Best of our wild blogs: 15 Jan 14

OWL and Grand Hyatt stop kopi luwak sales
from Project LUWAK SG

mass murder @ SBWR 12Jan2014
from sgbeachbum

Ashy Tailorbird feeding on apple snail eggs
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Seaworts
from The annotated budak

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Stronger measures on animal protection needed: Shanmugam

Eileen Poh Channel NewsAsia 14 Jan 14;

SINGAPORE: Singapore needs to adopt tougher measures to safeguard animal welfare, says Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam.

This can be in the form of heavier penalties and more education.

Mr Shanmugam was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Asia for Animals Conference on Tuesday morning.

Currently, animal abusers face a fine of S$10,000 and a jail term of up to a year, or both.

In April last year, the Animal Welfare Legislative Review Committee (AWLRC) recommended to increase the maximum penalty to S$50,000 and or three years' jail.

The AWLRC is chaired by Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for National Development, and comprises representatives from the animal welfare groups, pet industry, and the veterinary profession.

Mr Shanmugam noted that the number of animal welfare and cruelty cases handled by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) increased by more than 65 per cent in half a decade -- from 292 in 2007 to 484 in 2012.

He added that enforcement is challenging, as finding witnesses who are willing to come forward, is not easy. And education may just be the answer to that.

Mr Shanmugam said: "The larger issue is if you educate society, the whole tenor of the society changes and people are much more aware, and on the look-out -- then I think it is easier to identify who was responsible. We are on the right track, we are moving, and we need to move further."

The Asia for Animals Conference is hosted by the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES), and it saw some 320 participants from over 30 countries and territories.

One of the highlights is the keynote speech by 10-year-old Megan Tan, a volunteer with ACRES.

The Maha Bodhi School student shared her motivations and efforts in animal welfare advocacy, that include designing covers for notebooks, which are up for sale at the conference.

- CNA/nd

Rise of animal abuse cases demands stronger measures: Shanmugam
Today Online 14 Jan 14;

SINGAPORE — More can be done to prevent cruelty against animals and encouraging responsible pet ownership, said Law Minister K Shanmugam at the Asia for Animals Conference this morning (Jan 14).

In his speech as guest of honour, Mr Shanmugam shared that Singapore has taken many “substantive measures” in advancing the cause of animal rights here, including changing the law and nurturing compassion for animals in children by introducing it in the education syllabus.

This year, a Bill to increase the penalties for animal abuse will be introduced in Parliament, to increase the current fine of S$10,000 to $50,000 for repeat offenders who abuse animals.

Said Mr Shanmugam: “We will develop stronger measures, more penalties and focus a lot more on education.”

Citing statistics from the AVA and SPCA, he noted that “there has been a worrying growth in the number of animal welfare and cruelty cases” over the years.

“The changes to the legislation that have been proposed, which will substantially enhance the penalties, will send a strong deterrent message,” he added.

Bill to increase penalties for repeat animal abusers to be tabled
Woo Sian Boon Today Online 15 Jan 14;

A Bill will be tabled in Parliament this year to increase the penalties for animal abuse, with the current fine of S$10,000 for repeat offenders to be raised to S$50,000, in line with recommendations made by the Animal Welfare Legislative Review Committee last year, which was accepted by the Ministry of National Development.

Law Minister K Shanmugam, who spoke at the Asia for Animals Conference yesterday, commented on changes to the legislation yesterday, saying it would send a strong message of deterrence.

“We will develop stronger measures (and) more penalties and focus a lot more on education,” he said, noting that enforcement is challenging as finding witnesses who are willing to come forward is not easy.

By educating society, “the whole tenor of society changes and people are much more aware and on the lookout”, making it easier to identify those responsible for animal abuse.

“We are on the right track, we are moving and we need to move further,” he added. WOO SIAN BOON

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Coral Triangle: Marine world, as nature made it

Bibi Nurshuhada Ramli New Straits Times 14 Jan 14;

A renowned underwater explorer tells Bibi Nurshuhada Ramli about man and animals co-existing
With its six million square kilometres encompassing Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands, the Coral Triangle is considered the global epicentre of marine biodiversity.

Revealing more about its unrivalled beauty and biological significance in The Coral Triangle is Animal Planet’s three-part documentary airing from today.

The Coral Triangle lies deep in the volcanic Indo-Pacific region, where two great oceans merge, and is bordered in the north by the Philippines, the west by Indonesia and Malaysia and the east by the Solomon Islands.

The series explores previously uncharted depths of the ocean, discovers species new to science, meets the people whose livelihoods are dependent on the region, and finds out why it holds a vital key to the future of the world’s oceans and human sustainability.

The show was captured with beautiful blue-chip cinematography, featuring some of the world’s foremost experts on the region, including renowned underwater explorer, Valerie Taylor, who first visited it in 1973.

“I realised that it was an exceptional place. It’s the centre of all marine life in the tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean,” she says. “I felt that it should be protected, and its integrity should be maintained. It’s a gift from Nature and we should take care of it.

“The story we’re trying to tell is that man and creatures in the sea can live and survive together. People just have to understand how to do it.”

Taylor, 78, is passionate about marine life. As marine conservationists, she and her late husband Ron were also known shark experts and filmmakers, having provided the iconic shark footage for Steven Spielberg’s film Jaws and others.

