Malaysia: Kedah revokes and halts issuing new permits for felling trees

arnold loh The Star 5 Sep 18;

GEORGE TOWN: If trees could speak, those in the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve may thank the Kedah government.

With immediate effect, the state is revoking logging permits in the massive jungle and suspending the issuance of new ones, says Land, Water and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

With Kedah sacrificing its revenue from forest premiums for the sake of water security in northern Malaysia, the minister said the Federal Government is now studying how to compensate Kedah for pre­serving Ulu Muda Forest Reserve.

Dr Xavier said he met Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir on Monday during his working visit to the state and was given the good news.

“We are thankful to Mukhriz. This is great news for Perlis, Kedah and Penang because it will protect the future of the region.

“The Ulu Muda catchment area is vital to the water security of the three states, not just for drinking water, but also for agricultural use,” Dr Xavier said when he visited the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation info centre in Lorong Kulit here yesterday.

Twice the size of Singapore, Ulu Muda forest is critical to northern Malaysia both as a catchment area and to hold on to heavy rainfall and prevent flooding in the coastal plains of the three states.

Kedah, however, needs the RM40mil in revenue from the forest premiums it derives from the issuance of logging permits.

Penang, which gets 80% of its water supply from Sungai Muda flowing out of this jungle, has repeatedly called for the Federal Government to compensate Kedah for protecting the jungle.

Dr Xavier also expressed his views on Penang’s desire to buy water from Perak.

“The Federal Government will assist financially, but whether it is raw or treated water, I will let both states discuss and come to a win-win situation.

“Penang wants to buy raw water, but Perak wants to sell treated water. However, both states agree this project must take place so we will let both sides negotiate,” he said.

Asked about Perak’s insistence that it should sell “higher value” treated water to Penang and Selangor because the state has to maintain its catchment areas, Dr Xavier said it was “too premature for any state to insist on anything and they should meet and discuss”.

“Perak has enough water. Studies show the state even has a surplus. “This is just an inter-state water deal for Perak to supply water to Penang. It’s not free. Penang will have to pay and Perak will get revenue,” Dr Xavier said.

Inter-state water deals also exist from Pahang to Selangor and Johor to Melaka, and the prevailing rate is three sen per 1,000 litres.

Dr Xavier also announced that the long-awaited next phase of the Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project would begin in the middle of next year, at the latest. It should be finished by 2023.

Costing RM150mil, it involves widening the river between Jalan Patani and Jalan Ayer Itam, and also the construction of levees, flood walls, water gates, rubbish traps, flow controls and bridges.

The Sungai Pinang flood mitigation project is considered one of the longest delayed in the country andcritical to solving flood woes in George Town.

It was conceived under the Seventh Malaysia Plan in 1996 with a budget of RM650mil.

State Local Government Commit­tee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo, who accompanied Dr Xavier, hailed the commitment of the Federal Government to restart the project, “which has long been sorely neglected by the previous government after the first phase was completed 1999”.

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Malaysia: Filipino charged with possession of protected green turtle's carcasses

ABDUL RAHEMANG TAIMING New Straits Times 5 Sep 18;

TAWAU: A Filipino man was today charged at the Sessions court here with the possession of turtle carcasses weighed 92.5kg.

Junaidi Umarati, 19, pleaded not guilty when the charge read in Bajau language by a translator from Sabah Wildlife Department before judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud.

He was accused of possessing 73.5kg of the wildlife’s plastrons, 17.5kg scales,1.5kg of tails at Sisipan waters off Semporna on Aug 24 at about 3.30pm.

All of the body parts belonged to green turtle species (Chilonea mydas) that was listed as a total protected species under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.

A Filipino man was charged at the Sessions court here with the possession of turtle carcasses weighed 92.5kg. Photo credit: Abdul Rahemang Taiming
Junaidi was accused under Section 41(1) of Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, punishable under Section 41 (4) under the same enactment.

