The weirdest marine creature I've seen
from wild shores of singapore and Nudibranch motherlode at Changi
Changi - diversity is stunning as ever..!
from Psychedelic Nature
spectacular aero-nautical eagle show @ marina bay ~ June 2012
from sgbeachbum
Colourful marine city of Punggol
from wonderful creation and Psychedelic Nature and Eggy, Peiyan.Photography and The annotated budak
Pipturus argenteus and the birds it attracts
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Jose Hong Straits Times 5 Jun 12;
SEA walls defend the coast from erosion by waves and currents, but they are also potentially 'housing developments' for marine creatures.
These 'housing developments', however, are not ideal habitats. This is because the granite blocks making up these sea walls have steeply sloped, even surfaces - not the best for sea life looking for crevices to anchor themselves, feed, breed, or hide.
Research assistant Lynette Loke, a 24-year-old doing her master's in science at the National University of Singapore (NUS), wants to change that.
Ms Loke in the middle of mounting specially designed tiles onto sea walls at Pulau Hantu as part of her project in 2009. Designed and created by her, the tiles have ridges and pits which make them a more complex surface than granite for sea life looking for crevices to anchor themselves, feed, breed, or hide. -- PHOTO: PETER TODD
Her project now basically 'renovates' the sea walls by mounting specially designed tiles onto their surface. Designed and created by her, these tiles are moulded with ridges and pits, making them a more complex surface than just granite alone.
She has been at this for 21/2 years, and will complete an analysis of the effectiveness of the tiles only next year.
But her project has already garnered international praise.
Professor Gee Chapman, a professor of marine ecology at the University of Sydney, was impressed by the project when she visited NUS in March.
She said the research would answer important questions about how plant and animal species that live between the high- and low-tide levels use their habitats.
'More importantly, the results will provide advice to ecologists, engineers and environmental managers worldwide about ways in which sea walls might be modified or built to reduce their negative effects on local inter-tidal biodiversity,' she added.
Dr James Reimer, an associate professor at the Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology Lab of the University of the Ryukyus in Japan, has also come to hear of Ms Loke's work.
Saying the project fit well with his work of assessing the impact of coastal construction on marine biodiversity, he invited the principal investigator of the project, NUS assistant professor of biology Peter Todd, to give a talk on the project in April.
Dr Reimer, noting the talk was well-received, said: 'We're discussing ways to apply their methods to a project here in Okinawa.'
Dr Tjeerd Bouma, a co-principal investigator for Ms Loke's project, noted that sea walls have been built for decades with little thought to their impact on marine life. Dr Bouma,who is a researcher from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Deltares, said learning how to design these walls in the most ecologically friendly way was therefore important.
Ms Loke cannot agree more, adding: 'We hope one day to see our design on seawalls around the world.'
The Star 5 Jun 12;
GEORGE TOWN: Penang may have been named one of Asia's most liveable cities, but two non-governmental organisations here beg to differ.
The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) argued that Penang was becoming unliveable due to “mindless development”.
“The kind of development that is taking place leaves no space for conservation,” said S.M. Mohamed Idris, who is president of both NGOs.
He claimed that hills were being destroyed while in places like Tanjung Tokong, the sea was being polluted by reclamation.
Yesterday, a small group of CAP and SAM members staged a 15-minute peaceful protest outside the construction site of a hillslope housing project in Bukit Gambier ahead of World Environment Day today.
Speaking to reporters later, Idris said the current number of high-rise developments was unnecessary.
“Based on our observations, we estimate that 40% to 50% of high-rise units in Penang are unoccupied,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government, state government and local authorities to halt all hillslope projects and gazette forests and mangrove areas as permanent forest reserves.
“Coastal reclamation and aquaculture activities in Penang have also contributed to the destruction of the natural coastal ecosystem. Approximately 70% of mangrove forests in the state have been destroyed by development projects.
“All these threats to the environment have led to at least 40 species of river and marine life to be endangered or extinct,” Idris said.
When contacted, state Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said: “We appreciate their concerns. I hope we can work together and that they provide us with their insight and help.”