Unfortunately, Ron lost his battle to myeloid leukaemia in September 2012, while the documentary was still in production.

Taylor tells more about her experience filming and her hopes for the Coral Triangle in the interview below:

What were the challenges in filming the documentary?
The challenges were really for the deep divers because what they did was very dangerous. I was working in shallow waters with the above-water and underwater cameramen and we didn’t go much deeper than 20-30m.

It wasn’t really a challenge until, unfortunately, an Indonesian fishermen used cyanide to kill fish in the area where we worked.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt from this experience?

Humans think they know everything. They don’t. We know so little about the marine world. In the evenings, when we discussed what we’d seen and looked for some sort of reference, frequently we could not.

After 50 years, I still have a long way to go in learning about marine animals and my problem is I’m not going to live long enough. (laughs)

What problems do ocean life forms face?

My biggest worry is the over-harvesting. For instance, some fish don’t reproduce until they are 10 or 11 years old, and yet they’re being harvested before they can reproduce.

Fishermen do not understand what goes on underwater. They don’t ever go underwater and look at the damage their nets, bombs and cyanide do. These methods of fishing should be a crime.

What’s your message on marine conservation?

Don’t throw plastic bags and contaminated rubbish into the ocean. Once upon a time, people who lived in the islands used coconuts or natural fibre — stuff that is degradable. A plastic bag can last hundreds of years.

We are already overpopulating the planet. It will only get worse if we pollute what’s left of the land and sea. We need these areas to replenish the air and even the water we drink.

What advice can you give aspiring underwater photographers?

You have to understand fish and how to find unusual creatures. It’s not difficult to be an underwater cameraman today, but it is difficult to be good enough to sell your images because there are many underwater cameramen now.

Still, it pushes you on to try and find more and more unusual, difficult, hard-to-find animals. It’s all an adventure.

What is it about sharks that you find so interesting?

My husband and I used to spear fish and we learnt about sharks. We discovered that we could sell 16mm film of sharks doing all sorts of things.

Every weekend we’d go looking for sharks. We became known as the people to go to if you wanted shark footage. More opportunities came and it all had to do with filming sharks.

My interest in sharks was first to make a good living and secondly, because I grew to like them. They’re not the mean, nasty vicious terrors of the sea. Once you get to know them, you can handle them and they’re just like other big fish.

Is there a memorable experience involving sharks?

My favourite shark is the great white. Once I gave it a fish on a spoon which it took. Then I climbed down on a little swim platform and held my hand under the water with the fish. And then the shark came up, I lifted it out of the water and it took the fish from my hand. I guess that was probably the nicest shark I have ever met, because at any time it could’ve pulled me off the swim platform, but it didn’t.

What conservation measures are being adopted to further preserve our marine biodiversity?

One conservation initiative that really works is creating marine parks that are no-take zones. All marine animals need a secure place to love, live and breed.

I sincerely hope Malaysia does better (in keeping its marine life protected). You are in a unique position to protect many species of fish that are found nowhere else in the world. It’s got to be a marine sanctuary zone — not a marine park.

It’s important for future generations to be able to access these protected areas and see the marine world, not as man has made it, but as nature has made it.

The Coral Triangle airs every Tuesday at 9pm on Animal Planet (Astro Channel 555). Repeats air every Wednesday at 4pm and Sunday at 6pm.

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Best of our wild blogs: 14 Jan 14

Asian Glossy Starling eating Nephelium lappaceum leaves
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Raffles Museum Toddycats! at the 20th Anniversary celebration of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (7 Dec 2013) from Toddycats!

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Conservationists find Marine Life Park partnership with Conservation International puzzling

Jeanette Tan Yahoo Newsroom 14 Jan 14;

When Resorts World Sentosa (RWS)’s Marine Life Park (MLP) in Singapore announced a new partnership it is undertaking with non-profit environmental organisation Conservation International (CI), the news raised a few eyebrows among conservationists in Singapore.

According to an announcement by the two parties, the partnership will “allow collaboration on important marine issues in Singapore”, and will last for five years.

It will focus on conservation, marine mammal veterinary medicine, public education and the support of regional projects through joint conservation events and fundraising efforts, according to the statement released on Friday.

“Beyond being a world-class tourist attraction, the park has also demonstrated a strong commitment to marine conservation and has a team with a wealth of expertise,” said CI’s senior vice-president of its Asia-Pacific field division David Emmett. “I believe that this partnership will further our mission to ensure that vital natural resources are preserved and used sustainably for the long term benefit of people and all life on Earth.”

The MLP previously received significant criticism for its treatment of 27 bottlenose dolphins purchased from the Solomon Islands. Three of them died while in training in the Philippines and Langkawi before being transferred to Singapore.

The remaining 24 are housed in its Dolphin Island, where a series of interactive programmes, with admission ticket prices ranging from $58 for child or elderly observers to $498 for its “Trainer for a Day” programme for adults. Some of them are also on display at its SEA Aquarium.

‘Hypocritical'

Speaking on behalf of wildlife activist group Acres, its founder and executive director Louis Ng said he was very “disappointed” to learn of the tie-up. In 2011, Acres had spearheaded a campaign against MLP's purchase and housing of the bottlenose dolphins. It says the effort garnered more than 630,000 supporters.

In a post on his Facebook page, he said he was “really disappointed that Conservation International, a group I really respected as a student, has chosen to not only partner with Resorts World but to publicly say that the Marine Life Park has ‘demonstrated a strong commitment to marine conservation’”.

