Best of our wild blogs: 11 Jun 17

HSS at Pesta Ubin!
Herpetological Society of Singapore

Morning Walk At Lower Peirce Reservoir Park (10 Jun 2017)
Beetles@SG BLOG

Bukit Panjang Butterfly Garden
Butterflies of Singapore

Read more!

Malaysia: Action plan to save the Sunda clouded leopard

STEPHANIE LEE The Star 11 Jun 17;

KOTA KINABALU: The Sunda clouded leopard will be the next endangered animal to be saved and protected in Sabah, said Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) director Dr Benoit Goossens.

Dr Goossens said an action plan will be drawn up after a three-day workshop organised by DGFC and the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), which will focus on recommendations on how to better protect the species.

The workshop is set to run from June 12 to 14 and will feature local and international scientists, governmental agencies as well as industry players.

“We hope that the state government will adopt the Sunda Clouded Leopard Action Plan for implementation to save the species, which is threatened by habitat loss and forest fragmentation in Sabah,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

Dr Goossens said the centre, SWD and collaborators from Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), the University of Montana and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research have been collecting crucial information on Sunda clouded leopard populations in Sabah for the last 10 years.

He said this includes demography, behaviour, landscape ecology and genetics.

“During this project, we carried out surveys using camera traps in several protected areas such as Crocker Range, Tawau Hills Park, Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Kinabatangan, Malua, Ulu Segama, and Maliau Basin,” he said.

He added that the research findings showed that there are roughly 700 Sunda clouded leopards in Sabah.

Dr Goossens said these projects and efforts are made possible with a total commitment of RM3.96mil from Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) since April 2011 to conduct research on three species over a six-year period.

The three species are the proboscis monkey, the Sunda clouded leopard and the Bornean banteng.

Meanwhile, YSD chairman Tun Musa Hitam said the Foundation was looking forward to the submission of the state action plan on the conservation of the proboscis monkey to the Sabah government.

DGFC is currently in the midst of drafting the plan to be submitted to the Sabah government.

This action plan is the product of a workshop and conference organised by DGFC and SWD four months ago, which focused on the conservation of the proboscis monkey.

Musa said it was crucial for the state action plan to be adopted and implemented by the Sabah government as it is backed by scientific research and expert opinions as well as input from industry leaders.

He added that he hoped the same would be replicated for the Sunda clouded leopard, which he said is one of his favourite animal species due to its sheer beauty.

"This species, like many others, is under severe threat from poachers, habitat loss and fragmented forest areas,” said Musa.

"We must act immediately and effectively to stop further decline in the population or risk losing a precious species that is vital to the ecosystem it inhabits," he added.


Experts convene in KK to discuss conservation of Sunda clouded leopard
AVILA GERALDINE New Straits Times 11 Jun 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Wildlife experts will engage in a long and detailed discussion on how to best protect one of Sabah’s iconic but endangered animals – the Sunda clouded leopard – at an international workshop beginning tomorrow.

Scientists, governmental agencies and industry players are expected to attend the three-day workshop on the issue at the Le Meridien Hotel here, organised by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) and the Sime Darby Foundation.

DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens said the workshop will see participants proposing recommendations for better protection of the endangered species based on findings of an extensive five-year research conducted by the centre and the SWD.

“I hope the Sabah government will adopt the Sunda Clouded Leopard Action Plan for implementation to save the species, which is threatened by habitat loss and forest fragmentation in Sabah.

“For the past 10 years, SWD, DGFC and collaborators from Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), the University of Montana and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research have been collecting crucial information on Sunda clouded leopard populations in Sabah, including demography, behaviour, landscape ecology and genetics.

“During this project, we carried out surveys using camera traps in several protected areas, and we estimate the population (of Sunda clouded leopards) to be around 700 individuals in Sabah,” added Goossens.

The protected areas are the Crocker Range, the Tawau Hills Park, the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Kinabatangan, Malua, Ulu Segama and the Maliau Basin, among others.

Earlier this year, a workshop and conference focusing on the protection of the Proboscis monkey was held, and the DGFC is currently drafting a state action plan on the conservation of the species for submission to the state government.

Meanwhile, Sime Darby Foundation chairman Tun Musa Hitam stressed that the local government must adopt and implement the state action plan, which is backed by scientific research, expert opinions and input from industry leaders.