Outrage over damage to environment
Looi Sue-Chern New Straits Times 7 Jun 12;
ANGRY VOICES: NGOs are calling on Penang government to ensure that proposed developments do not cause further environmental degradation
GEORGE TOWN: THE rivers are polluted and Penang's mangrove forests, beaches, hills and greenery are slowly making way for development projects.
Outraged by what is happening, the Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia are calling on the state government to ensure that proposed developments will not cause further damage to the environment and the people's lives.
S.M. Mohamed Idris, the president of both non-governmental organisations (NGO), said Penang was still losing its greenery and facing environmental problems, despite the state government's "Cleaner and Greener" initiative, Idris, who has been fighting for the environment for 40 years, said the situation was getting worse as Penang was becoming more and more congested with "monstrous" high-rise buildings and development projects coming up around the island.
He said, in the state Environment Department's river water quality report last year, 10 rivers in Penang were classed as polluted, nine were moderately dirty and only five were clean.
Among the polluted ones were the Jawi, Air Itam, Jelutong, Pinang, Juru, and Prai rivers.
In the department's report on marine water quality last year, he said, Kuala Sungai Pinang in Jelutong, Kuala Sungai Pinang in Balik Pulau, and Kuala Sungai Prai and Kuala Sungai Juru on the mainland were high in Escherichia coli (E. Coli) bacteria, which indicated fecal contamination.
The state also faced natural coastal area destruction due to land reclamation and aquaculture activities.
He added that beaches, such as the Persiaran Gurney beach, were turning into mud flats.
"Some 70 per cent of mangrove forests here have been destroyed to make way for development projects.
Such threats endanger at least 40 river and marine species.
"We are also losing water catchment areas.
"Mud floods are occurring more frequently in villages and housing estates because of soil erosion and sedimentation from hill slope projects in places such as Balik Pulau and Bayan Lepas," said Idris.
He cited recent reports of Sungai Ara and Tanjung Bungah residents protesting against such developments.
Idris, who led members of the NGOs in an anti-hill slope development protest on Jalan Bukit Gambir here to mark World Environment Day recently, also called on the government to stop all projects on hill slopes.
The high-end condominium project, which is being developed by a Kuala Lumpur-based company, features a 31-storey condominium block with more than 140 units, a five-storey car park, a two storey open basement and seven three-storey bungalows that are expected to be ready in three years.
He said there was no need for more of these profit-driven projects which offered homes most people in Penang could not afford.
"We want our hills and agricultural land to be protected from further development and for forests and mangrove swamps to be gazetted as permanent reserve forests.
The state government and local authorities must enforce existing regulations.
"The Environment Department should also improve its education programmes to encourage public participation.
"The people must play their part to keep Penang clean and green to ensure a better life for ourselves and future generations," said Idris.
Antara 4 Jun 12;
Jember (ANTARA News) - Meru Betiri National Park (TNMB) authorities will use 15 more camera traps in an effort to step up the search for the Javan tiger (Panthera Tigris Sondaica) in the area.
"With the addition of 15 camera traps, there will be 20 camera traps in that area. We hope that will help us find traces of the tiger," TNMB Chief Bambang Darmadja said here on Monday.
The expedition team had previously set up five camera traps in three locations.
The expedition has not succeeded yet in finding or photographing any tiger, but the expedition team wants to collect secondary data.
Bambang stated TNMB would like to invite non-governmental organisations (NGOs) concerned with the Javan tiger.
Coordinator of the Big Carnivore Expedition Team at TNMB, Alif Olia Ananda, said the expedition was also aimed at collecting secondary data that would help determine the presence of tigers in the area.
"There has been no primary data in the form of photographs from the camera traps, although other animals such as such as bison, porcupines, and weasels have been photographed," he explained.
Alif said earlier the team did not have enough camera traps.
(T.I025/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Fidelis E. Satriastanti Jakarta Globe 4 Jun 12;
There are many challenges in protecting the one-horned Javan rhinoceros, but the biggest barrier comes from humans hunting the rare species into extinction. This was the position put forward by Novianto Bambang, director of conservation and biodiversity at the Forestry Ministry when contacted by BeritaSatu on Saturday.
