Year of the Dragon: Singaporean Dragons
from Lazy Lizard's Tales
Hantu health check with shrimp surprise!
from wild shores of singapore
Happy CNY from Pulau Hantu!
from wonderful creation
Hornbills and palm fruits
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Singapore Green Landscape 2012
from Green Future Solutions
The Jakarta Globe 24 Jan 12;
Washington, D.C. Indonesia’s Sumatran elephant has been downgraded from “endangered” to “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature after losing nearly 70 percent of its habitat and half its population in one generation, World Wildlife Fund announced on Tuesday. The decline is largely due to elephant habitat being deforested or converted for agricultural plantations.
In a news release, WWF called for an immediate moratorium on habitat conversion to secure a future for Sumatran elephants.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the Sumatran elephant subspecies as critically endangered on its Red List of Threatened Species.
IUCN, in its news release described the list as the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
There are only about 2,400 to 2,800 of the animals remaining in the wild, a reduction of about 50 percent from the 1985 population estimate.
Scientists say that if current trends continue, Sumatran elephants could be extinct in the wild in less than 30 years.
According to the IUCN Red List, “Although as a species Sumatran elephants are protected under Indonesia law, 85 percent of their habitats which are located outside of protected areas, are outside of the protection system and likely to be converted to agricultural and other purposes.”
Sumatra is thought to hold some of the most significant populations of Asian elephants outside of India and Sri Lanka. Yet within the Asian elephant’s range, Sumatra has experienced perhaps the most rapid deforestation rate, the release said. Sumatra has lost over two-thirds of its natural lowland forest in the past 25 years – the most suitable habitat for elephants – resulting in local extinctions of the elephant from many areas.
“The Sumatran elephant joins the Sumatran orangutan, the Javan and Sumatran rhinos and the Sumatran tiger on a growing list of species found in Indonesia that are critically endangered,” said Dr. Barney Long, Asian species expert at WWF. “Without urgent and effective action to save them, we could lose some of these animals from the wild forever.”
WWF is calling on the Indonesian government to prohibit all forest conversion in elephant habitats until a conservation strategy is determined for protecting the animals.
“It’s very important that the Government of Indonesia, conservation organizations and agro-forestry companies recognize the critical status of elephant and other wildlife in Sumatra and take effective steps to conserve them,” said Ajay Desai, Asian elephant adviser for WWF. “Indonesia must act now before it’s too late to protect Sumatra’s last remaining natural forests, especially elephant habitats.”
The statement said that elephant numbers have declined by more than 80 percent in less than 25 years in Sumatra’s Riau Province, where pulp and paper companies, like Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), and palm oil plantations are causing some of the world’s most rapid rates of deforestation. Habitat fragmentation has confined some herds to small forest patches, and these populations are not likely to survive in the long term.
WWF calls upon all stakeholders, including the Government of Indonesia, palm oil companies, members of the pulp and paper industry and conservation organizations, to work together to conserve Sumatran elephant habitat. Urgent measures are needed to protect Sumatra’s remaining natural forests so that future generations of Indonesians can inherit a natural heritage that includes wild elephants, tigers, orangutans and rhinos.
Sumatra elephant 'faces extinction in 30 years': WWF
(AFP) Google News 24 Jan 12;
JAKARTA — Sumatran elephants in the wild face extinction in less than 30 years unless there is an "immediate moratorium" on destruction of the animals' habitat, environmental group WWF warned on Tuesday.
There are now between 2,400 and 2,800 of the elephants left in the wild on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, which means the population has halved since 1985, said the WWF.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has also changed its classification of the Sumatran elephant from "endangered" to "critically endangered" on its list of threatened species, said the WWF.
The elephant joins a growing list of critically endangered species on Sumatra, including the orangutan and rhino.
"An immediate moratorium on habitat conversion is needed to secure a future for Sumatran elephants," the WWF warned in a statement.
"Scientists say that if current trends continue, Sumatran elephants could be extinct in the wild in less than 30 years."
It attributed the decline largely to habitat being deforested and converted for agricultural plantations.
The IUCN said it changed its classification because the creature, the smallest Asian elephant, has lost nearly 70 percent of its habitat and half of its population in one generation.
Despite the elephant being protected under Indonesian law, 85 percent of its habitats are not safeguarded as they are outside officially protected areas, according to the IUCN.