“Does the strong commitment to marine conservation include the purchase of wild-caught dolphins and pushing the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins one step closer towards extinction in the Solomon Islands? Not forgetting that 3 of the wild-caught dolphins have already died,” he wrote. “I wonder if Conservation International will be able to clarify this further.”

Echoing Ng's view was veteran local naturalist Tony O’Dempsey, who has been involved in various conservation projects in Singapore the past two decades.

“I am curious as to why a conservation organisation [CI] would offer such high praise for an organisation that enslaves wild-caught dolphins,” said the 52-year-old. “As long as RWS continues to enslave dolphins, they will have no credibility with me no matter what other research they may be involved in.”

Independent wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai noted that CI may have good intentions in its partnership, as RWS’s large numbers of visitors do stand to benefit in learning about marine conservation issues such as shark finning.

The group, however, should not simply ignore the dolphin issue, he added. “This avoidance of the fact [that MLP is dealing with wild caught dolphins] does not portray CI in a positive light as it is simply too large a black cloud over MLP," he said.

“The main fact is that these dolphins have been removed from the wild, risking wild populations, for RWS’s entertainment plans,” he continued. “CI should realise and understand this and do something positive about it."
Ng also asked if CI can clarify if it is receiving funding from RWS as part of the partnership, and if so, how much it is getting.

“We hope that CI can clarify if it is aware of the way the dolphins were acquired by RWS and the scientific literature about the effects of the capture of the dolphins,” he said.

Partnership ‘does not cover dolphins’: CI

When asked about the partnership, a spokesperson for CI stressed that the collaboration “does not cover dolphins”, and that its partnership will launch “a series of marine conservation efforts, focused initially on sharks and manta rays”.

She also added that their joint efforts will focus on education, science and outreach. “We will provide counsel and advice on marine conservation and sustainability issues,” she said.

CI’s spokesperson also directed dolphin-related queries to RWS’s corporate social responsibility department.

CI has previously been criticised by international conservationists and environmental news agencies for its controversial partnerships with large corporations, all of which involve the companies donating significant, but undisclosed, sums to CI. When asked about this, a spokesperson for RWS did not respond directly to queries, but the company previously noted that opinion, on the whole, about dolphins under human care remains divided.

However, in a statement posted on its Facebook page in response to concerns aired by Facebook users, CI said it did not receive any funds from RWS when setting up the partnership.
When contacted by Yahoo Singapore, CI confirmed this, noting that RWS will only fund projects that are undertaken by both CI and RWS in the process of the partnership.

Experts in the study of animal welfare and environmental conservation have highlighted the difference between the two, explaining that while animal welfare does not accept the suffering of any species, conservation tends to take a broader perspective, frequently accepting trade-offs in the course of its aims.

Said Prof Chou Loke Ming, director of the Bachelor of Environmental Studies programme at the National University of Singapore, "There is so much to do in marine conservation, and partnerships are most rational in optimising synergy amid limited funding and increasing challenges."

He pointed out that the fact that dolphins are being held in captivity should not be taken as a point to censure RWS's overall marine conservation programme.

"If it is an animal welfare argument, then there is no difference between keeping dolphins and forcing horses to race, or caging singing birds, or keeping fish in aquarium tanks, small or large," he said. "If it is a conservation argument, the big picture is that other human activities such as fishing and habitat quality decline do greater damage and kill much more dolphins, and they should be addressed through more effective conservation efforts."

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Testing of electric cars in Singapore moves into second phase

Monica Kotwani Channel NewsAsia 12 Jan 14;

SINGAPORE: The study of whether electric vehicles are feasible for Singapore roads is set to move into its second phase.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said this could involve car-sharing and commercial fleets.

The LTA said that data collected from the initial two-and-a-half-year test-bed period, which ended in December last year, could be used to plan further trials.

LTA and the Energy Market Authority are leading the testing process.

But some stakeholders question if the government is being over-cautious in driving the scheme.

Electric vehicles have gained traction in the last decade or so.

They are made from recyclable materials, and have zero tail-pipe emissions, which helps the environment.

Experts also said electric cars could cost about a third to a quarter of a normal vehicle in running costs. To run an electric vehicle, it costs about S$5 in electricity per 100 kilometres. To run a comparable petrol vehicle, it costs about S$20 in petrol costs per 100 kilometres.

Electric cars are also quiet and offer a smoother ride.

Business owner Moy Saha, who rents an electric car from electric vehicle-sharing company Smove, said: "I also have another car, but it's easy for me to find parking with a smaller car. That's one of the big draws. If I'm going to places nearby, it's always easier with the electric car which just works out better than a much larger car."

"Range anxiety", or the fear that electric cars will not have enough charge to reach their destination, has been a concern for users in other countries.

But this is less of a challenge in a small country like Singapore.

The average daily driving distance for normal cars in Singapore is 55 kilometres.

Preliminary findings from the test-bed show that the average daily drive for electric vehicles is 41 kilometres.

The LTA said the first phase of the test-bed involved 53 organisations, including companies, government agencies and institutions of higher learning. 89 electric cars have been used on the roads.

On a full charge, cars under the test bed could reach a maximum daily distance of 115 kilometres.

But there are other concerns too. Some participants said there are too few charging stations.