Novianto added that the ministry planned to declare 2012 the International Year of the Rhino to draw attention to the creature’s plight. The announcement is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
“For rhinos, the main threat is humans, besides natural disturbances and disease,” Novianto said. “Humans are very strange, in my opinion, because they are interested in the rhino for its horn. There are many who believe rhino horn has properties that can increase virility. The problem is, to get the horn, like it or not, they have to kill the rhino.”
He added that there were only 35 Javan rhinos remaining at the Ujung Kulon National Park in West Java.
“The second problem is, of course, human encroachment into the rhinos’ already limited habitat. It is becoming increasingly harder for rhinos to find food in their own habitats,” he said. “We don’t know when it’s going to become big problem, but we must be vigilant and start looking now for a way out.”
One of only 11 nations where rhinos are found, including Malaysia, India and South Africa, Indonesia is lucky to have has two kinds of rhinos: The one-horned Javan rhino and the two-horned Sumatran rhino, of which only 200 remain in the wild.
“Indonesia has two species of rhino that are still in some of the biggest numbers in the world. In Vietnam, the rhino is already extinct. We mustn’t let that happen here,” Novianto said. “We are now working on several activities to increase the population of both kinds of rhinos. From Way Kambas [South Sumatra], we have already received exciting news that there is a pregnant rhino nearly ready to give birth. Meanwhile, for the Javan rhino, we have 120 cameras that can tell us how many rhinos are out there.”
Data shows that there are 13 female and 22 male Javan rhinos still in the wild in West Java. Although the recorded number of Javan rhinos is still less than ideal, the fact that they are breeding is an good sign, said Mohammad Haryono from the region’s national park.
“It is certainly less than ideal that there are so few females, but the fact that they are breeding shows that they can still increase their numbers naturally,” he said.
With the population numbers as they are, Novianto acknowledges that the conditions are still far from ideal, but he said that the declaration of the international rhino day should help the species as it will increase awareness of the problem among the greater public.
Antara 4 Jun 12;
Manado (ANTARA News) - The US government has provided funds of US$7 million to help develop the National Sea Park of Bunaken, the US Consul General in Surabaya, Kristen Bauer, said here on Sunday during a visit to Bunaken.
"We have been cooperating in the field of environment with the government of Indonesia, particularly for the Bunaken National Sea Park area, from 1997 to 2003," she declared.
According to her, the funds are used to help fishermen conducting fish farming to sustain their daily lives.
The fishermen also contribute to the park`s safety by patrolling the national park jointly with the relevant agencies to ensure that only appropriate activities are conducted in appropriate places in the park.
"We also want to make sure that the system which was built long ago is still functioning. Are the fishermen is still protecting and preserving the environment while continuing with their farming?" Kristen inquired.
Kristen expressed her appreciation for all the parties that jointly conduct conservation activities to ensure fish and coral reef preservation in the park.
She hoped that there would be a new breakthrough in increasing revenues for the park, which would further the preservation of coral reefs and improve the welfare of local communities.
"Hopefully, the management can find a solution to repair this area, so that it can be a source of income for the local community," she stated.
With regard to attracting more visitors to the park, the management of the Bunaken National Park Management Board (BNPMAB) is expected to collaborate with educational institutions.
In addition, the management will educate tourists before they enter Bunaken.
"This is intended to provide understanding and awareness, so that they can dispose of waste in the appropriate place," Kristen remarked.
(T.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Chris McCall PlanetArk 5 Jun 12;
Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef is under imminent threat from industrial development and may be considered for listing as a world heritage site "in danger" within the next year, a U.N. report said this week.
Citing the findings of a mission to the world's largest living structure in March, the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) recommended that "in the absence of substantial progress", its World Heritage Committee would consider such a listing in February next year.
Key pressures on the reef include coastal development, ports and liquefied natural gas facilities, extreme weather, grounding of ships and poor water quality, UNESCO said.
The reef's outstanding universal value "is threatened and decisive action is required to secure its long-term conservation", it said.