“We also hope that the same will be replicated for the Sunda clouded leopard, which is one of my favourite animal species due to its sheer beauty.

“This species, like many others, is under severe threat from poachers, habitat loss and fragmented forest areas,” he said.

The foundation has been supporting DGFC since April 2011, with a total commitment of RM3.96 million over a period of six years, to conduct research on three species – the Proboscis monkey, the Sunda clouded leopard and the Bornean banteng.


Move to protect the Sunda clouded leopard
STEPHANIE LEE The Star 12 Jun 17;

KOTA KINABALU: The Sunda clouded leopard will be the next endangered animal to come under protection in Sabah.

This will hopefully be made possible after local and international scientists, government agencies and industry players come together in a three-day workshop on how to protect the species.

The workshop, from today to Wednesday, organised by the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) and Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), expects to see recommendations based on findings of a five-year extensive research on Sunda clouded leopards conducted by DGFC and SWD.

DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens said they expect to have a Sunda Clouded Leopard Action Plan for Sabah drafted based on the recommendations.

“We hope the state government will adopt the action plan to save the species, which is threatened by habitat loss and forest fragmentation in Sabah,” he said in a statement.

Dr Goossens said the centre, SWD and collaborators from Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), University of Montana and Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research have collected crucial information on Sunda clouded leopard population in Sabah including demography, behaviour, landscape ecology and genetics for the past 10 years.

“During this project, we carried out surveys using camera traps in several protected areas such as Crocker Range, Tawau Hills Park, Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Kinabatangan, Malua, Ulu Segama, and Maliau Basin,” he said.

image: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/06/12/move-to-protect-the-sunda-clouded-leopard/~/media/f0f46ce3ff904f50b7515a6df100a18c.ashx?h=413&w=620

Safe and sound: A female Sunda clouded leopard named ‘Rahsia’ rescued during the project. Inset: A Sunda clouded leopard seen at the Crocker Range National Park near Keningau, Sabah.
Safe and sound: A female Sunda clouded leopard named ‘Rahsia’ rescued during the project.
The population is estimated to be around 700 in Sabah.

Dr Goossens said these projects and efforts were made possible with the support from Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) since April 2011, with a total commitment of RM3.96mil over six years, to conduct research on three species – Proboscis monkey, Sunda clouded leopard and the Bornean banteng.

Four months ago, DGFC and SWD organised a workshop and conference on the conservation of the Proboscis monkey, which saw recommendations for drafting of a state action plan to conserve the endangered species.

YSD chairman Tun Musa Hitam said it was crucial for the state action plan to be adopted and implemented by the Sabah government as it is backed by scientific research and expert opinions as well as input from industry leaders.

“We must act immediately and effectively to stop further decline in the population or risk losing a precious species that is vital to the ecosystem it inhabits.

“We have already lost one of our last three Sumatran rhinoceroses, a species on the brink of extinction. Let us learn from this,” he added.

Read more!

Malaysia: Rapid development causing heat effect

RAZAK AHMAD The Star 11 Jun 17;

PETALING JAYA: Temperature differences between parts of Kuala Lumpur and its neighbouring rural areas have been found to be as high as 10°C and the gap is widening, research has shown.

This is causing heavier rainfall, resulting in more severe flash floods and hotter temperatures in the city and suburbs than surrounding areas. Ironically, the rainfall is heavier in the cities than in rural areas such as Hulu Langat, where the dams are located.

Climate expert Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah from Universiti Malaya said this was due to the “urban heat island” effect, where cities get increasingly warmer compared to surrounding rural areas due to rapid development.

“Due to the increased development of Greater Kuala Lumpur, the urban heat island or hot areas are growing,” he said.

The differences in temperatures between urban and rural areas are also widening by 0.4°C per decade.

Apart from getting hotter, the country’s urban areas are also likely to get heavier rainfall as more rain can occur when a bubble of heated air forms over a very warm area.

Citing a 2014 study on the urban heat island effect in the Klang Valley by fellow academic Dr Illyani Ibrahim, Dr Azizan said Petaling Jaya received increasingly more rain between 1983 and 2007 compared to Hulu Langat, located just 22km away.

The increased rainfall in urban areas, Dr Azizan warned, could add to the risk of flash floods in cities.

“This is because much of the rainwater cannot be absorbed into the ground in built-up areas, causing it to remain on the surface, especially where drainage is poor,” he said.

