Best of our wild blogs: 30 Jul 12

Latest Green Jobs in Singapore [23 - 29 Jul 2012]
from Green Business Times

Sat 04 Aug 2012: Join us on our pre-National Day coastal cleanup @ Lim Chu Kang mangrove! from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

It's Hard To Mate When There's Currents
from colourful clouds

Anemone City
from Pulau Hantu and Sedimentation on Pulau Hantu Reef Slope

Underwater splendor of Terumbu Pempang Tengah
from wonderful creation

grey-headed fish eagle @ sg buloh - 29July2012
from sgbeachbum

How many monitor lizards at Sungei Buloh?
from wild shores of singapore

Baya weaver(Ploceus philippinus) outside of SBWR
from PurpleMangrove

Common Palm Civet
from Monday Morgue

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Wildlife trafficking 'at all-time high'

Enforcement not keeping up with perpetrators, says anti-trafficking expert
Neo Chai Chin Today Online 30 Jul 12;

SINGAPORE - Bears in metal jackets - with metal catheters draining bile from their gall bladders - stand in tiny cages with their muscles largely wasted. Some have had their teeth smashed, or claws cut. Others could be killed, with their paws cut off or gall bladders taken out on-the-spot - if that is what the buyer wants.

Animal welfare issues aside, these bear farms - found in countries such as Laos, Myanmar and China and where thousands of bears are kept - are also a "real concern" from a conservation standpoint, given evidence that suggests that some of these bears are caught in the wild, said wildlife monitoring network Traffic's South-east Asia Deputy Director Chris Shepherd, who was recently in town.

The two bear species in South-east Asia - the Asian black bear and sun bear - are endangered species.

Cross-border trade of bear bile products is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), but occurs throughout the region, noted a bear bile trade report published last year that Dr Shepherd co-authored.

The bleak picture extends to wildlife trafficking in general: With growing demand fuelled by rising affluence and the rise of online trade, and enforcement agencies failing to keep up with smugglers, trafficking levels are at an all-time high, according to Dr Shepherd, who is based in Malaysia.

"The situation has never been as severe as it is now," he told TODAY. "Last year, more rhinos were killed in South Africa to supply demand in Vietnam than have ever been killed before - it was the absolute peak last year. This year, it's looking to be worse."

Last year, 448 rhinos were killed in South Africa. Conservationists have pointed to demand from Asia, in particular Vietnam. According to Traffic, Vietnamese made up 24 of the 43 arrests of Asian nationals for rhino crimes in South Africa this year, reported The Guardian last Monday.

Dr Shepherd said the aim is not to stop all wildlife trade - but to "enforce legislation to a point where wildlife is not threatened by trade and, in some cases, can be used sustainably". Such laws enacted for the white-tailed deer in North America have resulted in no detrimental effect on its wild population despite hunting, for instance.

Traffic investigates trade, provides intelligence reports and assists authorities in wildlife trafficking enforcement. It has developed materials such as species identification guides in various languages for the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network, an inter-governmental initiative targeting wildlife crime.

Its most recent report, on trade of birds in the Solomon Islands, analysed 11 years of trade figures and named Singapore as a key laundering point for tens of thousands of birds caught in the wild but declared as captive bred.

Dr Shepherd urged the Singapore authorities to "better scrutinise permits on shipments" of various species. "If they closed the door here, it would have a knock-on effect globally. Singapore definitely has the potential and capacity to do that," he said.

Cases of illegal import, export and trans-shipment of wildlife and their parts or products have decreased in the last two years, according to figures from the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA). There were 33 cases in 2010 and 20 cases last year, with eight cases so far this year.

The possession and sale of illegal wildlife and their parts or products has decreased from 64 in 2010 to 14 last year. But in the first half of this year, 16 cases have already been recorded.

Three cases since 2010 have been prosecuted in court, with the rest given warnings or composition fines, said an AVA spokesperson. She added that the AVA conducts regular inspections on shops that sell wildlife, and checks all shipments from high-risk countries at ports of entry and exit. It also investigates CITES infringements based on its own intelligence and other information sources. The public may also contact the AVA at 6227 0670 to provide information on illegal wildlife sales.