This means they are likely to be converted for other uses, said the IUCN.
Elephant numbers in Sumatra's Riau province alone have declined by 80 percent in less than 25 years due to rapid deforestation by pulp and paper industries and oil palm plantations, the WWF said.
"The Sumatran elephant joins a growing list of Indonesian species that are critically endangered, including the Sumatran orangutan, the Javan and Sumatran rhinos and the Sumatran tiger," said Carlos Drews, director of WWF's global species programme.
Sumatran elephants could be extinct in 30 years
(AP) Google News 24 Jan 12;
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The Sumatran elephant could be extinct in the wild within three decades unless immediate steps are taken to slow the breakneck pace of deforestation, environmentalists warned Tuesday.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature recently listed the animals as "critically endangered" after their numbers dropped to between 2,400 and 2,800 from an estimated 5,000 in 1985.
The decline is largely because of destruction of their habitat, with forests all across the Indonesian island of Sumatra being clear-cut for timber, palm oil and pulp and paper plantations.
Sumatra has some of the most significant populations of Asian elephants outside of India and Sri Lanka and is also home to tigers, orangutans and rhinos.
"The Sumatran elephant joins a growing list of Indonesian species that are critically endangered," Carlos Drews of the conservation group WWF said in a statement Tuesday. "Unless urgent and effective conservation action is taken these magnificent animals are likely to go extinct within our lifetime."
Indonesia's endangered elephants sometimes venture into populated areas searching for food and destroy crops or attack humans, making them unpopular with villagers.
Some are shot or poisoned with cyanide-laced fruit, while others are killed by poachers for their ivory.
Habitat loss drives Sumatran elephants step closer to extinction
WWF 24 Jan 12;
An immediate moratorium on habitat conversion is needed to secure a future for Sumatran elephants, conservation organization WWF says.
The Sumatran elephant has been uplisted from “endangered” to “critically endangered” after losing nearly 70 per cent of its habitat and half its population in one generation. The decline is largely because of elephant habitat being deforested or converted for agricultural plantations.
IUCN has classified the Sumatran elephant subspecies (Elephas maximus sumatranus) as critically endangered on its Red List of Threatened Species. There are only an estimated 2,400 to 2,800 of the animals remaining in the wild, a reduction of about 50 per cent from the 1985 population estimate. Scientists say that if current trends continue, Sumatran elephants could be extinct in the wild in less than 30 years.
According to the IUCN Red List, “Although as a species Sumatran elephants are protected under Indonesia law, 85 per cent of their habitats which are located outside of protected areas, are outside of the protection system and likely to be converted to agricultural and other purposes.”
Sumatra is thought to hold some of the most significant populations of Asian elephants outside of India and Sri Lanka. Yet within the Asian elephant’s range, Sumatra has experienced perhaps the most rapid deforestation rate. Sumatra has lost over two-thirds of its natural lowland forest in the past 25 years – the most suitable habitat for elephants – resulting in local extinctions of the elephant from many areas.
“The Sumatran elephant joins a growing list of Indonesian species that are critically endangered, including the Sumatran orangutan, the Javan and Sumatran rhinos and the Sumatran tiger,” said Dr. Carlos Drews, Director of WWF’s Global Species Programme.
“Unless urgent and effective conservation action is taken these magnificent animals are likely to go extinct within our lifetime.”
WWF is calling on the Indonesian government to prohibit all forest conversion in elephant habitats until a conservation strategy is determined for conserving the animals. The organization recommends that the government conduct an assessment to determine large habitat patches and designate them as protected areas. Additionally, smaller habitat areas should be linked with conservation corridors, and areas of possible habitat expansion or restoration explored.
“It’s very important that the Government of Indonesia, conservation organizations and agro-forestry companies recognize the critical status of elephant and other wildlife in Sumatra and take effective steps to conserve them,” said Asian elephant expert Ajay Desai.
“Indonesia must act now before it’s too late to protect Sumatra’s last remaining natural forests, especially elephant habitats.”
Forest loss a major factor in species decline
In Sumatra’s Riau Province, where pulp and paper industries and oil palm plantations are causing the some of the world’s most rapid rates of deforestation, elephant numbers have declined by a staggering 80 per cent in less than 25 years. Habitat fragmentation has confined some herds to small forest patches, and these populations are not likely to survive in the long term.