The offence carries a fine not less than RM50,000 and up to RM250,000 and maximum five years’ imprisonment.

Prosecution was conducted by prosecuting officer Silvester @ Sylvester Saimin from Sabah Wildlife Department.

The court granted prosecution’s application for no bail until the cases management date with grounds that the accused did not have valid identification document.

The judge also ordered the accused to be detained under Section 259 of Criminal Procedure Code.

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Indonesia: Riau Police foil attempt to smuggle 38 cockatoos

The Jakarta Post 5 Sep 18;

The Indragiri Hilir Police in Riau have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 38 parrots worth an estimated Rp 380 million (US$25,340) to Singapore.

The police handed over the cockatoos to the Riau chapter of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) on Tuesday.

The agency’s head, Suharyono, said on Tuesday that the cockatoos were of various species, including the palm cockatoo, the white cockatoo and the yellow-crested cockatoo.

He explained that the police received information from the community about plans to smuggle cockatoos from Jambi to Riau earlier this week. The police then managed to arrest the suspect in Tembilahan subdistrict, Indragiri Hilir regency, on Sunday.

Suharyono reported that one cockatoo died en route to Indragiri Hilir from Pekanbaru, Riau.

The cockatoos are temporarily being kept in transit cages owned by the agency as they recover. Suharyono said he suspected that the cockatoos had been domesticated, so the habituation process might take a long time.

“If they cannot survive in nature, we will entrust them to people who own a valid care permit,” he said, adding that the agency was also willing to return the protected animal back to its habitat in Papua.

“The cockatoos' [natural] habitat is located only in the eastern part of Indonesia,” he said. (sau)

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Indonesia: Extreme weather imminent ahead of rainy season in October

Kharishar Kahfi The Jakarta Post 5 Sep 18;

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned residents across the archipelago about the potential of extreme weather ahead of the rainy season in October.

Agency head Dwikorita Karnawati said in a statement on Tuesday that the rainy season was expected to start between October and December depending on the region, with the peak to occur from January to February 2019.

The agency has been monitoring a weather phenomenon called Madden Julian Oscillation, which occurs in the air surrounding the archipelago, bringing extra water vapor to form clouds in the sky. A decrease in dry and cold air movement from Australia will also affect the upcoming weather.

“Such a phenomenon will push for an increase in the potential of rain clouds forming,” Dwikorita said.

She warned people living in nine provinces — Aceh, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, North Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, Maluku, West Papua and Papua — to prepare for heavy rains accompanied by thunder and strong winds in the next three days.

Moreover, the BMKG also warned fisherfolk and those living in coastal regions to watch for high waves with a height between 2.5 to 4 meters from September to December.

“During the rainy season, people should also be on the look out for natural disasters, such as floods, landfalls, strong winds and tornadoes,” Dwikorita said.

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Climate action could add $26 trillion to world economy: study

AFP Yahoo News 5 Sep 18;

Paris (AFP) - Ambitious action on climate change could contribute an extra $26 trillion to the world economy by 2030, international experts said on Wednesday, urging nations and businesses to step up their engagement.

The economic benefits offered by a shift to a low-carbon economy have been "grossly" underestimated, according to the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, a think tank grouping former heads of government and top economic and business leaders.

"Bold action could yield a direct economic gain of $26 trillion through to 2030 compared with business-as-usual. And this is likely to be a conservative estimate," the commission's annual report found.

Dynamic action on climate could also generate "over 65 million new low-carbon jobs" by 2030 and avoid over 700,000 premature deaths due to air pollution, it said.

But policymakers were "not taking sufficiently bold action to escape the legacy economic systems," the study found, warning that the window for change was narrow.

"We are at a unique 'use it or lose it' moment. Policymakers should take their foot off the brakes and send a clear signal that the new growth is here," said the commission's co-chair Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria's former finance minister.