Singapore consumers can play their part by not eating exotic or illegal meat in restaurants overseas, and not buying medicines and souvenirs with wildlife parts, said Dr Shepherd. They should not keep wildlife as pets and, if they come across wildlife being illegally sold by dealers, they should resist "rescuing" the animals by buying them.

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Anti-flooding measures at 11 more MRT stations

Move seen as preventive and follows earlier steps at 6 downtown stations
Royston Sim Straits Times 30 Jul 12;

THE Land Transport Authority is taking steps to flood-proof more MRT stations.

It called a tender earlier this month to beef up flood prevention measures at 11 MRT stations, several months after it did the same for six downtown stations.

The 11 stations up for enhancement works this time are: Braddell, Toa Payoh, Boon Keng, Somerset, Outram, Tiong Bahru, Bugis, Lavender, Bishan, Marina Bay and Changi Airport.

The works will include installing flood-barrier systems at the stations, sealing glass panels, vent shafts and other openings to make them watertight, and raising escape staircases.

Contractors are expected to design and install two types of flood-barrier systems at several points in each station - a manual stackable type and a swing-type which stays open during normal times.

Both systems must be designed to be watertight when flood waters are below 1.5m - the height of the flood barriers.

The flood barriers should be made of lightweight aluminium panels, said the LTA in its tender documents.

The stackable barriers must also be made so user-friendly that two people will take no more than 15 minutes to set them up.

A spokesman for the authority said: 'All MRT stations and associated structures... were designed such that the entrance and crest levels are high enough to accommodate potential flooding in lower lying areas.'

Still, the authority has decided to take additional measures to enhance the flood prevention capability of selected stations given their locations, he said.

This follows an earlier contract to flood-proof six downtown MRT stations.

That project was awarded to Sigma Builders for $2,228,776.

Those six stations - Orchard, City Hall, Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar, Novena and Little India - are all sited in low-lying areas with track records of flash-floods, but have themselves never been flooded.

Similarly, works at all 11 stations in this second phase are preventive in nature. No MRT station has ever been flooded.

Manually-operated full-height sliding barriers will also be installed at Tiong Bahru and Bugis stations.

The LTA spokesman explained that this was due to both stations' concourses being located below the lowest level of adjacent buildings.

Work on the first six stations will be completed by the middle of next year, while the next 11 stations should be outfitted by the third quarter of 2014.

Assistant professor Vivien Chua, who teaches in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore, said it is a good strategy for the authority to take preventive measures.

Temporary flood barrier systems are more reliable in holding back floodwater compared to sandbags, and are also resistant to seepage, she said.

She added that they are 'also cost-effective solutions compared to the economic cost of flood damage and the inconvenience which might result from flooding at the stations'.

Mr Kevin Kho, a 51-year-old engineer with more than 25 years of experience, said: 'As the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine. It's more cost-effective to have good preventive measures in place.'

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Global Tiger Day - spare a thought for tiger prey too!

WWF 29 Jul 12;

As tiger range countries today celebrate Global Tiger Day, WWF is urging the governments to raise efforts to work towards Zero Poaching of tiger prey as well as tigers.

With wild tiger numbers as low as 3,200, direct, targeted poaching of tigers is the most immediate danger for the species today. However, a serious contributing factor to the plight of the tiger is the widespread decline of its forest larder – the deer, wild pigs and wild cattle such as the Gaur.

One tiger needs to eat the equivalent of a medium size deer every week to survive and without adequate food, the tiger population declines very fast. Too many forests of Asia are classed as ‘empty forests” – the trees are there but the animals are gone. Anti-poaching efforts therefore must be targeted at protecting both the tiger and its prey.

Poachers very often focus on tiger prey rather than tigers themselves. Prey animals are sought by local poachers to supply the local food market. Many of these prey species are also highly endangered and often neglected by conservation efforts. Yet, they can also benefit from the extra protection given to the tiger.

“Without protecting the tiger’s prey from poaching and forest degradation, achieving the target of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022 is impossible,” said Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. “The survival of the prey is key to the survival of the tiger.”

Tackling poaching requires high levels of professionally managed security. But if the local community is against the park or the tigers, then the continued efforts of the poachers will overwhelm even the best-trained, motivated rangers who are at the frontline protecting tigers.