Bosch Singapore, which rolls out the infrastructure in Singapore, said there are currently 75 charging stations with 118 charging spots around the country.

Another concern has been the hefty price tag for an electric car.

Test-bed participants can purchase cars under the government's Transport Technology Innovation Development Scheme.

This means they do not have to pay for costs such as the Certificate of Entitlement, road tax and registration feed.

But the trial is not open to the public, and buying an electric vehicle without tax rebates or incentives could cost about S$200,000 after COE.

Thomas Jakob, managing director of Bosch Asia Pacific, said: "The extra price is essentially the battery, so one of the incentives one could think about is to exclude the battery from the taxation scheme. Because that's driving a lot of the cost and through the taxation scheme, the battery becomes even more expensive over here, because it's a percentage of the cost or of the market value."

If the cost of privately owning an electric car remains prohibitive, there could be other solutions.

Smove is currently the only electric car-sharing player in the Singapore market.

But this could change in phase two of LTA's trial, if more of such companies are roped in.

Electric cars could also be used in micro-communities around Singapore, where distances are too far to walk, but too short to drive.

The National University of Singapore has been collaborating with Toyota Tsusho - the trading arm of the Toyota group - to test micro electric vehicles (EVs) around its campus.

The one-seater micro cars are classified as a four-wheel motorcycle. They use acid-based, rather than a lithium-based battery, so there is no allowance for luxuries like air-conditioning, which use a lot of power.

Researchers said current results show an average trip on such vehicles to be about two kilometres.

Assoc Prof Tan Kok Kiong from the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the National University of Singapore said: "For me, before the micro EV, I used to go for meetings at other places within the university in my car, which is a seven-seater. So you can imagine a single person driving a seven-seater for a short trip, which is fairly inefficient.

"Eventually we could look at places like industrial parks, maybe even some places of interest, like Sentosa. Eventually, if all goes well, we might be able to contribute to the LTA masterplan which looks at providing a better mass transportation system."

Another option is electric taxis. Currently, there are some 28,000 regular taxis plying the roads.

Data show that in two shifts, each taxi could travel about 520 kilometres a day.

Nanyang Technological University researchers have been working with the Technical University Munich (Technische Universitat Munchen) to develop an electric taxi prototype for Singapore.

The prototype can be fully charged in 15 minutes, and travel distances of more than 200km per charge.

Experts said the power currently generated in Singapore could be enough even if all cars turn electric, even though the power supply usually works on a surplus strategy, so in the long term, an extra power station may need to be built.

Authorities said the test bed has shown favourable results for electric cars in Singapore in the future, but not immediately, or even in the next three years.

Some stakeholders are concerned Singapore could be moving too slow.

Joseph Ting, head of operations at Smove, said: "I'm sure the government has to be a lot more judicious in its use of public funds, so that's why it's taking a more cautious and conservative stand towards this test bed. But the risk there would be we could fall behind other countries in terms of the development of the electric vehicle industry in Singapore."

The government said it is looking for balance.

Josephine Teo, senior minister of state for transport, said: "If the price of electric vehicles is still at a level that vehicle owners find not to be very economical - not worth them making that choice, then no amount of effort that you put in the infrastructural areas is going to change that fact. These things have to move in tandem. Too early, it falls flat. Too late, then you don't catch the opportunity as well. "

For now, electric vehicles are generating some buzz on Singapore roads. But it remains to be seen if they will become a key mode of transport for the future.

- CNA/xq

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Malaysia: Sabah under pressure to save endangered Sumatran rhinos

Ruben Sario The Star 13 Jan 14;

KOTA KINABALU: Conservationists in Sabah are feeling more pressure to save the remaining endangered Sumatran rhinos following the death of one of the creatures in captivity, here.

Gelugob, one of only 10 Sumatran rhinoceros in captivity worldwide, died on Jan 11 at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.

Sabah Wildlife Department veterinarian Dr Rosa Sipangkui said Gelugob’s age was about 37 years. There were probably less that 150 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild today, in Sumatra and Borneo, he said.

Sipangkui said Gelugob’s health had deteriorated rapidly since early January and it had refused to drink and ate little.

Department director Datuk Laurentius Ambu said conservationists were now even more determined to save rhinos from extinction.

“Sabah now seems to be the only state in Malaysia that has wild rhinos,” he said.

“Rhino numbers are too low and the wild rhinos too fragmented. If we do not intervene and rescue all of them and consolidate them into a managed breeding programme, propagation of new generations of baby rhinos will be impossible,” Laurentius added.

He said if this managed breeding programme was not done, then all the remaining rhinos would meet the same fate as Gelugob; growing old and dying without producing any more young rhinos, resulting in the extinction of this species in Sabah.

Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said Gelugob was believed to be the oldest rhino in captivity prior to her death.

The last Sumatran rhino to die in captivity was a 33-year-old male in Cincinnati Zoo in the United States.

He said Gelugob was rescued from Bulud Napa, Kinabatangan in 1994.

“Gelugob was immediately included into our Sumatran rhino captive programme, which was then located in Sepilok near Sandakan,” Sen said.

“For the following 19 years, local and foreign experts from around the world tried to breed and study her reproductive behaviour extensively until 2011, when she was found to be unable to produce eggs, even with hormone treatment, due to her old age,” Sen added.

On March 24 last year, Gelugob was brought to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park from the Tabin Wildlife Reserve as an ambassador for Sumatran rhino conservation efforts.