"There are real benefits to be seen in terms of new jobs, economic savings, competitiveness and market opportunities, and improved wellbeing for people worldwide."

Such growth would be driven by the interaction between rapid technological innovation, increased resource productivity and investment in sustainable infrastructure, which is expected to reach $90 trillion by 2030, it said.

- Bold action needed -

The shift would involve change in five key areas: the development of clean energy systems, improved urban planning, a shift towards more sustainable agriculture, smart water management and decarbonising industry.

"Seizing the economic benefits of low-carbon and resilient growth will only be possible if we act boldly over the next two to three years," it said, flagging it as a "critical window" when many of policy and investment decisions will be taken which will shape the coming decade and beyond.

Urging economic decision-makers to move beyond generic proposals or statements, it called on governments to put a price on carbon of at least $40-80 by 2020, and to move towards mandatory climate risk disclosure for major investors and companies.

It also pushed for a much greater emphasis on investment in sustainable infrastructure, with better-designed cities, buildings, transport, energy and water systems as well as investment in forests and wetlands that purify water and offer valuable flood control.

To this end, development bodies and banks should double their collective investment in infrastructure, aiming to invest at least $100 billion per year by 2020, it said.

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World's biggest sovereign fund pleads to save oceans

AFP Yahoo News 5 Sep 18;

Oslo (AFP) - Companies should be doing more to protect the world's oceans, including combatting plastic waste pollution, Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's biggest, said on Wednesday.

"The ocean is a vital part of the biosphere and an important part of the global economy," said Yngve Slyngstad, the head of the fund valued at 8.66 trillion kroner (890 billion euros, $1.03 trillion).

"We expect companies to manage the challenges and opportunities related to sustainable use of the oceans," he added.

A heavyweight on the global finance scene, the Government Pension Fund Global published a document outlining what it expects from the 9,000 companies in which it holds stakes.

Among other things, it urged them to integrate environmental ideas into their business strategies, suggesting for example that plastics producers plan a transition to a "circular economy" frugal in raw materials, and that fisheries companies incorporate forecasts on future stocks in their planning.

The recommendations apply to companies active at sea -- shipping, fisheries, fish farms -- as well as others on land whose activities may affect the oceans, such as distribution and plastics industries and agriculture, the fund said.

The fund has in the past laid out its expectations on other issues, including better efforts in water management, anti-corruption, human rights and tax transparency, judging that bad practices in these fields can ultimately hurt companies' profitability.

On Wednesday, the fund also published a document reviewing its support of the United Nations sustainable development goals.

"Our most important contribution is to strengthen governance, improve performance and promote sustainable business practices," Slyngstad said.

In addition to its expectations based purely on financial considerations, the fund also follows ethical guidelines that bar it from investing in, among other things, companies that commit serious human rights violations, manufacture nuclear or "particularly inhumane" weapons, or those in the coal and tobacco industries.

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Tampines residents worry over missing neighbourhood chickens but town council assures just 4 were removed

Derek Wong and Tee Zhuo Straits Times 4 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE - The apparent disappearance of many wild neighbourhood chickens in Tampines has perturbed some residents, but the town council and the authorities have clarified that just four of the birds have been removed.

On Saturday (Sept 1), Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that residents of Housing Board flats in Tampines Street 21 had complained about many chickens being removed, leaving only about 10 in the garden area of Blocks 266 and 267.

But the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and Tampines Town Council told The Straits Times that only four chickens were relocated.

On Monday, Tampines Town Council said there was an arrangement made to relocate the chickens on Aug 17, adding that there have been no additional attempts to trap the birds since.

"Four chickens were removed using cage traps and transferred to the AVA," said a town council spokesman.

She also explained that the town council had acted because of "increasing complaints of noise disturbances of late by the early morning crowing (of the chickens), and the leftover pellets or feed for these chickens (that) have been observed to attract pests such as rats".

But some residents, such as 70-year-old Madam Xie, feel the morning crowing gives a sense of nostalgia.