A long-term WWF project in southern Thailand, working intensively with the local communities living around Kuiburi National Park, has reduced poaching by four-fold and doubled tiger prey population. The project clearly demonstrates that when local communities are well mobilized, they can be a very powerful and essential force against poaching.

Working towards Zero Poaching requires serious government intervention. The WWF Wildlife Crime Scorecard released on Monday reported that more than 200 tiger carcasses are being seized from illegal trade each year and that most countries were very far from providing protection against poaching and illegal wildlife trade, particularly those countries like China and Vietnam, where illegal traders know there is a strong demand for tiger-based products.

WWF is today releasing a short film “Confessions of an ex-poacher” that highlights the destructive trade. Interviews with two former poachers turned tiger protectors give insights into this illicit world that drives forests to become lucrative hunting grounds for poachers and making tigers their livelihoods. The film also discusses steps needed to stem out poaching in the heartland areas of forests where tigers breed. One of these is to provide those at the frontlines protecting tigers – rangers, protected area officials and local communities – with the right tools to eradicate poaching.

Local communities and protected area staff, particularly rangers or specialized enforcement officers, are the frontline against poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. Rangers put their life on the line everyday to keep wild tigers and their prey safe. They are critical in achieving Zero Poaching, yet are not always fully appreciated for their important role. WWF will be launching a special action on International Rangers Day on 31 July to honour these unsung heroes.

Elsewhere, WWF offices in tiger range countries are also joining governments and civil society in a range of Global Tiger Day celebratory events.

Bhutan: A special community event will be held in line with the theme of this year’s Global Tiger Day – “Tiger and community co-existing in harmony for mutual survival”. It will be held in Trongsa in central Bhutan, with a community that has been working on tiger conservation. There will be a skid presented by the community and a poster competition for students.

China: WWF will launch a pilot deer reintroduction programme in Wangqing Nature Reserve in northeast China, at a site where tracks of both the Amur tiger and the Amur leopard have been discovered frequently. This is part of a bigger tiger conservation programme aimed at recovering tiger prey density and restoring the habitat. A special launch ceremony will be held with officials, representatives from partner organizations and media in attendance.

Nepal: A series of public service announcements will be launched to promote awareness of the need to stop wildlife trade. There will also be a formal declaration of the results of the tiger count conducted in Bardia National Park earlier in the year. WWF will also hold an art competition for students in the Terai Arc region.

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Best of our wild blogs: 29 Jul 12

Reef Survey @ Pulau Hantu That Almost Did Not Happen
from colourful clouds

Algae Quest: Terumbu Pempang & Hantu Island
from Pulau Hantu

Butterfly of the Month - July 2012
from Butterflies of Singapore

Weaver birds @ Tampines Eco Green
from PurpleMangrove

Common Tailorbird collects fibres for its nest
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Mangroves, ice-cream and otter poop
live from a safe PCN ride on the Otter Cycling Trail with Raffles Museum Toddycats! from Toddycats

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Indonesia and Malaysia Home to New Frog Species

Antara Jakarta Globe 28 Jul 12;

Scientists discovered two new frog species — and named them Leptobrachium ingeri and Leptobrachium kanowitense — in a four-year study conducted in Belitung, Indonesia, and Sarawak, Malaysia.

The team of scientists was led by Amir Hamidy, of the Museum of Zoologicum Bogoriense, a research biology center run by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), and colleagues from Kyoto University, Universiti Kebangsaan in Malaysia and the University of Malaya. They published their findings in “Zootaxa Journal” on Tuesday.

Amir, who is currently studying in Kyoto University, said they found the Leptobrachium ingeri species in Belitung and the coastal area of Sarawak, while the Leptobrachium kanowitense was found in the inland areas Sarawak.

“The word ‘ingeri’ on one of the species is dedicated to Prof. Dr. Robert F. Inger, of the Field Museum in Chicago,” said Amir, the main writer of the report. “He is an expert on herpetology in Southeast Asia, especially in Borneo.”

Amir said that the word “kanowitense” on the Leptobrachium kanowitense was taken from the Kanowit city in Sarawak, where the frog was discovered.