“Riau Province has already lost six of its nine herds to extinction. The last surviving elephants may soon disappear if the government doesn’t take steps to stop forest conversion and effectively protect the elephants,” said Anwar Purwoto of WWF-Indonesia.
“Forest concession holders such as pulp and paper companies and the palm oil industry have a legal and ethical obligation to protect endangered species within their concessions.”
Similarly, Lampung Province has seen its number of elephant herds decline from twelve in the 1980s to only three by 2002 as a result of forest loss. Just two of the remaining herds are considered biologically viable.
“In the mid-1980s, Sumatra had 44 elephant populations spread across all of its eight provinces, and the island still had half of its natural forests,” said Dr. A. Christy Williams, Head of WWF’s Asian Elephant Programme.
“Due to conversions of those forests for human settlement and agricultural production, many elephant populations have come into serious conflicts with humans. As a result, a large number of elephants have been captured from the wild or killed.”
WWF calls upon all stakeholders, including the Government of Indonesia, oil palm companies, members of the pulp and paper industry and conservation organizations, to work together to conserve Sumatran elephant habitat. Urgent measures are needed to protect Sumatra’s remaining natural forests so that future generations of Indonesians can inherit a natural heritage that includes wild elephants, tigers, orangutans and rhinos.
Edwin Wiek The Nation 24 Jan 12;
News on elephants in Thailand since the start of this year has been dominated by the brutal killing of wild tuskers in Kaeng Krachan and Kui Buri national parks.
At least six wild elephants have been found dead within three weeks - and this is probably just the tip of the iceberg. Both national parks occupy a very large area, with Kaeng Krachan being Thailand's biggest national park. Combined, the two national parks are home to at least 500 wild elephants.
In one of the first interviews after the discovery of five dead elephants, one government official alleged that these animals were killed to provide elephant meat and sexual organs for consumption at wildlife "bush-meat" restaurants on Phuket, for visiting foreign tourists. This news was extremely shocking to a big part of Thai society, but to date it has not been proven right. In fact, neither the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division (NRECD), or the office of the Phuket governor, have found any evidence that such a place exists. Nor can the official that made the statement give any weight to his claim. It seems like a deliberately made-up claim, for whatever reason, but the real reason for the killing of these elephants could be explained in a much easier way.
The value of young elephants at camps nationwide has soared because not enough babies are being born in captivity to meet the demand. Although we see stories in the news every now and then about the birth of babies at elephant camps, there are just not enough captive-born calves. This gap in demand and supply is reflected in the prices camp owners and businessmen are willing to pay. A two- to four-year-old female, for example, can now fetch a staggering Bt800,000 or Bt900,000.
Baby elephants are being taken out of the jungle in Thailand at any cost. Mothers are being shot and even their nannies and sub-adult males still with the herd, trying to protect the calves. Poachers, who have been interviewed, say it is common to kill up to three elephants to take one baby from the forest. Once a few elephants are killed, the baby elephant stays close to the dead adults while the rest of the herd usually runs for safety. Poachers then have limited time to get the baby out, fearing the return of the herd and/or any witnesses attracted by the sound of gunshots. This explains why some dead elephants have been found with their tusks intact. Removing and selling the tusks would be very lucrative - a small pair would easily fetch Bt100,000 - but it takes too much time.
Groups of poachers like these will receive about Bt300,000 from middlemen for baby elephants at specific places such as Suan Phueng in Ratchaburi and Sai Yok in Kanchanaburi. But this also occurs in the North, in areas such as Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces.
Once the babies have been taken away from the forest, they are moved to "safe houses" in border areas controlled by corrupt politicians, government officials and influential businessmen. Here, the young are "tamed" through week-long torture rituals to break their spirit. In many cases, they are then introduced to a "foster-mother", a captive female elephant. This introduction is particularly important for the future transportation of the elephant out of areas controlled by the criminals.
When transported, baby elephants are often said to be the offspring of the captive (legally owned) older female. The law in Thailand stipulates that any captive-born offspring needs to be registered - within nine years - so, this is a major loophole open to abuse.
Lately, however, gangs have been moving baby elephants in the back of closed, modified pick-up trucks. This is even more daring, and shows they have little fear of being caught, which is a clear sign they are backed up by influential people.