Bigger drive to save Sumatran rhinos
Ruben Sario The Star 14 Jan 14;

KOTA KINABALU: The pressure to save the remaining endangered Sumatran rhinos has grown more intense following the death of Gelugob – one of only 10 Sumatran rhinoceros in captivity worldwide.

Gelugob died on Saturday at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park here.

Sabah Wildlife Department veterinarian Dr Rosa Sipangkui said Gelugob’s age was estimated at 37 years. There are probably less than 150 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild today in Sumatra and Borneo.

Sipangkui said Gelugob’s health had deteriorated rapidly from early this month and the animal had refused to drink and ate little.

Department director Datuk Laurentius Ambu said conservationists were now even more determined to save rhinos from extinction.

“Sabah now seems to be the only state in Malaysia that has wild rhinos,” he said.

“Rhino numbers are too low and the wild rhinos too fragmented.

“If we do not intervene and rescue all of them and consolidate them into a managed breeding programme, propagation of new generations of baby rhinos will be impossible,” Laurentius said.

He said that without the managed breeding programme, all the remaining rhinos would meet the same fate as Gelugob, growing old and dying without producing any more young rhinos, thus causing extinction of this species in Sabah.

Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said Gelugob was believed to be the oldest rhino in captivity prior to her death.

The last Sumatran rhino to die in captivity was a 33-year-old male in the Cincinnati Zoo in the United States.

He said Gelugob was rescued from Bulud Napa, Kinabatangan in 1994 and her age at the time of capture was estimated at around 16 to 17 years.

Gelugob was immediately included into the Sumatran rhino captive programme, which was then located in Sepilok near Sandakan, he said.

For the following 19 years, local and foreign experts from around the world tried to breed and study her reproductive behaviour extensively, until 2011 when she was found to be unable to produce eggs, even with hormone treatment, due to her old age, Sen added.

Gelugob was brought to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park from the Tabin Wildlife Reserve on March 24 last year as an ambassador for Sumatran rhino conservation efforts.

Captive Sumatran rhino dies of old age
New Straits Times 14 Jan 14;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah lost one of its natural treasures when Gelugob, one of only 10 Sumatran rhinoceroses in captivity worldwide, died at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park on Saturday due to old age.

The female rhino, estimated to be about 37 years old, had been in captivity since 1994, the Sabah Wildlife Department said in a statement.

According to park veterinarian Dr Rosa Sipangkui, Gelugob "appeared to be moving slower and was not eating as well as she used to."

"Since these symptoms are quite normal in aging animals, it was noted and her condition was monitored. In early January, her condition worsened; she refused to drink and ate very little.
"Despite the best efforts of our veterinary team, her condition continued to deteriorate and on the evening of Jan 11, she laid down and died shortly after."

There are probably fewer than 150 Sumatran rhinos left in the wilds of Sumatra and Borneo today.

The department's assistant director, Dr Sen Nathan, said the lifespan of a Sumatran rhino was unknown.

The last Sumatran rhino to die in captivity was a 33-year-old male at the Cincinnati Zoo in the United States.

"We rescued Gelugob from Bulud Napa, Kinabatangan in 1994. Gelugob was immediately included in our Sumatran rhino programme, that was then located in Sepilok, near Sandakan.

"For the next 19 years, local and foreign experts from around the world tried to breed and study her reproductive behaviour extensively, up to 2011, when she was found to be unable to produce eggs, even with hormone treatments, due to her old age."

Gelugob was transferred to Lok Kawi on March 24 last year from the Tabin Wildlife Reserve.
"Though the death of Gelugob is a great loss, this only furthers our determination to do whatever we can to save this species from extinction. Sabah now seems to be the only state in Malaysia that has wild rhinos.

"Rhino numbers are too low and the wild rhinos too dispersed. If we do not intervene and rescue all of them and consolidate them into a managed breeding programme, propagation of new generations of rhinos will be impossible," said department director Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu.
He said that if conservation and breeding efforts were not carried out, all the remaining rhinos would meet the same fate as Gelugob -- growing old and dying without producing any more young rhinos, leading to their disappearance from Sabah.

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Malaysia: New sun bear sanctuary opens

New Straits Times 14 Jan 14;

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) hopes awareness on the protection of sun bears in Borneo will increase when a conservation centre dedicated to the mammal in Sandakan opens to the public on Thursday.

SWD director Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu called on those who were keeping the protected species, especially its cubs as pets, to surrender them to the department or the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC).

Speaking during a press conference to announce the event, he said the centre housed 28 rescued bears since its inception in April 2008.

The centre would be officially opened in May and aims to educate the public about the threats to wildlife.

Sun bears are listed as an endangered species, the same as orang-utans and Sumatran rhinoceros. Killing or keeping a sun bear, even just having body parts like claws or gall bladders, could result in a punishment of up to five years' jail or a RM50,000 fine, or both.

The BSBCC, was established through a collaboration with SWD, Sabah Forestry Department and non-governmental organisation Land Empowerment Animals People. Aimed at promoting sun bear conservation through rehabilitation, education and research, it covers 2.5ha land, which includes 2ha of enclosed forest and key facilities, such as an observation platform, two bear houses and a visitor centre.

The centre founder, Wong Siew Te, a world known biologist and the first Malaysian to study sun bears, said it was difficult to estimate how many were left in the wild because of the lack of research.