He explained that the characteristics of the two newly discovered species are different to other frog species.

In frogs, a genetic difference of three percent is enough to classify it as a new species.

Amir explained that the DNA characteristics of the two new species show that they are related to the already-known Leptobrachium nigrops.

“The genetic differences between the Leptobrachium nigrops, Leptobrachium ingeri and Leptobrachium kanowitense are very wide, more than nine percent,” Amir explained. “Changes of weather and sea levels in the past caused several islands such as Borneo, Sumatra and others to break away from the Asian mainland.

“Population-isolation of each species’ ancestor occurred during the breakaway process. After the breakaway, each species experienced its own evolution and became the current species.”

In the “Zootaxa Journal,” researchers predicted that the Leptobrachium kanowitense’s ancestor invaded Borneo island much earlier than Leptobrachium ingeri’s ancestor and that they spread during the pleistocene geological era.

The Leptobrachium ingeri species currently occupies Belitung and coastal Sarawak areas while the Leptobrachium kanowitense species inhibits the Kanowit city of Sarawak.

The Leptobrachium nigrops species is mainly found in the Malay Peninsula, Sarawak and Sumatra’s eastern coast (Riau).

Researchers are still trying to determine if the new species are endemic to those areas but said it will take more research.

Antara

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Malaysia: Seeking ways to keep crocodile numbers in check

The Star 29 Jul 12;

IN recent years, there have been numerous reports of crocodile attacks on unsuspecting villagers in the rivers of Sarawak.

According to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation senior manager Oswald Braken Tisen, the crocodile population in the state has been on the increase over the last 20 years.

He describes it as a recovery stage for the reptile, scientifically known as Crocodileodylus Porosus. It is also known as the estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile or saltwater crocodile.

This species is one of the largest and most ferocious of all other known crocodile species alive today.

“According to the Australian authorities, we in Sarawak are now facing what they (Australians) were facing some 50 years ago,” he says in an interview with Sunday Star. Australia's crocodile population is now estimated to comprise 200,000 adult Crocodileodylus Porosus.

Braken adds that in 20 years' time, Sarawak's rivers, like Australia's, will be heavily populated by the reptile.

He says that the SFC's first section survey in 1984 on crocodile population in Sarawak rivers indicated that the average number of crocodiles then was 0.054 per kilometre of river.

“But the latest section survey along the rivers in Bako reveals that there are now up to four crocodiles per kilometre of river,” he says, while stressing that Sarawak has many long rivers.

He adds that with the increasing population of crocodile, there is bound to be human-crocodile conflicts.

A few suggestions have been brought forward to curb the numbers, including relocating the crocodiles to an uninhabited river in a nature reserve.

But he says this would be pointless as crocodiles have a “homing” habit and they would eventually find their way back to where they came from, as a study in Australia has proven.

Another proposal is culling the reptiles.

At the moment, Braken says, Crocodileodylus Porosus is listed in Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which prohibits harvesting the reptiles for international trade.

Apart from that, the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998 also classifies the crocodiles as protected. Killings are only allowed if the crocodiles are threatening the lives of humans.

For culling to be allowed for international trade purposes, the crocodile will have to be downlisted to Appendix 2. Before that, Malaysia has to demonstrate a survey and management programme that shows the population of crocodiles in the country is high.

“We have to prove that the recovery trend of the crocodiles is not temporary,” says Braken.

Demak Laut assemblyman Dr Hazland Abang Hipni believes people living in the Bako area could capitalise on the economic potential brought about by the rise in crocodile population to better improve their livelihood.

“About 30 years ago, the whole stretch of Bako River had fewer than 10 crocodiles but now there are five to six for every kilometre,” he says.

Dr Hazland, however, points out that the crocodile's population is still manageable and the people can co-exist with the animals by being more cautious when crossing the river in boats.

He says conflicts between people and crocodiles are inevitable as both share the same living area but better management planning and installing of safety measures could help reduce attacks by the reptiles.

For a start, he says, boatmen should increase safety measures on their boats such as by installing metal railings on both sides.

Meanwhile, Braken suggests that a community-based tourism activity on crocodile watching be done.

“In Australia, there are a lot of community-based tourism programmes where tourists are brought to a crocodile habitat to watch and even feed the reptiles,” he says.