The profit for these gangs is huge, with elephant camps paying up to Bt900,000 for a baby, but the gang only paying the poachers about Bt300,000. Aside from some "costs" such as bribing officials on the way, they can make up to Bt500,000 per elephant.
It has been estimated that baby elephants are transported through Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi at least twice a week. This suggests an annual turnover of at least 100 elephants, or Bt80-90 million, with a profit of Bt50 million for the smuggling gang.
In the recent past, the Thai government always denied that smuggled elephants were from Thailand, claiming they came from Burma. However, the latest findings in Kaeng Krachan and Kui Buri indicate that this is a problem that also exists in Thailand and that it urgently needs to be taken seriously.
There is no need for denial; action has to be taken and it has to be transparent.
For any tourist visiting an elephant camp and riding these beautiful animals, the latest information has serious implications. People who ignore what is occurring effectively support the killing and torture of wild-born elephants.
For any government official or politician denying the above, I challenge them to visit the elephant camps in Ayutthaya, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Samui, Chiang Mai, Phuket, or anywhere else in the country, and force the owners of all elephants of up to 20 years of age to allow a DNA check on their animals. That would verify whether young elephants really are the offspring of their alleged "mothers".
I strongly believe that over half of all young elephants in tourist camps nationwide are wild-caught. You can prove me wrong by undertaking a long-overdue DNA check. Indeed, I challenge you to verify the status of these glorious animals. This is the only way to reveal the true status of all young elephants and to wipe out this evil trade and the slaughter of a national icon.
Edwin Wiek is secretary-general of the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT). He can be contacted at edwin.wiek@wfft.org. See www.wfft.org.
Vicky Buffery PlanetArk 24 Jan 12;
The Italian government should keep cruise ships like the Costa Concordia away from its shores to protect some of the world's most beautiful heritage sites such as Venice and its Lagoon, the Paris-based United Nations cultural agency said on Monday.
UNESCO said it had sent a letter to Italy's Environment Minister Corrado Clini asking him to restrict the access of large cruise ships to culturally and ecologically important areas, following the capsizing of the Italian cruise liner on January 13 which left at least 15 dead.
"The tragic accident reinforces longstanding concern over the risk that large cruise liners pose to sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List," Assistant Director-General for Culture Francesco Bandarin wrote in the letter.
The Costa Concordia keeled over after hitting a rock near the Tuscan island of Giglio ten days ago, and is now lying on its side in shallow water as experts battle to pump some 2,400 tons of fuel from its hull before it spills into the sea.
Prosecutors have said the accident was caused by the captain steering too close to land, prompting calls from Italian environmentalists and politicians to ban big ships from sailing near the shoreline or in fragile areas.
UNESCO said some 300 cruiseliners visit Venice and its Lagoon each year, generating tides that erode the foundations of its buildings and contributing to the pollution of the area.
Italy Risks Worst Environmental Disaster In 20 Years
Silvia Aloisi PlanetArk 23 Jan 12;
Italy risks its worst environmental disaster in more than two decades if the 2,400 tonnes of thick fuel in the capsized Costa Concordia pollutes one of the Mediterranean's most prized and pristine maritime reserves.
Seven days after the 114,500 tonne liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, its vast wreck is shifting precariously on an undersea ledge, threatening to slide further and undermining plans to pump the oil out safely.
The ship keeled over after striking a rock and is now lying on its side on a shelf in about 20 meters of water off the little island of Giglio. Eleven people were killed and 21 are still unaccounted for.
With hopes of finding any survivors all but gone, experts warn that beyond the loss of lives, this could turn into Italy's worst maritime environmental emergency since the sinking of the Amoco Milford Haven, loaded with 144,000 tonnes of oil, off the coast of Genoa in 1991.
The clean up of that area was completed in 2008, 17 years after the accident, and the Haven shipwreck is still on the seabed, said Luigi Alcaro, head of maritime emergencies at ISPRA, Italy's government agency for the environment.
"If the Costa Concordia slides further down and the fuel begins seeping into the water, we could be talking years and dozens of millions of euros before it can be cleared up," Alcaro told Reuters.
The amount of fuel on board the Costa Concordia, 2,380 tonnes of heavy diesel fuel and lubricating oil, is comparable to that carried by a small oil tanker, Environment Minister Corrado Clini told parliament this week.
The fuel tanks appear to be intact for now.