She told Lianhe Wanbao: "I miss the times in the kampung when I had chickens in the backyard, and the chickens make me feel very at home."

Another resident, retiree Madam Yun, 68, told the Chinese newspaper: "As an elderly person who lives alone, these chickens lift my spirits. When I see them go missing, my heart aches and I can't sleep well."

AVA said that Tampines Town Council had approached the authority for advice on guidelines for the proper handling of chickens, and confirmed that four chickens had been sent to it.

The authority said that town councils can decide whether to trap or remove chickens within their jurisdiction.

But trapping operations should not result in any form of cruelty to the birds and the tools used to trap the chickens need to be "appropriate and humane", the authority added.

When taking such caught chickens to AVA, "the town council should ensure that sufficient food, water, shelter and space are provided for the chickens during transportation", it added.

As for the four Tampines chickens, AVA said that it is exploring options to rehome them, and is working with animal welfare groups to find homes for the birds.

It also clarified that the chickens are not jungle fowls. The red jungle fowl is native to Singapore and is nationally endangered.

Tampines Town Council's spokesman said that it "understands that the chickens have brought joy to some residents within the community", but she added that the population of the birds had grown substantially due to natural reproduction and illegal feeding.

She also noted that "the increased (chicken) population has gradually led to the migration of some chickens to two other neighbouring residential zones".

"We wish to assure (residents) that the purpose is not to remove the chickens completely from the neighbourhood. The town council is doing our best to achieve a balance within a common living space," the spokesman added.


Tampines residents in a flap over vanishing chickens
Residents upset birds were removed, but town council says it got complaints about noise
Derek Wong and Tee Zhuo Straits Times 6 Sep 18;

Some residents in Tampines are crying foul after several chickens, which had been roaming free in their neighbourhood, disappeared.

But the Tampines Town Council said just four of the birds were removed after some residents complained about the noise they made. The chickens were then handed to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

On Saturday, Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that residents of Housing Board flats in Tampines Street 21 had complained that many chickens had been removed, leaving only about 10 in the garden areas of Blocks 266 and 267.

Tampines Town Council said an arrangement was made to relocate the chickens on Aug 17, adding that there have been no additional attempts to trap the birds since.

"Four chickens were removed using cage traps and transferred to the AVA," a spokesman for the town council said.

She said the town council acted because of "increasing complaints of noise disturbances of late by the early morning crowing (of the chickens), and the leftover pellets or feed for these chickens (that) have been observed to attract pests such as rats".


But some residents, such as 70-year-old Madam Xie, liked the morning crowing. She told Lianhe Wanbao: "I miss the times in the kampung when I had chickens in the backyard, and the chickens make me feel very at home."

AVA said Tampines Town Council had approached the authority for advice on guidelines for the proper handling of chickens. The authority said town councils can decide whether to trap or remove chickens within their jurisdiction.

A spokesman for Tampines Town Council said it acted because of "increasing complaints of noise disturbances of late by the early morning crowing (of the chickens), and the leftover pellets or feed for these chickens (that) have been observed to attract pests such as rats".

But trapping operations should not result in any form of cruelty to the birds and the tools used to trap the chickens need to be "appropriate and humane", AVA added.

Trapped birds should also have sufficient food, water, shelter and space during transportation.

As for the four Tampines chickens, AVA said that it is working with animal welfare groups to rehome them. It also clarified that the chickens are not the nationally endangered red jungle fowl that is native to Singapore.

The Tampines Town Council spokesman said it "understands that the chickens have brought joy to some residents within the community". But she added that the population of the birds had grown substantially due to natural reproduction and illegal feeding.

"The town council is doing our best to achieve a balance within a common living space," she added.

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6 wild animals sold illegally at Sungei Tengah farm seized by AVA

Tee Zhuo and Jan Lee Straits Times 5 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE - Six wild animals, including an endangered slow loris, were rescued from a farm in Sungei Tengah by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

They were put up for sale illegally at the farm when the AVA seized them in July, the authority told The Straits Times on Tuesday evening (Sept 4).