Dr Azizan was commenting on the findings of a World Bank report which found temperature anomalies in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Penang, Johor Baru, Kuantan and Kota Kinabalu growing faster than the global average (see graphic).

The report, titled “Achieving a System of Competitive Cities in Malaysia”, said climate change is expected to worsen the urban heat island effect and cause more heatwaves and heavy rain in urban areas.

Heavy and more frequent precipitation events are expected and will increase the risk and severity of urban flooding and landslides, according to the study, which was released in December 2015 and carried out with the cooperation of the Economic Planning Unit and Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

Parts of the Klang Valley, including Kuala Lumpur, have become notorious for being inundated during heavy downpour in recent months.

In one of the most recent episodes, four roads in Kuala Lumpur – Jalan Bangsar, Jalan Semantan, Jalan Pantai Baharu and Jalan Pudu – were flooded following heavy rain, causing cars to be submerged in water up to their windows.

Other cities, including in Penang, have also been hit by a rising number of flash floods.

On May 27, a downpour which lasted for a few hours submerged the inline baggage area of the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas on the island and flooded several low-lying areas on the mainland.

Dr Azizan said green areas in cities should be protected to help reduce the urban heat island effect.

Green lungs and other forested areas help to cool down urban areas and act as a sponge to absorb excess rainfall in the event of heavy storms, reducing the risk of floods, he said.

“Keeping the city green does not mean we should build more golf courses,” he added.

“It means we need to protect the forested areas in our cities due to the forests’ higher leaf index and ability to help reduce temperatures and absorb water.”

He said improving drainage and planning for future flood mitigation projects similar to Kuala Lumpur’s Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) could also help.

“When we spent billions of ringgit to build the SMART tunnel, some people said it was a waste of money. But now it’s considered a success.”

He said the focus should be on how to protect other parts of the city, which are also prone to flash floods, especially in light of rapid development.


‘Gazette town and city plans to reduce environmental risk’
The Star 11 Jun 17;

PETALING JAYA: Local plans that spell out the dos and don’ts of how each town and city in the country can be developed need to be gazetted and followed strictly by the state and local authorities, said the Malaysian Institute of Planners.

Its president Ihsan Zainal Mokh­tar said this could help reduce the potential harm that development can bring to the environment.

Commenting on a World Bank study that found temperature anomalies in Malaysian cities growing faster than the global average, Ihsan said it was important to have a good local plan and stick to it.

“A local plan not only spells out population density, which areas need road coverage and where to build schools, but also identifies which green areas can’t be touched,” he said.

Controversial proposals to develop green areas that get easily approved despite opposition by residents are an example of what can happen when a local plan is not gazetted.

“If a local plan is drawn up but not gazetted, it results in less control in development.

“If we don’t stick to the local plan, we will leave more room for interest groups to push their agenda in how an area should be developed, rather than public interest,” Ihsan added.

He said while a number of cities and towns had gazetted local plans, Kuala Lumpur and Penang had yet to gazette their local plans, namely the Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020 and Penang Local Plan 2020.

To reduce the potential risk of flash floods as a result of higher rainfall in urban centres due to rising temperatures, Ihsan said several measures could be taken.

They include increasing the number of detention and retention ponds.

A detention pond is a low-lying area that holds a set amount of floodwater while slowly draining to another location. A retention pond is designed to hold a specific amount of floodwater indefinitely.

Ihsan also said more greenery could be introduced along footpaths.

Another method is to use bioswales, which are long trenches containing vegetation that receive rainwater run-off and work by slowing down water infiltration.

On the World Bank study which found urban sprawl contributing to greenhouse gases and raising temperatures, he said control measures could include allowing higher density only for projects near the city centre.

“Urban sprawl also involves building many highways into the cities which take a lot of the forests, causing temperatures to rise,” he said.

“Cars travelling into urban centres are also a source of urban heat, so one way to tackle the problem is by improving public transport.”


Groups spell out ways to cool down cities
FATIMAH ZAINAL The Star 12 Jun 17;

PETALING JAYA: It’s the little acts like conserving water and saving electricity – even planting a tree – that can help cool the urban heat island effect in the cities, say environment groups.

Malaysian Nature Society president Henry Goh said while authorities should set aside enough land for green lungs in the cities, the public could also do their bit to help maintain such spaces.