Australian organizations managing the reef have adopted high-quality practices, UNESCO said, but noted that "despite management successes there has been a continuing decline in the quality of some parts" of the reef.
Australia's northeastern state of Queensland, where the reef is located, is one of the country's fastest-developing regions.
Onshore are economically important coal mining operations, while the reef itself is a major tourist draw.
In recent years, critics have pointed to the dangers posed to the reef by industrial development, particularly since 2010 when a Chinese coal carrier rammed into part of the reef.
In its report, UNESCO specifically mentioned plans for liquefied natural gas facilities at Curtis Island, and ongoing development of the key coal port of Gladstone.
Future port infrastructure plans should be limited to "existing and long-established" ports in the region, it said.
UNESCO called for the setting of clear, legal targets for the reef's condition, and said the high level of approvals for planned development in recent years was a concern.
"Considering the high rate of approvals over the past 12 years, this unprecedented scale of development affecting or potentially affecting the property poses serious concerns over its long-term conservation," it said.
The politically influential Greens, who support Prime Minister Julia Gillard's minority government, responded to the report by calling for Australia to reduce its dependence on coal.
Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke acknowledged that climate change and coastal development posed ongoing threats to the reef, but said the report contained no surprises.
"The UNESCO mission in March acknowledged that our management of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area is still considered to be best practice," Burke said in a statement.
The World Heritage Committee will discuss the report when it meets in St Petersburg later this month.
(Editing by Daniel Magnowski)
Latest Green Jobs in Singapore [28 May - 3 Jun 2012]
from Green Business Times
Seahorse, nudis and more at Punggol Beach!
from wild shores of singapore
More FREE June walks at Pasir Ris mangroves
from wild shores of singapore
Climate change in the tropics: the end of the world as we know it? – Professor Richard Corlett from Raffles Museum News
Where is the Central Catchment Nature Reserve?
from Urban Forest
Indonesia eco-news review: Fisherman still using bombs to catch fish in Indonesia from Mongabay.com news by Rhett Butler
Pacific Swallow
from Monday Morgue
Every raindrop counts
PUB ramps up world-first technology that will make 90% of the island a catchment area
Woo Sian Boon Today Online 4 Jun 12;
SINGAPORE - For a country that brought to the world the technology to recycle sewage into high-grade reclaimed potable water, the Republic is now making strides in another world-first: Variable salinity technology, which would turn almost the entire island into a water catchment area, as national water agency PUB strives to make use of every drop of rainwater.
TODAY has learnt that, following a successful pilot, PUB plans to ramp up the technology, having recently identified eight potential sites across the island, including one at Jurong, at which to build new plants.
PUB had revealed that it was looking at using more of the technology - without giving details - in a letter to this newspaper last month, in a response to a reader's suggestion to harness water in the streams and rivulets near the shoreline.
Currently, two-thirds of Singapore's land surface is a water catchment area. But, according to PUB, a considerable amount of rainwater still goes to waste at smaller rivulets situated at the island's outskirts. With the new technology - which has the dual function of generating potable water from brackish water and sea water - about 90 per cent of the island will become a water catchment area.
During wet spells or periods of heavy rainfall, an inflatable rubber weir built into a canal retains rainwater that is otherwise drained into the sea.
The water from the canal is transferred to a variable salinity plant. During the purification process, the water is filtered to remove particles of less than 100 micrometres in size. The water is then desalted when it is run through reverse osmosis membranes.
During dry spells, however, the variable salinity plant switches to "seawater" mode, and seawater is pumped into the plant from a pipe spanning 190m offshore.
The seawater stream is passed through seawater reverse osmosis membranes and then through the brackish water reverse osmosis membranes to obtain salt-free water.
PUB spokesperson Sarah Hiong told TODAY: "The variable salinity plant is the first of its kind in the world, and is designed to produce drinking water from seawater and brackish water at an affordable cost."
With some parts of the island seeing ony minimal rain for up to four-fifths of the year, it would not have been cost effective to build conventional systems for small catchments such as streams and rivulets near the shorelines.