HIGHLY TOXIC
Clini said even a contained leakage would be highly toxic for the flora and fauna in the area, a natural maritime park noted for its clear waters, varied marine life and coral.
The Giglio island is a renowned diving site and the surrounding archipelago is home to more than 700 botanical and animal species, including turtles, dolphins and seals.
Alcaro said the most optimistic scenario would be to stabilize the ship and pump the oil out through a technique known as "hot tap."
"The oil on the ship is very thick and sticky, so you'd have to drill a hole in the hulk and warm it up to make it more fluid and easier to extract," he told Reuters.
"That could be done in about a month for the 13 external tanks on the ship. There are another 10 tanks inside, and those are a lot more difficult to reach," he said.
But if the ship slips deeper underwater, it would actually be better if the tanks ruptured open and the fuel floated up to the surface, he said.
"There would be panic for a couple of weeks of course but a 'black sea' of fuel would make it visible and easier to recover. The very worst scenario is having oil slowly leaking out."
He pointed to the precedent of the cruise ship Sea Diamond, which sank off the Greek island of Santorini in April 2007, saying oil from the wrecked vessel kept seeping into the water for three years at the rate of 30 kg a day.
Tourism is the top industry on Giglio and locals are worried about the potentially devastating impact of pollution.
"If there's a massive fuel spill, we might as well close everything down, throw away the key and come back in 10 years," said Massimiliano Botti, 40, owner of the Porta Via restaurant along the Giglio quay. "Environmental damage is what concerns us most. If the oil pollutes the coast, we're ruined."
Giglio's mayor Sergio Ortelli said the recovery of the fuel was likely to start within the next 48 hours, but the wreck shifted further on Friday as the weather worsened, forcing a new suspension in the rescue work.
"We can only hope that the weather remains acceptable, that efforts to stabilize the wreck continue speedily, and that God gives us a hand to preserve what many consider a little Mediterranean paradise," Fulco Pratesi, founder of the conservation group WWF in Italy, wrote in the Corriere della Sera newspaper.
(Additional reporting by Steve Scherer in Giglio; Editing by Philip Pullella and Janet Lawrence)
Year of the Dragon: Amazing Agamids
from Lazy Lizard's Tales
120120 Kampong Chantek
from Singapore Nature
Skipper Day @ Mandai Park Connector
from Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature
Seagrass surprise on Cyrene!
from wild shores of singapore
golden orb web spider @ bukit brown - Jan2012
from sgbeachbum
Changeable Lizard
from Monday Morgue
Paul Fernandes Times of India 23 Jan 12;
PANAJI: Quicker heating up of the coastal belt due to the capacity of concretized stretches to soak up heat contributes to enhanced beach erosion as the winds and waves batter the coast harder, a scientist has stated.
Tourism and development activities have triggered rapid urbanization of the coastal belt and, though it may sound unusual, they are a major factor causing faster beach erosion. "The concrete buildings, such as hotels, bungalows and tarred surface of roads and parking areas heat up faster because of high heat capacity, causing a phenomenon called heat island," says Alvarinho J Luis, a scientist at the national centre for antarctic and ocean research (NCAOR).
Speaking at a recently-held state-level seminar 'Weather and climate change in Goa after liberation', organized by department of physics, St Xavier's college of arts, science & commerce, Mapusa, the scientist said the heated surface in the coastal belt pushes the air into the upper atmosphere (convection) causing a low surface pressure below as compared to the similar conditions in the atmosphere over the sea.
The scientist, who is working on a paper to be published shortly, has compared data collected over a decade. He has used satellite-based data related to wind speeds and numerical models pertaining to sea level pressure and studied the contrasts between land and sea.
"This gradient (over a large area) between sea and land enhances the winds toward the land and increases the wave height via momentum transfer (tangential push) to the water," he said.
The increase in wind speed observed by satellites over the sea off Goa during the last decade (since 2000) has been significant (0.23±0.7 m/s per decade (r2=0.64, significant at 95% confidence level) (Figure 1).
An NIO scientist agrees, "The wind is a powerful agent for transportation of sand and even dry soil. In some African countries, the sand particles suspended in the air even block the sunlight," he said.
In Goa, water resources department has initiated various measures including erecting gabion structures to prevent denudation of beaches, but not with much success.