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Best of our wild blogs: 28 Jul 12

Bivalve Big Picture: Bivalve Workshop Day 4
from wild shores of singapore

Butterfly Show & Tell
from The Green Volunteers

Yellow-crested Cockatoo family feeding on papaya
from Bird Ecology Study Group

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Grassroots green plan off to a flying start

Bukit Timah group's Firefly Park part of bid to improve neighbourhood
Grace Chua Straits Times 28 Jul 12;

THE Firefly Park off Clementi Avenue 4 opened only last week but it is already bustling with residents jogging, walking their dogs and practising taiji.

The space is one highlight of the Bukit Timah Green Plan that was distributed as a brochure to residents last week.

The plan may be the first to be put up entirely by grassroots groups in the Bukit Timah division of the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC to improve the neighbourhood.

In the case of Firefly Park, residents' committees were consulted on the 1.2ha facility's design.

Other proposals in the plan's first phase: a large community garden between Clementi Avenue 4 and Clementi Avenue 6; more green spaces in Toh Yi Drive such as a rooftop garden; and tree-planting, a fitness station and running track at the Mayfair Park estate off Dunearn Road.

Though some of these were planned earlier, Bukit Timah citizens' consultative committee chairman Kenneth Yap said it was decided to group them together in the Green Plan.

'We thought it would be better to plan it a bit more centrally instead of leaving everything to chance,' he added.

The plan has its roots in the Mayfair Park neighbourhood, a quiet estate bordered by Rifle Range Road.

In 2005, residents there worked on roadside gardens in what is now considered the first Community In Bloom project, a National Parks Board scheme to encourage community gardening.

They are now hoping to build a green link to nearby Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, said Mayfair Park Neighbourhood Committee chairman Balasupramaniam Krishna, 66, also known as Mr Bala.

Ms Sim Ann, grassroots adviser and Member of Parliament for the division, said the neighbourhood committee was invited to propose a division-level plan for Bukit Timah. 'I am very glad they took the ball and ran with it.'

But will it be a good fit for larger, more diverse neighbourhoods and get new residents of upcoming Build-To-Order blocks involved?

Mr Yap and Mr Bala said they will seek ideas from everyone.

In the plan's second phase, grassroots committees want residents to suggest ideas.

'We want people to come forward and ask, 'There's a green patch here, can we plant here?' Then we can help them with planning and getting the approvals,' said Mr Yap, 37, a civil servant.

It can be tricky, he added, to strike a balance between giving people ownership of a space so that they can tend to it and seeing that the space remains open to all.

For instance, a garden behind one Clementi preschool has a low wall around it, which marks out the space, but does not stop people from walking in.

And residents do not always get what they want from the authorities, said Mr Bala.

For instance, residents wanted to put planter boxes around the upgraded Bukit Timah market but the National Environment Agency said people might use them to discard litter.

'So they planted a few bushes instead. It's not really what we want, but it's a start, and we are going to go on and try to improve it,' he said.

Other community movements have also sprouted to protect the neighbourhood or natural landscape.

The Save Joo Chiat Work Group helped rid the district of sleaze in 2004.

In recent months, residents of Dairy Farm and Chestnut estates, and Pasir Ris, have lobbied for the preservation of patches of woodland.

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Emergency protocol works, says NParks

Straits Times Forum 28 Jul 12;

WE THANK Mr David Lim for his feedback ('Nature reserve should have basic emergency facilities'; Tuesday) and have clarified the matter with him.

Our rangers patrol the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve daily, and they are equipped with first aid skills to render quick assistance to our visitors when the need arises.

For emergencies, visitors should call NParks' 24-hour helpline number 1800-471-7300, the police, or the Singapore Civil Defence Force for immediate assistance.

The helpline number is also indicated at the visitor centre and on more than 20 signboards located within the nature reserve.

These channels of contact have been effective, for example, when our officers rendered prompt assistance to find hikers who got lost.

Wong Tuan Wah
Director, Conservation
National Parks Board

Nature reserve should have basic emergency facilities
Straits Times Forum 24 Jul 12;

RECENTLY, I was at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. It had been drizzling and the terrain was a little slippery.