“The first thing to inculcate among the public is to share the knowledge why trees are important to mitigate the heat exchange in regards to industrial emissions of heat and pollution.

“The public can also help by practising more care when disposing waste. Adopt the habit of reducing, recycling and reusing waste,” said Goh.

Conserving water, saving electricity and supporting anti-plastic campaign, he said, would also help towards reducing greenhouse gas and heat.

Power Shift Malaysia co-founder Adrian Yeo said even a simple effort such as planting a tree counted.

They were commenting on Sunday Star’s front page report about the urban heat island effect in Kuala Lumpur caused by rapid development.

A study had showed that the city was not only getting much hotter – up to 10 degrees more – than surrounding rural areas but it was also experiencing heavier rainfall, leading to more severe flash floods, and higher temperatures.

EcoKnights president Yasmin Rasyid said property developers could build each home with a rainwater harvesting tank.

“This can retain rain water for outdoor use before all of this rushes into the drains as storm water and floods the lower areas,” she said.

Yasmin said for free green lungs in the city, vertical gardens on rooftops could also be created, functioning as cooling systems for the buildings.

WWF policy and climate change head Lavanya Rama Iyer said urban folks should continue demanding the protection of existing green lungs such as in the recent cases of Bukit Gasing and Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

“All of us should signal to decisionmakers from local governments that greening the city is necessary for national well-being and development should not compromise this,” she said.

Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (Peka) president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Aki urged all environmental NGOs to convene a summit to map out a blueprint.

“Deforestation must be stopped immediately. We need to slow down our development. A sustainable plan is needed to look into conservation and preservation.”

Read more!

Malaysia: Johor entry points screening tightened after Singapore's new Zika cases

The Star 10 Jun 17;

BALIK PULAU: Malaysia has tightened health screenings at all entry points, especially in Johor, following reports of two new cases of the Zika virus in Singapore.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said so far, there were no reports of the mosquito-borne viral infection involving Malaysians.

"I want the Johor Health Department to be more careful and alert, and perform more stringent monitoring, especially at the Malaysia-Singapore entrance.

"We have body temperature sensors that can detect those having fever at entry points in Johor, and if there are cases (of zika) health officials must take appropriate action.

"But so far, there has been no new cases in Malaysia," he told reporters after presenting contributions to the needy in the Balik Pulau parliamentary constituency here Saturday.

Singapore confirmed two new cases of the virus, bringing the total number of reported cases in the country to eight.

In September last year, a woman from Bandar Botanic, Klang in Selangor became the first Malaysian to be infected with the virus after visiting her daughter, who was also infected, in Singapore.

In another development, Dr Hilmi, who is also Balik Pulau MP, denied that the ministry had banned the sale of a popular brand of dates after reports on social media claimed they contained worms.

"I have received complaints that staff from the state health department had notified traders of dates not to sell the fruit distributed by a popular brand when in fact, the ministry has never issued such a ban on the matter, and we have made inspections at the warehouse of the company concerned, and no worms were found as claimed on social media.

"Even if there was such a case, maybe there were parties who had disguised themselves as health department staff or it could be from a competitor.

"However, if date traders are approached by health department staff forbidding them to sell the fruit, they can report it to the health ministry," he said.

He noted the worms found in dates were also not detrimental to health as they were similar to those found in fruits such as durian and mangoes. - Bernama


Johor on alert for Zika
ZAZALI MUSA The Star 11 Jun 17;

JOHOR BARU: Johor is closely monitoring for Zika cases in the state following reports of two new cases in Singapore.

State Health, Environment, Education and Information committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the focus would be on two land links to Singapore - the Johor Causeway and the Second Link Crossing in Tanjung Kupang, Gelang Patah.

"Thousands of people are using both links daily and we are monitoring the situation," he said in a statement on Sunday.

Ayub said staff from the state Health Department would monitor the body temperature of travellers at the Johor Causeway and the Second Link Crossing using thermal scanners, which have been set up.

"We are also taking preventive measures in housing estates or locations where many Malaysians live and travel regularly to the republic," he added.

Ayub said that the state Health Department would deploy more medical staff at the two entry points if more Zika cases were reported in Singapore.

It was reported on Saturday that Malaysia had tightened health screenings at all entry points, especially in Johor, following reports of two new cases of the Zika virus in Singapore.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said so far, there were no reports of the mosquito-borne viral infection involving Malaysians.

