Indonesia: South Sumatra forest fire task force identifies five fire-prone areas

Antara 2 May 19;

Palembang (ANTARA) - The South Sumatra Forest and Land Fire Task Force has identified five fire-prone areas, the districts of Ogan Ilir, Ogan Komering Ilir, Musi Banyuasin, Muara Enim, and Banyuasin.

In Palembang on Thursday, commander of the South Sumatra Forest and Land Fire Task Force Task Force, Col. Arh Sonny Septiono, said that the five regions were their priorities because they had extensive peatlands.

"Basically, we are looking at all regions, but of course we will prioritize certain areas, given the limitations of existing personnel and equipment," said Colonel Arh Sonny Septiono.

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Indonesia: Five giant leatherbacks lay clutches of eggs in Raja Ampat

Antara 1 May 19;

Waisai (ANTARA) - Five giant leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) had reportedly laid clutches of eggs in Yenbekaki Village in Raja Ampat District, West Papua Province, in April 2019.

Yenbekaki Conservationist Group Chairman Yusuf Mayor remarked here on Wednesday that Warebar Beach in Yenbekaki Village has become the preferred spot for leatherback turtles to lay their clutches of eggs during the year.

Mayor confirmed that five leatherback turtles had surfaced, prepared their nesting sites, and laid their clutches of eggs at Warebar Beach in April this year, with their nests presently reach five.

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Best of our wild blogs: 1 May 19

Join NParks to patrol Singapore shores for sea turtles and more!
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

Singapore Bird Report – March 2019
Singapore Bird Group

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Thousands of fish dead near Lim Chu Kang jetty: Warmer temperatures suspected as cause

Vanessa Liu Straits Times 1 May 19;

SINGAPORE - The warmer weather in recent days may have caused thousands of fish to die in waters near Lim Chu Kang jetty and in nearby fish farms.

The fish started surfacing in the sea about two or three days ago, said Mr Simon Ho, communications officer at the Singapore's Fish Farmers Association.

"Because of the higher temperatures these few days, there's a lack of oxygen in the water. I believe the fishes died as a result," he noted.

He added that fish farmers in the area sent motorboats out to remove and dispose of the dead fish.

About four or five farms are said to have been affected with each reporting a loss of about one to two tonnes of fish on average - estimated to be worth from $3,000 to $4,000.

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Malaysia: We are coming for you, Xavier tells poachers as minimum penalty set to be increased

mei mei chu The Star 30 Apr 19;

DENGKIL: The amendment to the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 will increase the minimum penalty for poachers to a RM1mil fine and five years in jail, says Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

He said the Act was expected to be tabled in December and added that he hoped it would send a strong message to poachers that Malaysia would not tolerate the illegal wildlife trade.

“The message we want to send is we are in the forest, we are coming for you, and we will catch you,” said Jayakumar at the launch of Ops Belang at the Paya Indah Wetlands here Tuesday (April 30).

Jayakumar said it was worrying that there were only 200 tigers left in Malaysia, adding that if drastic action was not taken immediately, Malaysia might lose the iconic animal forever.

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Malaysia transit point for smuggling illegal ivory, rhino horns

Nur Aqidah Azizi New Straits Times 30 Apr 19;

SEREMBAN: Malaysia is being used as an illegal transit point to smuggle ivory and other animal parts before they are exported to other countries, said the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.

He said these animal parts were exported to countries such as China, Vietnam and Hong Kong.

He said a task force which included authorities from the ministry, Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) and Customs Department had been set up to monitor such activity in the country.

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Indonesia: Ministry investigators arrest three for illegal ivory trade online

Kharishar Kahfi The Jakarta Post 30 Apr 19;

Investigators from the Environment and Forestry Ministry have arrested three individuals on suspicion of illegal online trading in ivory and other products made from elephants and other endangered animals.

The three suspects, identified by their initials OF, 38, CK, 44, and MHF, 31, were arrested on Sunday at three separate locations in Pati, Central Java.

The trio allegedly sold jewelry and other accessories like cigarette holders through three separate Facebook accounts.

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Best of our wild blogs: 30 Apr 19

FREE guided walks on Sentosa's natural shores in May
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

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Singapore buildings put on a cool, green face

Eco-friendly certification scheme helps fulfill Lee Kuan Yew's garden city dreams
MAYUKO TANI Nikkei 29 Apr 19;

SINGAPORE -- Hotels, stores and shopping malls in Singapore, looking for a way to cut their air conditioning bills and spruce up their environmental image, are increasingly adding greenery to their exterior walls.

The 27-story Oasia Hotel Downtown in the Tanjong Pagar business district, whose outer mesh cladding is swathed in trailing green plants, stands out among its high-rise neighbors. The Parkroyal on Pickering, a hotel in nearby Chinatown, has layers of balcony gardens.

The greening is one part environmental conservation and one part bottom line: Green walls help reduce the cost of cooling a building by reducing the temperature of exterior walls and mitigating the heat-island effect -- the higher temperatures found in heavily built-up areas.

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60% of Singaporean households recycle regularly, but many not doing it right: Surveys

Channel NewsAsia 29 Apr 19;

SINGAPORE: Can plastic toys, clothes and glass pots be recycled? If you say yes, you're not alone, but these items do not belong in a recycling bin, according to authorities.

Around 60 per cent of Singaporean households recycle regularly, but many still find it difficult to identify contaminants and non-recyclables, surveys conducted by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) have found.

The two surveys, which were conducted between June 2018 and February 2019, covered different aspects of household recycling, said the agencies in a joint media release on Monday (Apr 29).

According to the findings, the top items recycled were paper materials like newspapers, magazines, junk mail, brochures and writing paper.

Clothes, shoes and bags were also among the top items recycled. However, these items should be donated – if in good condition – instead of being recycled, said the agencies.

“These wrongly recycled items contribute to the high contamination rate of the recyclables collected from the blue recycling bins,” said MEWR and NEA.

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Malaysia: Water Resources Bill to address water pollution and river problems

Tasnim Lokman New Straits Times 29 Apr 19;

PUTRAJAYA: The Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry is in the midst of drafting a uniform and comprehensive Water Resources Bill to clamp down on water pollution.

Its minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar said the bill would empower all states to enhance the management, control and enforcement of their water resources.

He said the new legislation would also be a guide for discussions and coordination on issues involving water resources that are shared by two or more states.

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Indonesia: Jokowi wants to move capital out of Java

Marguerite Afra Sapiie The Jakarta Post 29 Apr 19;

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has decided to push ahead with a plan to move the capital from Jakarta by establishing a new center of government outside Java, citing the need to ensure more equitable development and address overpopulation in the country’s most populous island.

The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) presented its initial study on the relocation plan during a Cabinet meeting led by Jokowi on Monday, where the top executives discussed alternatives to establish a new political and government hub amid environmental concerns and overcrowding in Jakarta.

“The President has decided in the meeting to move the capital outside Java,” Bappenas head Bambang Brodjonegoro said in a press conference after the meeting on Monday.

Bappenas presented three alternatives.

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