I chanced upon a small group of people, one of whom had sprained her ankle. She was in pain, and it took her nearly an hour to get to the main road. It would normally take a reasonably fit person about five minutes to scale this section.

I descended to the ranger station to inquire whether one of its vehicles could be used to help her.

To my disappointment, a staff member said the information and help counter had been removed a while back, and in any case, vehicles that used to be stationed at the nearby nursery had been permanently moved elsewhere. I was advised to call for an ambulance if the situation was serious.

I am disappointed at the lack of facilities for emergencies.

There was a time when I could meet rangers patrolling the common paths, but that is not the case now.

The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve attracts several visitors on weekends, and an accident happening there can turn life-threatening, depending on the time taken to render assistance.

Perhaps the National Parks Board might want to deploy its resources to develop more visitor-friendly protocols at the reserve.

David Lim

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Malaysia: Ban turtle egg sale, state urged

Ling Poh Lean and A. Azim Idris New Straits Times 28 Jul 12;

BAD NAME: Terengganu has become a trading hub, says conservationist

KUALA LUMPUR: THE Terengganu government should not delay in imposing a ban on the trading of turtle eggs to avoid giving the state and the country a bad name.

In making the call, Turtle Conservation Centre co-founder Professor Chan Eng Heng said tourists would usually buy the eggs out of curiosity and the state was already famous for the wrong reason.

"If this continues, it will give a very bad name not only to the state, but also the country as we will be seen to have failed in efforts to protect the endangered species."

She noted that while the egg collection was banned in many major turtle nesting beaches, traders could still get the supply from smaller beaches and by smuggling from other states.

Chan said some traders in the state were smuggling the eggs via post from Sabah, where turtle eggs trading was banned.

"The eggs from Sabah are smuggled in from the Philippines, where such trading is also banned. Terengganu has become the hub for the eggs trading," she added.

Turtle eggs are widely available in Terengganu's markets, selling for between RM25 and RM30 per pack of 10 eggs. Chan also said they were now concentrating on educating the public not to eat turtle eggs.

"As long as there is demand, the trading will still go on in the black market even if the state government decides to impose a ban."

She said the centre had held turtle workshops in schools and at private functions to educate the public, especially the younger generation on ways to save the turtles.

WWF-Malaysia, in a statement, said in line with its reputation as a "turtle state", the state government could only be commended if it chose to take the lead in banning the trading of turtle eggs.

However, it considered the state government's effort to gazette Rantau Abang beach as a turtle sanctuary as commendable. But it also felt that allowing the sale of turtle eggs was inconsistent to the aims of safeguarding the state's icon.

Several traders at Pasar Payang bazaar in Kuala Terengganu had agreed not to sell the eggs if the government declared it illegal.

A trader, who only wanted to be known as Rofizah, said although the eggs were a good source of income, she would not break the law. The 52-year-old, who has been trading at the bazaar for more than 10 years, sells the Olive Ridley sea turtle eggs for about RM30 per packet of 10.

"Many of our customers come as far as Singapore to buy the eggs. That is what attracts many people to our stalls."

A check by the New Straits Times at the bazaar revealed at least one in 10 stalls offered packets of turtle eggs for between RM15 and RM50 each depending on the quantity and where the eggs were obtained.

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Johor Malaysian Nature Society Wants Action Plan To Deal With Destruction Of Mangrove Forests

Bernama 27 Jul 12;

JOHOR BAHARU, July 27 (Bernama) -- The Johor Nature Society (MNS) wants the authorities to activate a comprehensive action plan to tackle the serious destruction to mangrove forests in the state.

Its chairman, Vincent Chow, said the MNS detected serious damages to the mangrove forests, which were essential to the marine ecosystem, in several parts on the west coast such as in Muar and Batu Pahat.

"This is much regretted because the mangrove forest is not only important for the marine ecosystem but it is also a natural defence against huge waves and tsunamis," he told Bernama Friday.

He said strong waves would cause erosion on the coastal fringes where mangrove forests had been depleted.

According to Chow, the destruction of mangrove forests along the coast of Johor was due to timber thefts by foreign sydicates and farming and aquaculture activities.

-- BERNAMA

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