"I want the Johor Health Department to be more careful and alert, and perform more stringent monitoring, especially at the Malaysia-Singapore entrance.

"We have body temperature sensors that can detect those having fever at entry points in Johor, and if there are cases of Zika, health officials must take appropriate action," he added.


Zika screening intensified at all major entry points
The Star 11 Jun 17;

BALIK PULAU: Malaysia has intensified health screenings at all entry points, especially in Johor, following reports of two new cases of the zika virus in Singapore.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said so far, there are no reports of the mosquito-borne viral infection involving Malaysians.

“I want the Johor Health Department to be more careful and alert, and perform more stringent monitoring, especially at the Malaysia-Singapore entrance.

“We have body temperature sensors that can detect those having fever at entry points in Johor, and if there are cases (of zika), health officials must take appropriate action.

“But so far, there has been no new cases in Malaysia,” he told reporters after presenting contributions to the needy in the Balik Pulau parliamentary constituency yesterday.

At the event, a total of 850 recipients received cash assistance, rice and other necessities.

Yesterday, Singapore confirmed two new cases of the zika virus, bringing the total number of reported cases in the republic to eight.

In September last year, a woman from Bandar Botanic, Klang in Selangor, became the first Malaysian infected with zika after visiting her daughter, who was also infected with the virus, in Singapore.

In another development, Dr Hilmi, who is also Balik Pulau MP, denied that the Health Ministry had banned the sale of a popular brand of dates after reports on social media claimed they contained worms. — Bernama

Read more!

Malaysia: Sabah farmers at higher risk of catching monkey malaria

The Star 11 Jun 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Adult male farmers are more than twice as likely to contract Plasmodium knowlesi (P. knowlesi) – a malaria parasite usually found only in monkeys – than other people in their communities, according to a report.

The study was conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, and the Sabah Health Department.

The research team found that farmers in Sabah who work in plantations, clear vegetation and take part in forestry work are the most at risk.

P. knowlesi is a zoonotic malaria parasite which is common in forest-dwelling macaque monkeys and transmitted between hosts by mosquitoes. It has a rapid growth rate in the blood that can lead to a high level of parasites in a short time and can cause severe and fatal disease.

Recent deforestation in the Sabah region has brought humans into closer contact with the forest.

P. knowlesi is now the most common form of human malaria in many areas of Malaysia, and has also been reported across South-East Asia.

In 2014, the Health Ministry reported that 2,584 out of the country’s 3,923 malaria cases derived from P. knowlesi, and that proportion is known to have risen further.

The researchers conducted a large case control study of more than 1,000 people in the Sabah districts of Kudat and Kota Marudu. Individuals with P. knowlesi were compared with those with other types of human malaria and a control group without malaria.

Detailed questionnaires recorded information on daily activities, residence and the frequency with which participants saw monkeys.

Men are four times more likely to have P. knowlesi infection than women, and although male farmers are more likely to contract monkey malaria, they are not at higher risk of contracting other types of malaria.

Indoor work such as shopkeeping, traditional female household duties, and studying are associated with a lower risk of P. knowlesi malaria in these communities.

The findings suggest that humans working on the fringes of the forest are at risk of contracting P. knowlesi, as well as in the forest itself when they carry out activities such as hunting.

A number of cases in women and children were also found which, along with the characteristics of mosquito and macaque populations, need further investigation.

Monkey malaria alert in Sabah
RUBEN SARIO The Star 11 Jun 17;

KOTA KINABALU: Health authorities in Sabah are intensifying their hunt for the Anopheles mosquitoes that are known for transmitting an emerging disease called Plasmodium knowlesi malaria from monkeys to humans.

Infectious Disease Society of Kota Kinabalu president Dr Timothy William said steps are being taken to reduce breeding sites of the mosquitoes apart from spraying insecticides where these insects are prevalent.

He said health officials were doing all things possible to optimise the treatment of Plasmodium knowlesi malaria or more commonly known as monkey malaria in humans through early detection.

“Those known to be suffering from this disease are given immediate treatment with Artemisinin combination therapy and early referral to tertiary care hospitals for severe cases.

“There is continuing research on this emerging disease,” said Dr William, the principal investigator of an international study on monkey malaria and co-author of the report that was recently published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

He was also the infectious disease consultant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital here when the study was carried out in various parts of Sabah three years ago.