Coastal erosion is a worldwide phenomenon and many major centres of beach tourism, including Goa are expected to lose shoreline stretches in the future. But it was hardly known that higher wind speeds are triggered by heating up of the coastal belt due to development and concretization.
"The increase in the wind speed is a result of decrease in the sea level pressure trend over land when compared with that over the sea off Goa," Luis said.
In his assessment of the higher trend over land, the Luis states that it is a result of urbanization of Goa in the coastal belts due to a high demand for infrastructure, hotels, bungalows and tar roads.
The soaring waves crash on the sandy beach and carry away sand to the littoral zone. "Littoral currents flow parallel to the beach while rip currents flow perpendicular to the beach contour and move material out into the sea, altering the beach morphology" Luis said.
Sand bars are formed due to deposition of sand in the navigational channel due to high sediment load in monsoon. "The Aguada sand bar formation off the Miramar beach during monsoon is a typical example," Luis said.
Keri in Pernem, Anjuna in Bardez, Campal in Tiswadi and Talpona in Canacona talukas are some stretches which are heavily eroded. "About 20 years we could easily walk from Campal to Miramar beach, but now it is eroded and it is more visible near the light house," Agnelo Pinto, a resident said.
The eroded beach becomes vulnerable to further sea incursions. "As the topographic gradient of the beach decreases towards the land, it becomes easy for the sea water to intrude landward, thereby damaging sand dune vegetation, man-made structures," Luis added.
Though the rise in sea level is also increasing the influx of sea water once the coastline is eroded, wind-driven erosion is likely to be more dangerous. "Compared to the slow sea level rise (less than 1mm per year along the west coast), wind contributes a large chunk of mechanical energy to waves which are effective mechanism for coastal erosion," he further said.
The sea level rise has a time scale of century, but the wind forcing has a time scale of few years to a decade, Luis added.
Increase in sea level is another factor that contributes to influx of more water once the coastal line is eroded. Compared to sea level rise (less than 1mm per year along the west coast), wind contributes a large chunk of mechanical energy to waves which are effective mechanism for coastal erosion. Note that sea level rise is a slow process (time scale of century), while wind forcing has a time scale of few years to decade.
Ruben Sario The Star 23 Jan 12;
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Wildlife officials are ushering in the year of the dragon by nursing an abandoned Borneo pygmy elephant calf rescued at a plantation in the east coast Lahad Datu district.
Describing the rescue as a Chinese New Year miracle, state Wildlife Department director Lauerentius Ambu said the several-weeks-old elephant was suffering from massive dehydration as well as numerous cuts and abrasions when it was pulled out from a moat yesterday.
“Our Wildlife Rescue Unit veterinarian and rangers managed to give it a massive amount of fluid and treated the wounds,” he said.
“Though the baby elephant's condition seems to have improved, it is still not out of the woods yet.
“It will still need critical and constant care for it to further improve and survive.
“Presently we have a veterinarian and four staff giving round-the-clock intensive care.
“If the baby can survive for the next 72 hours, its chances of pulling through will also be better,” Lauren- tius added.
He said the rescue of the calf was a significant event as in Sabah there were only some 2,000 of the elephants left in the wild.
Laurentius said the elephants faced severely fragmented habitat due to agricultural and human activities.
“Human-elephant conflict has increased with more of these mammals being killed and orphaned elephants rescued,” he added.
Wildlife Department veterinarian Dr Sen Nathan said the calf was likely to have been left behind by its herd after it was unable to pull itself out from the moat.
Baby elephant rescued
Sabah rescue unit monitoring animal
Kristy Inus New Straits Times 23 Jan 12;
AN abandoned male baby elephant, believed to be a few weeks old, was rescued by the Sabah Wildlife Department's Wildlife Rescue Unit at a plantation, about 40km from here, on Saturday.
Calling it the "Chinese New Year miracle", the team said it was alerted by the plantation workers who found the baby elephant in a deep moat and unable to move.
"Elephants are one of the best mothers in the animal kingdom. They do not abandon their babies.
The baby elephants are not only cared for by the mother but also by older siblings and other adult females in the herd," said unit head Dr Sen Nathan.
"The baby elephant was found to be severely dehydrated and had cuts and abrasions on its body.
"Veterinarian Dr Diana Ramirez and the rangers administered large amounts of intravenous fluids and treated the wounds."