Found throughout Southeast Asia, sun bears are the smallest of the world's eight bear species. Habitat loss and poaching for body parts for use in traditional medicine are among key threats that led to a 30 per cent drop in population in the last three decades.

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Best of our wild blogs: 13 Jan 14

Singapore Biodiversity Records
from Raffles Museum News

Big Sisters Island with NParks
from Pulau Hantu

Butterflies Galore! : Cornelian
from Butterflies of Singapore

Off The Beaten Path At Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (11 Jan 2014)
from Beetles@SG BLOG

Reticulated Python
from Monday Morgue

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Trees and the city: Trends of urban biodiversity

An interview with Dr. Lena Chan, director of the National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board, Singapore
Philipp Gassner Business Mirror 11 Jan 14;
2014’S New Year’s resolution—quit smoking, more sport, healthy diet? But certainly not living in the jungle! Oddly, this is true for half the Philippines’s population.

No, this is not the late effect of a New Year’s hangover speaking. The New Year will, indeed, mark more Filipinos living within the outside jungles: concrete jungles.

The biggest of them all, known as Metro Manila, harbors an estimated 25 million people in its greater sprawl. This quarter of the Philippines’s entire population, needless to say, doesn’t live in the trees.

However, Bob Marley’s famous metaphor of a concrete jungle is not too far-fetched. From a bird’s-eye perspective, tangled city labyrinths don’t seem that different from a rain forest or a coral reef. They are just another of Earth’s living systems.

According to the Asean Centre for Biodiversity, just like other ecosystems, cities provide shelter, a lot of shelter. Although cities occupy just 2 percent of the Earth’s surface, they harbor—like in the Philippines—50 percent of the world’s population.

But it’s not only human populations who find a home in cities. Also, numerous plants and animals are city citizens, contributing to important urban biodiversity hot spots.

On the other hand, cities are hot spots of environmental damage, using 75 percent of the planet’s natural resources. City ecosystems are interconnected with and draw on their surrounding ecosystems for goods and services. Their products and emissions, in turn, affect regional and global ecosystems.

Such knock-on effects bring major challenges for 2014 and beyond. By 2050 roughly 70 percent of the world’s population is expected to be urban, with Southeast Asia a little less hurried: Cambodia is still only 20 percent urbanized, followed by Vietnam with 30 percent.

Nevertheless, on the average, 44 percent of Southeast Asians are urban-dwellers, with Singapore taking the lead, wherein every single Singaporean calls the city his or her home.

What such a home feels like, shares Dr. Lena Chan, director of the National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board, Singapore, in an interview.

Is Singapore symptomatic for the global trend of urbanization?

Singapore is highly urbanized. Besides being a high-density city, Singapore also has to cater to many other land requirements. Solutions to address these challenges are pressingly needed. Singapore continues to work with agencies, communities and individuals to find innovative ways to improve peoples’ lives and the environment that we live in.

To improve people’s lives, Singapore became a garden city. Or a city in a garden?

On June 16, 1963, Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore, planted a Mempat tree (Cratoxylon formosum). It symbolized the birth of a garden city which set off tree-planting on an island-wide scale. This campaign transformed Singapore into a beautiful clean city with flowers and trees.

As Singapore becomes more urbanized, we need greenery that functions more than a decorative purpose to ensure that the environment is sustainable and livable. Hence, Singapore decided to transform itself to a “City in a Garden” in which greenery would be pervasive and evident even on the city’s buildings in the form of vertical walls and rooftop gardens. Biodiversity would be rich even in urban landscapes, and the community would have an interest and stake in the greening of Singapore.



Talking about biodiversity, what is behind the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity?

Many cities around the world, including Singapore, have put in great efforts in biodiversity conservation. How does one know that these efforts are achieving what they aim to do? The Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity, also known as the City Biodiversity Index, is an evaluation tool for assessing the status of biodiversity and ecosystems in a city; the ecosystem services that are provided by biodiversity in the city; and the governance and biodiversity-management practices of the city.

The Singapore Index comprises 23 indicators that are measured quantitatively and can be tracked by cities over time. The composite index will help cities to evaluate whether biodiversity has improved as a result of their conservation efforts and management efforts. Cities from Asia, Europe, North America, New Zealand and South America have applied the Singapore Index.



How many species are there in Singapore, then?

Singapore is located in a biodiversity hot spot. There are many native species found in Singapore from a variety of taxonomic groups. Here’s an indication of the diversity of native flora and fauna still found in Singapore, in spite of its urbanization: 2,145 native vascular plant species, 364 bird species (more than the number of bird species in France), 98 reptile species, 66 freshwater fish species, 306 butterfly species (60 butterfly species are found in the United Kingdom), 35 true mangrove tree species and 256 hard coral species (35 percent of the global total of 731 hard coral species).



Many of these species are nestled in the heart of Singapore and not more than 15 kilometers from the busiest shopping areas, in the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. What is its importance to the city? And does it face challenges, considering the half-million visitors per year?

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) is conserved for its primary tropical rain-forest ecosystem, especially for the rich native biodiversity that it harbors. It is only one of two primary rain forests in the world located within city limits, and was declared an Asean Heritage Park in October 2011.

BTNR functions as a green lung by cooling the ambient temperature, replenishes the oxygen, cleans the air, moderates the water flow, etc. It is accessible for recreation. It also serves as an educational laboratory for schools and researchers.