The PUB launched a prototype variable salinity plant at the Bedok NEWater facility in 2004. Bouyed by its success, a S$7.4-million demonstration-scale plant was constructed in 2007 at Sungei Tampines. And for the past five years, the plant has been working around the clock, processing up to 2 million gallons (9.1 million litres) of brackish rainwater per day - or about 0.5 per cent of Singapore's daily water consumption, which stands at 380 million gallons.
Like NEWater, the water processed by this latest technology is safe for drinking, meeting or surpassing drinking water quality guidelines and standards by the World Health Organization and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
But as the yield is small, all product water is currently used to augment the supply of NEWater used to meet industrial needs.
Ms Hiong noted that 55 per cent of Singapore's total water demand comes from the industrial sector. "NEWater is primarily supplied to industries, and (the new technology) frees up potable water from catchment areas for household consumption," she said.
Four of the potential sites identified for new variable salinity plants are in the eastern part of the island, and two each in the western and north-western parts. One of the sites -to be situated in Jurong - will ultimately be capable of processing 1.3 million gallons of seawater or 2.6 million gallons of brackish water per day.
As the new technology make inroads here, members of the public have more reasons not to litter.
"Rubbish thrown on the ground can be washed into drains when it rains, and end up in a canal, which is collecting rainwater for our water supply," Ms Hiong pointed out.
Malaysia can complement Singapore and create another Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp(ARA)
Thomas Huong The Star 4 Jun 12;
Dialog needs to double Pengerang capacity for regional oil hub plan to bear fruit
PETALING JAYA: Dialog Group Bhd's RM5bil Pengerang terminal in Johor may need to double its total storage capacity to 10 million cu m if plans to turn the area into a regional oil storage and trading hub were to bear fruit.
Dialog executive chairman Ngau Boon Keat told StarBiz that the oil and gas multi-discipline technical service provider was conducting studies on the potential demand for liquefied national gas (LNG) storage at the terminal.
Ngau said the natural deepwater and strategic location of Pengerang had attracted the attention of potential oil and gas investors from Taiwan and other countries recently.
“Pengerang has the potential to be bigger than what we anticipated originally. If done properly, the petrochemical industry in Pengerang and Singapore's Jurong Island (combined) can be bigger than Rotterdam in the Netherlands. In 20 years, Pengerang itself could surpass Rotterdam,” said Ngau.
To recap, in Pengerang, Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has plans for a RM60bil integrated refinery and petrochemical complex, known as Rapid, which is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2016, while Dialog, together with Netherlands-based Royal Vopak group, are developing an independent deepwater petroleum terminal.
The independent deepwater petroleum terminal will provide storage, blending and distribution services for oil products and will be capable of handling ultra large crude oil carriers.
The terminal, to be completed in the next six years, is presently planned with a total storage capacity of five million cu m covering 500 acres reclaimed land.
According to Ngau, the Pengerang terminal has the advantages of having deepwater (24m) jetty facilties and a strategic location that is next to international sea lanes.
The Johor state government also has a 10% stake, via its investment arm the State Secretary Johor Inc, in the terminal project.
Ngau reiterated that Pengerang has natural resources and advantages that Singapore and Rotterdam lack.
“Rotterdam, as the world's biggest oil refining and petrochemical hub, is the pride of the Dutch. They are still reclaiming land from the North Sea. They are very efficient. Jurong has limited land and is finding it hard to grow further.”
However, Ngau stressed that the country needed to create a cost-efficient environment for oil and gas investors to operate in.
“Whoever comes to Pengerang is looking at cost efficiency. It is not so much about the cheap land or incentives. Rather, it is because Pengerang is the most efficient location for doing business. These are huge investments. For example, on an investment of RM120bil, if you are 5% more effficient, then you generate a RM6bil advantage against others,” he said.