Chris Drakeley, Professor of Infection & Immunity from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and principal collaborator on the study, said P. knowlesi is a complex and potentially life-threatening parasite.

“Conventional approaches used to tackle malaria such as drugs or bed nets cannot be used to combat P. knowlesi as monkeys are the host and the risk is associated with outdoor work.

“Our study offers important insight into where social interventions are likely to have the biggest impact,” he said.

“We will continue to work with our colleagues in the Malaysian Health Ministry to improve awareness and education for local residents about areas of risk and how they can prevent mosquito bites,” he added.

Dr Matthew Grigg, Menzies Research fellow and lead author of the study, said: “Malaysia’s national malaria eradication plan is proving extremely effective in reducing case numbers of other types of malaria.

“However, we found that cases of P. knowlesi are on the rise due to a number of human behavioural factors such as farming, land clearing activities, working on oil palm plantations, and travelling or sleeping outside.”

Read more!

Indonesia: Suspected land burner arrested in Riau

The Jakarta Post 10 Jun 17;

The Riau Land and Forest Fire (Karhutla) task force has arrested a suspected land burner in Meranti Island regency.

“They found equipment such as a chainsaw, a kerosene jerry can, a lighter and a cell phone,” Karhutla Riau task force deputy commander Edwar Sanger said as quoted by Antara in Pekanbaru on Saturday.

He said the suspect, S, was arrested on Friday evening in Tebing Tinggi district, Meranti.

Suspicion of unlawful activity was raised during a routine patrol conducted by the Riau Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) together with the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police.

During the patrol, personnel found traces of burned soil. A hut allegedly inhabited by land burners was found not far from the location.

Following up on the report, the task force, comprising personnel from the 462 Command Battalion of the Air Force Special Forces (Paskhas), the Riau Police’s Special Crime Detective Directorate and BPBD Riau flew to the location on a Puma HT-3310 helicopter and another helicopter provided by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

Paskhas and police personnel later searched the hut where they found a man strongly suspected to have burned the land. The 40-year old was flown to Pekanbaru for further questioning and the police sealed the burned land.

“We will pursue the mastermind of the land burning. We will uphold the law to create a deterrent effect,” said Edwar. (ebf)

Read more!

New Zika cluster reported at Parry Avenue

Channel NewsAsia 9 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE: Two cases of locally transmitted Zika have been confirmed at Parry Avenue at the Serangoon Garden area, the National Environment Agency announced on Friday (Jun 9).

Both cases are residents in the vicinity. NEA has commenced operations to destroy mosquito breeding spots at the cluster area.

"Residents and stakeholders are urged to maintain vigilance and continue to eliminate mosquito breeding habitats, as there could still be asymptomatic or mild, undiagnosed cases which might result in further transmission of the virus if there are mosquitoes in the vicinity," NEA said.

It added that it had been conducting preventive inspections in the area before the cluster at Parry Avenue was notified. Zika information leaflets and insect repellents will be distributed to households and residents are advised to apply repellent as a precaution, NEA said.

Two locally transmitted Zika cases were reported at the nearby Kovan area in late April.

Advertisement

NEA advises members of the public to seek medical attention if they are unwell, especially with symptoms such as fever and rash.
Source: CNA/ly

Read more!

Commentary: How should Singapore decide what to conserve?

In our continued chase for growth and development, we should take a more consultative approach to decide what to conserve, argues Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Pauline Ang.
Pauline Ang Channel NewsAsia 10 Jun 17;

SINGAPORE: One of the key growth strategies that was identified earlier this year by the Committee on the Future Economy was to “develop a vibrant and connected city of opportunity”, with an emphasis on the word “connected”, both in the physical and digital sense of the word.

For the former, this means a continued push for major infrastructure projects that would substantially expand our international sea, air and rail connections, as well as our internal transportation networks.

EXPANSION THREATENS HERITAGE LANDMARKS

While the benefits of greater connectivity go largely undisputed, the nature of such expansion works in a densely built-up city like Singapore is disrupting the urban landscape and challenging the fate of existing buildings and places. These include architectural and heritage landmarks, as well as ordinary buildings or landscapes that have become a familiar part of our collective consciousness.

In a small country like Singapore, these landmarks are significant as physical anchors that contribute towards our sense of national identity. The rapid pace at which these familiar landscapes are erased and transformed can evoke a sense of displacement and loss.