With greater appreciation of its multiple values, BTNR has seen a rise in the number of visitors in recent years, and it is important to manage the challenges posed by high numbers of visitors. These include outreach efforts on how to appreciate nature and how to carry out one’s recreation in a way that is sensitive to the biodiversity, as well as to other visitors.



Such ‘islands’ of biodiversity are good and well, but aren’t they completely isolated by streets and buildings? After all, flowers or reptiles can’t cross a traffic light.

Developments potentially result in the fragmentation of sites with natural habitats in cities. It is a growing trend for cities to reconnect these natural areas. Singapore’s efforts to link nature reserves together with green corridors have grown with the placement of the ecological bridge Eco-Link@BKE.

Singapore is not the first city to have done this, and each city has to decide on the appropriateness. In Singapore we believe that the Eco-Link@BKE will add value to the ecological connectivity of the nature reserves and provide a larger effective area for the survival of our native fauna and flora. The park connectors and planting on our roads also contribute to linking up our natural sites.



With S$16 million, the green bridge is not exactly cheap. Moreover, with high competition for space and soaring rents, can we afford green space in cities?

Singapore has decided that greenery should be a major feature in our urban landscape. We believe that greenery will improve people’s lives and make Singapore a great city to work, live and play in. Pervasive greenery will also give Singapore a distinctive edge in attracting foreign investments in this highly competitive global economy.



Nevertheless, there are reports about Singaporeans being terrified of beehives and the like. How does this disconnection from nature fit to the image as green city?

It is inevitable that as people congregate in highly urbanized environments, they become alienated from the natural habitats. Human-wildlife interactions are common in cities. However, it is increasingly being recognized that biodiversity is important for an enriching and good quality of life.

Public awareness and education programs that inform people of the biodiversity and their roles in our lives will help people understand the importance of plants and animals. It is also crucial that people connect with nature by visiting these natural sites and actively participate in biodiversity surveys, gardening, nature walks, etc.

These efforts take time and we are seeing early positive signs that outreach and education are helping people develop a healthy appreciation for nature in their neighborhoods.

To realize our City in a Garden vision, community involvement is key. We actively engage the community through various initiatives like Community in Bloom, which was set up to promote gardening on a national level. There are now more than 600 community gardens island-wide.



Dr. Lena Chan, thank you very much for sharing these insights into the City in a Garden.

Cities like Singapore with rich biodiversity are found all over the world—Berlin, Chicago, Curitiba, Kolkata, Mexico City, Montreal, Nagoya, New York City or São Paulo, to list but a few. Then again, what does it take to turn a concrete jungle into a green jungle again and, at the same time, reduce their impact on the real jungles and other ecosystems out there? One answer comes from an ancient Garden City, Babylon, wherein its famous hanging gardens inspired a new way of farming given the limited space and lack of land for agriculture. Then, just add one dimension: Vertical farming, the cultivation of plant or animal life within skyscraper greenhouses.

Such sky farms reduce the dependence and impact on surrounding areas while reconnecting people to the origin of their food. Importing 90 percent of its food, Singapore took this unlikely idea seriously. In 2012 the world’s first three-story-high commercial vertical farm was opened in the city, already producing 500 kilograms of juicy vegetables per day. Biodiversity can be so yummy.

Eating healthy—a sound New Year’s resolution for the world’s concrete jungles.



(Philipp Gassner is a consultant for the Asean Centre for Biodiversity-Biodiversity and Climate Change Project based in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines.)

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Malaysia: Flood mitigation a priority - Prime Minister

Satiman Jamin New Straits Times 13 Jan 14;

FOR THE PEOPLE: Govt mulls projects in states that are periodically flooded

KEMAMAN: THE government is considering pumping money into flood-mitigation projects in several states that are periodically flooded.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said aside from this project, aimed at giving the people a better life, the government was fast rebuilding roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and other facilities that were destroyed or damaged by the floods.

Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan and Johor were badly hit by the first wave of the year-end floods last year, which dispalced 50,000 people.

"We are looking at the possibility of carrying out urgent flood mitigation projects.

"These projects are costly ... (a flood mitigation project) in Kemaman for example, will cost RM480 million and (one) in Kuantan will cost RM300 million.

"This does not include the cost of rebuilding destroyed roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and other facilities. If we total all these up, the cost will be billions of ringgit," Najib said.
Najib, who is also finance minister, said although the projects were costly, the government would consider them as the rakyat was Umno's and the Barisan Nasional (BN) government's priority.

Najib said it was thus important to transform the nation's economy so that big and costly undertakings that benefited the rakyat, including flood mitigation projects, could be carried out.

"We have to transform the nation's economy so that when it becomes strong, the increased income could be channelled back to the rakyat for projects like these," he said adding that the government's policies were on the right track towards a better economy and ensuring the well-being of the rakyat.

He criticised the opposition for sowing negative ideas about Umno and BN in the rakyat's mind, adding that it was as though they had come forward to help those in need.

"Umno's philosophy is to give priority to the rakyat. Who has been at their side in good and bad times? Who has been helping the rakyat? Who else if not Umno and the BN government. Don't try to fool the rakyat (by) going down once or twice (to make appearances) during the floods and then highlighting it on Facebook to claim that they are championing the rakyat.