Dr Sen said although the baby elephant's condition had improved, "it is still not out of the woods yet".
"It would still require constant care to improve in health and survive.
"A veterinarian and four staff are providing the baby elephant with 24-hour intensive care.
"If the baby elephant can survive for the next 72 hours, it has better chances of pulling through."
The population of Borneo Pygmy elephants in Sabah is dwindling fast, with only 2,000 left in the wild.
Its habitat is affected by agricultural and human activities, hence an increase in cases of elephants being killed and orphan elephants rescued.
The Wildlife Rescue Unit focuses on rescuing and translocating wildlife in Sabah. Last month, the team members assisted in the helicopter rescue of a rare female Sumatran rhinoceros here.
The Star 23 Jan 12;
KUALA TERENGGANU: The hunt for rampaging elephants is on.
The Terengganu Wildlife and National Parks department has deployed a team of six officers to capture wild elephants which have destroyed oil plam trees near Kampung Air Putih in Kemaman.
“We believe a group of wild elephants might have wandered into the village,” director Yusoff Shariff told The Star yesterday.
“Initial investigations revealed that the elephants might have rampaged through the plantation late at night.”
Yusoff said the animals would be relocated to the Ketiar Elephant Sanctuary in Hulu Terengganu once they were captured.
“So far the elephants have not injured any villager but I advice people to be vigilant,” he said.
The Star reported that rampaging elephants destroyed more than 50 oil palm trees in a villager Maizanah Abdullah's 2.8ha plantation.
The elephants have been using the village as a route to a nearby jungle.
The last “attack” at the plantation occurred some two years ago, where some 200 trees were destroyed.
Elephant problems have been a norm for the state and the department has conducted several successful operations to relocate them.
Jumbo woes for estate owner
The Star 22 Jan 12;
KEMAMAN: An oil palm estate owner has a problem the size of many elephants.
Rampaging elephants have des-troyed more than 50 oil palm trees in Maizanah Abdullah's 2.8ha plantation.
“Besides destroying the trees, the elephants also chewed on the fruits and leaves of the bigger oil palm trees.
“I believe the elephants came at night because we found remnants of the trees the following morning,” said the 55-year-old owner.
She added that the elephants would destroy about 10 trees on a single night and to date, the number had climbed to over 50 trees.
“The last attack occurred some two years ago, when I lost around 200 trees and suffered thousands of ringgit in losses.
“I hope the attack this time around will not reach such devastation,” she said.
Maizanah claimed that the elephants had been using the oil palm plantation as a route to get to a nearby jungle.
She hoped the state Wildlife and National Parks Department would act as soon as possible.
“I also fear the elephants might injure some unlucky individual,” she said.
VietNamNet Bridge 22 Jan 12;
Cuong, Chim, Phuong, Phi and many other residents of Van Hung Commune of Khanh Hoa province have been trying to protect coral reefs – the “lung of the sea”, because, as Cuong said, they want to reserve the sea for the next generations.
The overexploitation of corals in Van Hung Commune of Van Ninh district in Khanh Hoa once destroyed the ecological environment, while the aquatic sources got depleted. The Ran Trao coral reef was left as the only “forest” in the hurt sea bed. Ten years ago, local residents of the Van Hung Commune vowed to protect Tran Tao. Thanks to their great efforts, the forest has nearly revived.
Just covering an area of 90 hectares, but Ran Trao contained 82 coral varieties, 69reef fish species, six species of sea grass and five mangrove plant species. Ran Trao is one of the places which provide natural sources of valuable marine species, such as lobster, grouper, sea cucumbers, snails to the whole Van Phong Bay.
Nguyen Cuong, one of the fisherman, who voluntarily joined the team of protecting the sea, said that unlike the 15 years ago, 85 percent of local residents have been aware of the importance of the coral reefs to their livelihood and they understand that it is necessary to protect the natural resources.
Overexploitation nearly killed coral reefs
Nguyen Van Chim in Xuan Tu 2 hamlet, recalled that in 1990s; people flocked to the commune to breed lobsters for profit, which then seriously devastated coral reefs. Fishermen also killed coral reefs during their trips to the open sea. Several years before, people once came there to exploit coral reefs to bring to the Central Highlands, where corals were used as fertilizer for the coffee plants. As a result, a vast area on the ocean bed got ravaged.