The other animals found were an ornate pacman frog and four false map turtles.

AVA said it seized the animals and handed them over to Wildlife Reserves Singapore for rehoming. The farm is assisting AVA with investigations, the authority added.

In a Facebook post on Monday, the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) said that it had alerted the AVA after receiving a tip-off.

Commercial trade of the endangered slow loris is strictly prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).


Under the same convention, the false map turtle, native to the United States, can only be traded with either Cites permits or certificates of origin.

The ornate pacman frog is not listed under Cites.

Those convicted of keeping wild animals here can be fined up to $1,000 and have to surrender the illegally kept wildlife.

If the wildlife species is protected under Cites, offenders in possession of such animals or found selling the illegally imported protected species can be fined as much as $500,000, jailed up to two years, or both, and will also have to forfeit the concerned animals.

In its reply, the AVA said that all of the speciesseized in the operation are not allowed to be kept as pets in Singapore.

"Wild animals are not suitable pets as they are not domesticated. The welfare of the wild animals would be affected as they are subjected to unsuitable living conditions, as well as poor diet and care," the authority said.

It added that some may also transmit zoonotic diseases to humans and can be a public safety risk if not managed well.

Non-native wild animals would pose a threat to our native biodiversity if released into the environment, AVA said.

The authority said that the public can help reduce demand for such animals by not buying illegal wildlife and their parts or products.

"The public can also alert AVA via our online feedback form regarding any suspected cases of illegal wildlife trade, and provide information," AVA said.

Such information may include the suspected person or company involved, or the type of products that are suspected to have been smuggled, advertised or offered for sale.

Information shared with AVA will be kept strictly confidential, it added.

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Farm features to be part of first HDB homes in new Tengah town

The ‘Plantation’ district will provide about 10,000 homes in Tengah, which is being developed as a “Forest Town”.
Fann Sim Channel NewsAsia 4 Sep 18;

SINGAPORE: The first district in Tengah to be launched by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will reflect the agricultural roots of the area, with community gardens and farming features.

The Plantation District will cover about 90 hectares in the southern part of Tengah, and will have about 10,000 new homes when fully completed, HDB said on Tuesday (Sep 4).

Among the features will be a 700-metre by 40-metre of strip of land called the Plantation Farmway. This will weave through housing precincts, serving as a green connector to link residents to other key facilities such as the town centre. Void decks will be oriented to face the greenery.

The Farmway will include about 2,000 sq m of space for community gardening and farming. HDB said there is potential for a farmers’ market for residents to sell their own produce. Playgrounds will be built with designs inspired by fruit and vegetables, in line with the overall plantation theme.

Two green pockets, each about 1,100 sq m, will be located within the Plantation Farmway as spaces for residents to relax under the shade of trees. In addition, an open green space with a small stage will be situated adjacent to the Farmway as an extended area for community events.

Water features in the district will also be developed to attract birds, butterflies and dragonflies, which will help control the mosquito population.

TWO MRT STATIONS, CYCLE PATHS

To help realise the vision of making Tengah a "car-lite" town, two MRT stations along the future Jurong Region Line will be developed in the Plantation district, connecting residents to Jurong East, Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay. More MRT stations for the rest of the town are planned. Furthermore, most bus stops will be 300m or less from homes.

To make it easier for residents to cycle, all roads in the district will feature cycling paths that are 2m wide.

Tengah will also be the first HDB town to be planned with smart technologies town-wide from the outset.

Across the whole of Tengah town, there will be features such as smart lighting and systems to collect rainwater for irrigation and to wash common areas. Such initiatives will help save energy and water. Additional power points and data points will also be installed in homes to enable the adoption of smart home devices.