On the other hand, the desire for continued growth and the prosperity that it brings persists in our national psyche, fuelling the continued search for a more sustainable, high-performance built environment in the face of limited land resources.

In a city where undeveloped and available land is fast disappearing, the redevelopment of existing plots of lands or settlements is becoming the only alternative.

Replacing them is a new breed of high-density residential, commercial and institutional developments, which promise greater liveability in an urban environment filled with light, air and greenery, and easy access to public transport networks. Densification, along with increased connectivity and diversity, has done much in energising the city and making our public spaces more vibrant. So they should be viewed as a positive development.

ARE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE?

This brings us to the question: Are development and conservation mutually exclusive? Do we really need to choose between one or the other? I think most people will agree that the answer is no. The more important question is how do we choose what to conserve? And how do we go about making that choice?

While there are some who stand by an anti-development or “do-nothing” philosophy, the individuals and groups who have engaged the authorities publicly on these issues have largely shown a willingness to understand the development needs and constraints at hand, and to jointly explore a range of possible solutions.

On the other side, the authorities have come a long way since the case of the old National Library building, which was demolished to make way for the Fort Canning Tunnel in 2005.

Still, the loss of the old National Library is an old wound that has not been forgotten. Up to today, many question whether the tunnel was worth it after all.

Recent development controversies involving the Ellison Building and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve show that the pragmatic, engineering-based approach still rules supreme, even if there are now some concessions for intangible factors such as heritage and nature.

Time, cost and expedience continue to be the most important factors that guide the decisions that are made, in contrast to a values-based approach, where solutions are engineered to work around the assets that we value.

In the case of the Ellison Building, a conserved building that currently stands in the path of the proposed North-South Corridor, the authorities had initially announced that part of the building would have to be demolished and later reconstructed, citing space constraints posed by other underground structures in the immediate vicinity.

Heritage groups opposed the decision on the grounds that by international heritage standards, reconstruction would only be considered “for heritage destroyed by war”, and that in this case, reconstruction would amount to a "falsification of historical artefacts".

The matter has not concluded, but subsequent discussions between the authorities and the heritage groups have reportedly yielded possible technical solutions that would allow the tunnel to be constructed without demolishing the building. This would involve providing temporary support to the structure and strengthening the foundation while the tunnel is being built.

With the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, the debate was whether the proposed Cross Island Line should pass directly under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, or take a longer route and skirt around the reserve. Nature groups object to the direct route, citing the negative impact on existing flora and fauna.

The authorities say that the longer route will prolong the train journey by about five minutes, may require land acquisition and cost an additional S$2 billion. As with the Ellison Building, the final decision on the tunnel alignment has been deferred until environmental and engineering studies are concluded.

The fact that the authorities are willing to put their plans on hold while working out more holistic solutions with nature and heritage groups is a heartening one. However, the default quantitative approach in decision-making means that non-tangible factors do not have an equal place at the table.

HOW MUCH ARE PEOPLE WILLING TO PAY FOR CONSERVATION?

To this end, some have advocated for a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis approach, where non-tangible factors are quantified and weighed against tangible factors like cost and time.

For example, the importance of conservation could be measured by asking how much more are people willing to pay for the protection of a conserved building or a nature reserve? How much extra time are they willing to put up with for a longer or slower travel route?

This sounds like a reasonable approach, but one needs to be aware that many factors, such as the importance of light, air and greenery, are not easy to quantify. Also, it is unclear how the silent majority would choose, given that pragmatism still appears to be the most dominant trait among Singaporeans.

Putting the issue to the vote may not yield the results that heritage and nature groups would hope for, but could still be worthwhile as it would reveal what we value most when faced with a choice. The responsibility for making such difficult decisions would then be shared rather than left solely in the hands of the authorities.

TRADE-OFFS NOT UNIQUE TO SINGAPORE

Of course, conflict between development and conservation are not unique to Singapore. The ongoing development of Crossrail 2 in England, for instance, serves as a useful reference. This is a proposed rail link that would connect South East England to central London, alleviating congestion along central tube lines while generating growth along its route.

Online public consultations were first launched in 2013 to explain the proposals and to gauge the level of in-principle support for the project. Feedback on two route options were also sought. The results showed that there was overwhelming support for the project, and subsequent consultations began to focus on specific issues along the preferred route option.