Aquatic resources got depleted. People tried to exploit corals not only by hands, but they also used mines, toxic substances which killed small fishes as well. The Van Hung Commune witnessed 3-4 people losing their legs and hands because using mines to exploit aquatic products. Two people were killed also because of the same reason.
Cuong and other fishermen in the sea village felt sorry for the overexploited sea. Many years ago, it took them just four hours to catch 30-40 kilos of lobsters, while they could catch 2-3 kilos at maximum now.
“I am afraid that one day, my grandchildren would ask me: “What was the fish like?” because they never can see that kind of fish,” Cuong said.
In 2000, a group of experts from the central marine conservation and community development (MCD) arrived in Van Hung. They said coral reefs are considered the green forests that protect the sea. Cuong, Chim and many other people realized that coral is a diverse ecosystem, the lung and the life of countless species. Therefore, keeping coral species means keeping the aquatic resources for the region.
From that day, Cuong and many other local residents have been trying to protect the sea and prevent people from devastating coral reefs. Three months later, a nucleus team in charge of protecting Ran Trao was officially established. As such, the model of preserving the sea with the management of the community, has been established with the technical support of MCD.
Coming back to life
Recalling the first days of implementing the task of protecting coral reefs, Cuong said these were very tough days. All the fishing and aquaculture activities are prohibited in the area. No one can bring anything to the area, and they cannot take away anything from there.
However, no one has given up the game, even though every of them could get 300,000 dong a month, and the money for fuel.
Not only trying to protect coral reefs, local residents have been trying to cultivate coral reefs. 80-90 percent of corals developed by local residents can live, the achievement that no one could imagine before, even scientists.
Nurhidayah Ramli The Star 22 Jan 12;
JAKARTA: Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed on a permanent regional secretariat to look into issues of sustainable marine development, resources management, research and development projects and income improvement of coastal communities between the two countries.
The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) regional secretariat will be set up in Manado, Indonesia.
Malaysia's Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili and the republic's Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sharif Cicip Sutarjo met here on Friday.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry said the meeting also paved the way for Dr Ongkili to take over as CTI Council of Ministers (CTI-COM) chairman from Sharif.
Malaysia was chosen to head the CTI-COM during the third ministerial meeting in Jakarta last October.
During their discussions, Dr Ongkili and Sharif touched on the challenges facing CTI and the plan to set up the regional secretariat.
Dr Ongkili also held meetings with high-level officials of the interim CTI regional secretariat (CTI-RS), led by Dr Gellwyn Jusuf, the secretary-general of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.
Regional secretariat executive chairman Dr Sudirman Saad said the meeting between the regional secretariat and the new chairman was an important milestone.
Dr Ongkili called on Indonesia's Research and Technology Minister Prof Gusti Muhammad Hatta, with whom he discussed existing cooperation in science and technology.
Both ministers agreed to closely collaborate and carry out joint researches in natural products, biotechnology, cyber security, marine and fisheries as well as food security.
Life History of the Common Red Flash
from Butterflies of Singapore
Sungei Cina (21 Jan 2012)
from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore
banded woodpecker cooling off @ bukit brown 15Jan2012
from sgbeachbum and stinkhorn fungus
UN International Year of Co-operatives 2012
from EcoWalkthetalk
Straits Times 22 Jan 12;
Travellers at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal yesterday were greeted by sharks - made of cardboard.
The cut-outs are part of a campaign to persuade Singaporeans not to eat shark's fin - used mainly in soups in Chinese cuisine.
The campaign, called Say No To Shark's Fin, is a joint effort by conservation group WWF and the Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC). Booths with information about shark conservation will be located at the terminal until Feb 12.
Spokesmen from the WWF and SCC said they hope to bring the message of marine conservation to the cruise centre's passengers, especially during the Chinese New Year holidays.
Ms Christina Seow, SCC's chief executive, said the exercise marks the group's commitment to promote responsible tourism.
Visitors can learn more about shark conservation from WWF representatives at the terminal, as well as pledge to stop eating shark's fin.
One such visitor was Mr Dass Moses, 40. The operations supervisor, who describes himself as a 'shark lover', said he had seen documentaries about sharks that were left for dead after their fins were harvested. He stopped eating shark's fin more than 10 years ago.
'The poor fellas are dying out there. I feel very sad when I think about it,' he said.
Yen Feng
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