The first housing parcel in Plantation District is expected to comprise more than 1,500 flats ranging from two-room Flexi flats to 3-Gen flats. They will be available in the November Build-to-Order exercise.

Plans for Tengah’s Plantation District will be exhibited at HDB Hub from Tuesday.

Source: CNA/cy

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Indonesia: Wildfires raze hectares of land in Sukabumi nature reserves

The Jakarta Post 4 Sep 18;

Wildfires engulfed hectares of land in the Cikepuh and Cibanteng nature reserves in Sukabumi, West Java, between July and August.

The West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) recorded that at least 27 hotspots, which were located on the savannah, had scorched about 232 ha of the two nature reserves’ total area, kompas.com reported.

Kusmara of the BKSDA said the savannah was prone to fires during the dry season.

The fires, he added, were also found inside the buffer zones close to land owned by local residents.

"We are still investigating the cause of the fire because there is suspicion of illegal activities in the area,” Kusmara said on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com, without giving more information.

Cikepuh and Cibanteng are part of the Ciletuh-Pelabuhan Ratu National Geopark, which gained global recognition as a UNESCO Global Geopark earlier this year.

In September last year, fires razed at least 19 ha of forest in Cikepuh.

Kusmara said the authorities were continuing to work to prevent further fires, including encouraging local residents to take part in wildfire prevention campaigns.

During this year’s dry season peak between July and August, the country saw an increase in the number of land and forest fires in several provinces, with West Kalimantan becoming the region with the most hotspots to date. (kuk/ipa)

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Asia's rising appetite for meat, seafood will 'strain environment'

Michael Taylor Thomson Reuters Foundation 4 Sep 18;

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Asia’s growing appetite for meat and seafood over the next three decades will cause huge increases in greenhouse gas emissions and antibiotics used in foods, researchers said on Tuesday.

Rising population, incomes and urbanisation will drive a 78 percent increase in meat and seafood demand from 2017 to 2050, according to a report by Asia Research and Engagement Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based consultancy firm.

“We wanted to highlight that, because of the large population and how fast the population is growing, it is going to put a strain on the environment,” said co-author Serena Tan.

“By recognising this and where it comes from, we can tackle the solutions,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

With supply chains ramping up to meet demand, greenhouse gas emissions will jump from 2.9 billion tonnes of CO2 per year to 5.4 billion tonnes - the equivalent of the lifetime emissions of 95 million cars - the researchers said.

A land area the size of India will be needed for additional food production, according to the report, while water use will climb from 577 billion cubic meters per year to 1,054 billion cubic meters per year.

The use of antimicrobials - which kill or stop the growth of micro-organisms, and include antibiotics - will increase 44 percent to 39,000 tonnes per year, said the report, which was commissioned by the Hong Kong-based ADM Capital Foundation.

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in food is rife in Southeast Asia, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said this year, warning of serious risks for people and animals as bacterial infections become more resistant to treatment.

Growing urban areas contribute to the rising demand for meat and seafood, because people there usually have better access to electricity and refrigeration, said David Dawe, a senior economist at the FAO in Bangkok.

“But income growth is the big driver,” he added.

Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Pakistan are among nations likely to contribute most to the rise in meat and seafood consumption, while countries with ageing populations, like China, will likely limit growth, Tan said.

Food producers can increase efficiency by implementing rainwater harvesting, using sustainable animal feed and capturing biogas from cattle, Tan said.

Regulators, consumers and investors can also pressure restaurant chains and producers to limit the use of antibiotics in meat supplies, she added.

At meal times, consumers can also choose plant-based foods made to look like meats as an alternative, Tan said.

“You have a lot of people in Asia who don’t get that great a diet so animal-sourced food intake will increase,” said the FAO’s Dawe.

“In many ways it’s a good thing for nutrition, but it does raise environmental issues.”