Ngau said when Rapid was commissioned at end-2016, it would be the first oil refinery of significant size in almost two decades in South-East Asia, since a Petronas-ConocoPhillips joint venture refinery in Malacca was added in 1998 and excluding a refinery in Dung Quat, Vietnam that was opened in early 2009. Rapid, which is known as the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development project, will comprise a crude oil refinery with 300,000 barrels per day capacity, a naphtha cracker that will produce about 3 million tonnes of ethylene, propylene, C4 and C5 olefins per year, and a petrochemicals and polymer complex.
“Singapore is not building refineries because it has limited land. Singapore's Jurong is full. The only way it can grow is by buying sand. It is buying sand from as far as Cambodia and Vietnam. It has gone downstream, into producing petrochemical products,” he said.
According to Ngau, Pengerang will not be competing against Singapore.
“We will complement Singapore. We can go into primary and secondary petrochemical products. But, for us to go into tertiary products, it would take us at least 10 to 15 years to catch up with Singapore.”
Ngau said Rapid would be using using the latest technologies and designs for modern products.
“So, Singapore will buy the raw materials they need from us and vice versa. That is why I say we will complement each other.”
According to Pemandu's (Performance Management and Delivery Unit) handbook on the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), the Pengerang terminal is expected to generate RM1.6bil in gross national income (GNI) by 2020 through three streams.
“First, independent logistic players will charge storage fees, generating RM500mil in additional GNI. Second, the availability of storage will drive additional shipping volumes, generating an expected RM300mil in GNI. Lastly, trading of crude oil and petroleum products is expected to generate an additional RM800million in GNI.”
It was estimated that 800 new jobs will be created from the Pengerang terminal venture, excluding any spin-off from other sectors.
The ETP report said that with port locations on major shipping routes for crude oil and refined products, its close proximity to Singapore, land availability and deepwater marine accessibility, Malaysia is well placed to complement Singapore in the oil storage industry.
“Together, Malaysia and Singapore could operate to form a hub like Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA), which complement each other in areas of refining capacity, independent storage and blending capacity as well as access to markets.”
The report also noted that in South-East Asia, Singapore has traditionally had a significant presence in the oil storage industry, with a total of 10 million barrels of independent storage capacity (capacity which is owned by third party operators and contracted out to oil companies, refiners and traders).
“In addition, by 2007, Singapore had built a significant trading business worth more than RM1 trillion in physical oil trade and RM2 trillion in derivative trade. In the last three years, Singapore has more than doubled its independent storage capacity with the commissioning of the Universal and Helios terminals, which are already operating at capacity.”
Sharifah Mashsinah Abdullah New Straits Times 4 Jun 12;
RM340,000 DELICACY: Police detain 5 and seize two vehicles
KOTA BARU: STATE police prevented 171 pangolins worth RM340,000 from ending up in cooking pots in Thailand with the arrest of five men on Saturday.
The men, aged between 30 and 45, were detained in two operations in Jeli and Bachok.
Police said in Jeli, they detained two men at a roadblock near the Mara Junior Science College at 4am and seized 16 pangolins from them.
They also seized the four-wheel-drive vehicle the duo were in.
Some 20 hours later, another police team in Bachok seized 155 pangolins packed into nets from three men while they were at an unnumbered house in Kampung Alur Tok Majan.
Another 4WD vehicle was also seized here.
The pangolins (manis javanica) and the five local men were later handed over to the state Wildlife and National Parks Department.
Department assistant officer Cosmas Ngau said the pangolins were believed to have been brought into Kelantan from other states several hours before they were seized.
"We believe the pangolins were being smuggled to Thailand separately through Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah and Rantau Panjang."
Ngau said pangolin flesh, popular as a delicacy and for its perceived "health benefits" could fetch up to RM350 and RM380 per kg on the black market.
He said the seizure in Bachok was the biggest over the past five years.
"One of the pangolins seized in Bachok is also the biggest seized by us so far. The male pangolin weighed 10kg."
The rare ant-eating animal feeds a mainly Asian market, where pangolins are eaten as delicacies and their scales sought after for various remedies.
Pangolin scales are made chiefly of keratin, a substance believed to have curative value in traditional Asian medicine despite scientific evidence to the contrary.