"From start to finish, it was Umno and BN who helped the rakyat. Our leaders were there to assist, from (providing) food aid, boats, volunteers ... they left the (Umno) general assembly to be with the rakyat who were having a hard time."

He said the government was fair in assisting the people during the floods.

"It doesn't matter whether or not they support us or whether or not (we) won in the area or not, we assisted everyone. This is because the value of humanity is higher than political considerations. This is our government," he said to 15,000 people who attended the flood assistance presentation ceremony at Padang Astaka in Chukai, here, yesterday.

During the ceremony, 600 families who were affected by the floods last month received household items, apart from cash assistance ranging from RM500 to RM1,500 from the state government, and RM500 from the Federal government.

Present at the ceremony were Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said and Communication and Multimedia Minister who is also the Kemaman member of Parliament Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.

Najib said the kind of assistance given to flood victims which included household items like LCD television sets, refrigerators, gas stoves and mattresses was unprecedented.

"I believe that this assistance will alleviate the burden of the flood victims and I hope that after this we can give out more assistance like this."

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Hong Kong suffers in smog as pollution problems rise

Channel NewsAsia 12 Jan 14;

HONG KONG - The new year has revived old problems for Hong Kong as a murky smog blankets the usually glittering skyline, fuelling complaints from locals and visitors alike, and raising pressure on the government to act.

Tourists expecting to take holiday snaps from the famous Victoria Harbour waterfront have found it hard to distinguish Hong Kong's trademark skyscrapers and mountainous backdrop, while residents are becoming increasingly worried for their own health.

"It's scary," said Julie Crossley, a 39-year-old sales manager from South Africa, visiting the city for the first time with her young daughter.

"I'm scared of what she's breathing in."

For German tourist Harald Gummlich, 60, the pea souper was not what he was expecting. "We're still waiting for blue skies," he said.

The government's new, more stringent, pollution index has revealed the frightening extent of the problem, with high or very high levels of pollution recorded almost every day since it was implemented at the end of 2013.

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) came into effect on December 30 and links pollutants to health risks.

Pollution levels have reached the index's top "serious" category on four days so far, under which people are advised not to stay outdoors for a prolonged period.

Hundreds of residents have taken to Twitter, Facebook and newspaper websites to voice their concern.

"Yesterday's pollution was truly shocking - made my eyes sting," Hong Kong based @Alieeeson tweeted Thursday.

Pressure on government

Local campaign groups are hoping the results of the new AQHI system will finally galvanise the government into action.

"It certainly should kick the government into doing something," Clean Air Network chief executive officer, Kwong Sum-yin, told AFP.

Senior environmental affairs officer at Friends of the Earth, Melonie Chau, said the data "can help the public... exert more pressure on the government."

The index monitors the concentration levels of multiple pollutants and measures their health effects through tracking hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Its introduction comes after city leader Leung Chun-ying pledged to make pollution one of his top priorities during his five-year term, with an official report saying it was the "greatest daily health risk" to the city's residents.

Government proposals to reduce emissions include a plan to replace more than 80,000 older commercial diesel vehicles between 2014 and 2019, and a requirement for container ships berthing in the city to use cleaner fuels.

But campaigners are frustrated at what they see as a lack of urgency in implementing the moves.

"We are not very happy with the timeline," Kwong Sum-yin said.

A government scheme to replace catalytic converters on 20,000 vehicles, mostly taxis, kicked off in October last year to lower nitrogen dioxide.

The Clean Air Network is pushing for comprehensive low-emission zones on the roads and in Hong Kong waters.

Friends of the Earth's Chau suggested the government should also consider limiting the number of cars on the road when air pollution reaches a certain level.

Driving away business

Hong Kong has already fallen to number three in the International Institute for Management Development 2013 World Competitiveness Yearbook, compared to its top spot in 2012 -- and city lawmakers have admitted that air pollution is driving away businesses.

People looking to expand their careers in Hong Kong are thinking twice about settling down.

"Hong Kong would be a good place to live for a few years, but raising kids? I'd be very cautious about it," Todd Scott, a 37-year-old visitor and head of investment relations from Canada, who just got engaged, told AFP as he walked along the smog-hidden waterfront.

The city's position on the southern edge of the Pearl River Delta -- one of China's largest manufacturing centres -- makes clearing pollution more challenging, Leung's administration has said.

Winter months in particular see winds blowing in from the mainland, bringing a haze of pollutants.

Levels of PM2.5 -- tiny particles in the air considered particularly hazardous to health -- in Hong Kong were similar to Beijing on Friday afternoon, according to the Beijing-based air quality information website aqicn.org.

The Chinese capital is regularly hit by extended bouts of choking, acrid smog, with heavy industries and car-use both among the key culprits.

Commercial hub Shanghai was also blanketed in dense smog in December, delaying flights and spurring sales of face masks.

Air pollution expert Alexis Lau, a professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's Division of Environment, believes Hong Kong will not reach the average annual pollution levels seen on the mainland, as the city's government introduces its anti-pollution scheme.

"Because of stringent control measures in Hong Kong, the concentration levels should be dropping," he said.

But for some, leaving Hong Kong is the only solution.

Clear the Air campaign group chairman, James Middleton, says he already knows people who have chosen to relocate.

"Quite a lot of people have left (due to air pollution)," he told AFP.

"I would say anybody with children and even those who have asthma will leave."

- AFP/ir

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