises could fetch US$4,000 (RM17,341) each while the Indian Star species could sell for US$1,000 (RM4,335) each.
“Since we found them alive, they were most probably destined for the exotic pet market,” he said.
The department could not say if a syndicate was behind the smuggling.
“It is difficult to pin-point at the time being and arrests have yet to be made,” Abdull Wahid said.
The case is being investigated under Section 135(1) (a) of the Customs Act 1967 for importing prohibited items as it is illegal to import tortoises without a permit.
Ploughshares are native to Madagascar while Indian Stars can be found in India and Sri Lanka.
Both species are listed as endangered. They will be handed over to the Department of Wildlife and Natural Parks of Peninsular Malaysia.
Meanwhile, a 35-year-old trader from Tamil Nadu, India, was sentenced by a Sessions Court here to two years’ jail for keeping 20 black pond turtles.
Bakrudin Ali Ahamed Habeeb admitted to two counts of keeping 10 female and 10 male black pond turtles (Geoclemys Hamiltonii) without a special permit at a hotel room in Lorong Ceylon at 5.40pm on May 9.
He also admitted to another charge of keeping the 20 turtles inside three suitcases, thus causing pain and suffering to the turtles.
Sessions Court judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad @ Shaharudin sentenced Bakrudin to 24 months in jail for keeping the female turtles, 12 months for keeping the male turtles and three months for causing them pain and suffering. The sentences will run concurrently.
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