MMEA foils an attempt to smuggle pangolins out of Malaysia
The Star 4 Jun 12;
MALACCA: The authorities had foiled an attempt to smuggle 26 pangolins into the country through the sea.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) enforcement officers arrested two people and seized a sampan following a public tip-off.
MMEA officers intercepted a small vessel near Pulau Hanyut at Pengkalan Balak in Alor Gajah.
The enforcement team found 26 bags containing pangolins on the detained vessel.
Kuala Linggi MMEA chief Captain Abu Bakar Idris said the pangolins that are listed as endangered species had an estimated a street value of RM50,000.
The live animals, he added, were meant to exported elsewhere after arriving in the waters off Malacca.
“We have handed over the pangolins to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).”
The two men aged 40 and 41 who were detained by the MMEA enforcement officers could not produce any legal documents for the animals.
The case, said Capt Abu Bakar, is now being investigated under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1020 (Act 716) and the International Trade in Endangered Species Act 2008 (Act 686).
Gus Trompiz PlanetArk 4 Jun 12;
France To Ban A Syngenta Pesticide To Protect Bees Photo: Christian Hartmann
Agrochemicals maker Syngenta's logo is pictured during the annual news conference in Zurich February 6, 2009.
Photo: Christian Hartmann
France said it plans to ban a pesticide made by Swiss agro-chemical group Syngenta that is widely used to treat rapeseed crops after scientists suggested it could pose danger to bees.
A sharp decline in bee populations across the world in recent years, partly due to a phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder, has prompted criticism of pesticide use, although research has yet to show clearly the causes of falling bee numbers.
France intends to withdraw the permit of the Cruiser OSR pesticide used for coating rape seeds, pending a two-week period during which Syngenta can submit its own evidence, Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll said on Friday.
The decision was based on a report from French health and safety agency ANSES, which went along with recent scientific findings suggesting that a sub-lethal dose of thiamethoxam, a molecule contained in Cruiser, made bees more likely to lose their way and die.
"To protect rapeseed plants there exist alternatives to coating seeds that are already widely used. If the withdrawal of the authorization (for Cruiser OSR) is confirmed, farmers will therefore have solutions to call on," Le Foll said in a statement.
Syngenta rejected the move as based on a single study and not backed up by field observations.
"Currently in France you have 650,000 hectares that are cultivated (with Cruiser-treated rapeseed), and there are no cases of bee mortality identified as being linked to Cruiser," Laurent Peron, head of corporate communication for Syngenta France, told Reuters.
This crop area amounts to nearly half of about 1.5 million hectares of rapeseed sown in France. In Europe, more than 3 million hectares of rapeseed use Cruiser, including in Germany, Peron said.
FRANCE SEEKS EU REVIEW
France is the largest crop producer in the European Union and with Germany is the leading EU grower of rapeseed, used for making vegetable oil and biodiesel fuel.
The French ban on the pesticide will take effect before the start of the next rapeseed sowing campaign in late summer, a farm ministry official said, stressing that it would not affect versions of Cruiser used for other crops such as maize (corn).
France also has asked the European Commission to reconsider its criteria for authorizing Cruiser for rapeseed ahead of the next sowing campaign, Le Foll said.
In its report, ANSES said while exposure of bees to thiamethoxam in actual field conditions was lower than in the recent study on bee navigation, a similar level could not be excluded in some circumstances.
More research is needed at European level on the impact on bees as well as a broader review of the neonicotinoid family of substances to which thiamethoxam belongs, it said.
In a separate opinion published on Friday, the European Food Safety Authority said doses of neonicotinoids tested in the bee research were above the highest residue levels actually recorded in plant nectar, adding that more studies were needed to evaluate exposure in different field situations.
Dave Goulson of Stirling University in Scotland, who led another recent study on risks to bees from neonicotinoids, said there was growing evidence that these chemicals may play a role.
"It would be massively oversimplifying to say that these chemicals are the only cause of bee decline, although it is clear they are a part of the problem," he told Reuters.
(Additional reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide in Paris, Charlie Dunmore in Brussels and Martin De Sa'Pinto in Zurich, editing by Jane Baird)
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