Reporting by Michael Taylor, Editing by Jared Ferrie

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Eight bird species are first confirmed avian extinctions this decade

Most of the extinctions were caused by deforestation in South America, a new study of endangered birds shows
Patrick Barkham The Guardian 4 Sep 18;

Spix’s macaw, a brilliant blue species of Brazilian parrot that starred in the children’s animation Rio, has become extinct this century, according to a new assessment of endangered birds.

The macaw is one of eight species, including the poo-uli, the Pernambuco pygmy-owl and the cryptic treehunter, that can be added to the growing list of confirmed or highly likely extinctions, according to a new statistical analysis by BirdLife International.

Historically, most bird extinctions have been small-island species vulnerable to hunting or invasive species but five of these new extinctions have occurred in South America and are attributed by scientists to deforestation.

Stuart Butchart, BirdLife International’s chief scientist, said the new study highlighted that an extinction crisis was now unfolding on large continents, driven by human habitat destruction.

“People think of extinctions and think of the dodo but our analysis shows that extinctions are continuing and accelerating today,” he said. “Historically 90% of bird extinctions have been small populations on remote islands. Our evidence shows there is a growing wave of extinctions washing over the continent driven by habitat loss from unsustainable agriculture, drainage and logging.”

More than 26,000 of the world’s species are now threatened, according to the latest “red list” assessment, with scientists warning that humans are driving a sixth great extinction event.

Four of the eight newly identified bird extinctions took place in Brazil, once home to Spix’s macaw. The attractive parrot was caged and traded for 150 years before any wild populations were discovered but in 1985, three birds were found in a Brazilian forest. Two were illegally captured for the pet trade, and attempts to breed the final male were unsuccessful. A 2016 sighting in the wild is now thought to have been an escaped caged bird, leaving the last known sighting in 2000.

The poo’uli was last seen in 2004
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The poo’uli was last seen in 2004. Photograph: Paul E Baker
While captive populations of Spix’s macaw are being bred for reintroduction into restored woodland habitat there is no second chance for the poo-uli, the cryptic treehunter and the Alagoas foliage-gleaner: they have disappeared from the skies forever.

According to the new analysis, published in Biological Conservation, the Alagoas foliage-gleaner, a small gingery forest bird which picks invertebrates from leaves, became extinct in 2011, disappearing from a heavily logged patch of Brazil.

The cryptic treehunter was only discovered in two patches of forest of Murici in north-eastern Brazil in 2002 but has not been seen since 2007 after these small forests were felled and replaced with sugar cane plantations and pasture.

The poo-uli, or black-faced honeycreeper, was found on the island of Maui in Hawaii but was last sighted in 2004. Attempts to breed the bird in captivity failed.

The study by BirdLife International assessed 51 species judged “critically endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list using a new statistical method to analyse and assess search efforts and the validity of sightings of species on the brink of extinction.

It found just one species that was less endangered than feared, and recommended removing the “possibly extinct” classification from the Moorea reed warbler of New Caledonia. Of the eight species to be reclassified as extinct, four are “critically endangered (possibly extinct)”.

They include the glaucous macaw, once found in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil before the clearing of its palm grove habitat for farming saw it dwindle to one population in Paraguay. Another is the Pernambuco pygmy-owl, a 15cm-tall owl that eats insects and hasn’t been seen in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco since 2002, with much of its habitat destroyed by illegal logging.

Accurate assessments of the moment of extinction are difficult to make with many elusive species but according to Butchart, the “possibly extinct” classification is an extremely cautious judgment which almost certainly means that the species has vanished.

Butchart said it was important not to prematurely declare a bird extinct because abandoning conservation efforts could hasten its demise but accurate assessments of extinction were vital for efficient conservation work. “We’ve got limited conservation resources so we need to spend these wisely and effectively. If some of these species have gone we need to redirect these resources to those that remain.”

“Obviously it’s too late to help some of these iconic species but because we know birds better than any other taxonomic class we know which other species are most at risk. We hope this study will inspire a redoubling of efforts to prevent other extinctions.”

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