As expected, a range of issues were surfaced subsequently, including heritage and environmental concerns, and the impact of construction works on property and business. These were addressed in the form of consultation reports that were made publicly available, and will continue to be addressed before the bill is tabled in the UK Parliament around 2019.

Although the process is a long drawn one, the recognition that the public and affected communities want to be heard, and the commitment to engaging them is clear. Notably, the process is accessible enough such that any resident can submit his opinion without feeling the need to provide quantifiable justifications or submit fully developed alternatives. Those who want to engage the authorities at a deeper level can also approach them directly.

While the process does not ensure that everyone will be happy with the final outcome, it provides a structured framework that ensures that all sectors are heard and given due consideration in the decision-making process.

Public engagement requires time and energy, but cannot be dispensed with when it comes to large-scale infrastructural projects that would affect all of us. The ability to encourage and engage in meaningful debate, and to give proper weight to the views of individuals and groups in the decision-making process, is the hallmark of a truly developed society.

Conservation and development need not be mutually exclusive, but what we conserve is a conscious choice that the people need to make.

Pauline Ang is adjunct assistance professor at Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Architecture and Sustainable Design cluster.

Read more!

Indonesia: Papua bans hunting, trading of birds of paradise

Nethy Dharma Somba The Jakarta Post 9 Jun 17;

Papua has banned the use of birds of paradise as accessories and souvenirs, protecting one of the province’s most famous endemic species from commercial exploitation -- its most immediate threat.

The move aims to reverse a trend that has resulted in the massive hunting and illegal trading of birds of paradise.

Authorities banned the hunting and trading through Circular No. 660.1/6501/SET issued by Papuan Governor Lukas Enembe, which prohibits the use of real birds of paradise as accessories and souvenirs.

“There’s no one allowed to use preserved birds of paradise, either, as accessories or souvenirs in dance performances or as head decorations presented to officials or guests visiting Papua. These all must be stopped. As replacements, they can use artificial birds of paradise,” said Papua administration regional secretary Heri Dosinaen during the celebration of World Environment Day in Nimbokrang, Jayapura regency, Papua, on Friday.

He said birds of paradise were on the brink of extinction in Papua as the species was extensively hunted and traded as accessories and souvenirs. “Without concrete actions to protect them, these birds will soon disappear from this Birds of Paradise Land,” said Heri. The use of real birds of paradise would be allowed only for sacred traditional processions in Papua, he added.

Following the issuance of the circular, Heri said, Papuan authorities would raid souvenir shops and take measures against anyone found selling and using real birds of paradise. “All accessories or souvenirs made from real birds of paradise would be confiscated,” he said. (ebf)

Read more!

Indonesia: BOSF aims to release 200 orangutans by end of 2017

N.Adri The Jakarta Post 9 Jun 17;

Conservation group Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) says it aims to release 200 orangutans into the wild this year.

“We have declared 2017 the year of orangutans’ freedom,” BOSF CEO Jamartin Sihite said in Samboja Lestari, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan, on Wednesday. Samboja Lestari is an orangutan treatment and recovery facility BOSF manages in Samboja.

Sihite said 100 out of the 200 orangutans were fit to be released into their natural habitat. Meanwhile, 100 others had been moved from their cages to forests on several islands before getting released into the open forest.

“They comprise orangutans rehabilitated in Samboja Lestari and Nyaru Menteng,” he said. In these two facilities, BOSF rehabilitated around 600 individual orangutans of various ages.

Sihite said 20 orangutans were ready to be released from Samboja Lestari. They would be released into the Kehje Sewen forest in East Kutai on July 11.

Located in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, Nyaru Menteng is a treatment and rehabilitation facility for Central Kalimantan orangutan. Meanwhile, most of the species rehabilitated in Samboja Lestari are East Kalimantan orangutans.

Central Kalimantan orangutans that are ready for release will be sent to a tropical forest in Murung Raya regency.

“An oil palm company has agreed to provide 100 hectares of its concession area for the orangutan release site. These areas are still covered by natural forests that are rich with biodiversity,” said Sihite. (ebf)

Read more!

Widespread bleaching among Indonesia's corals due to El Nino: Report

Straits Times 8 Jun 17;

JAKARTA (Bernama) - The El Nino weather phenomenon that occurred between 2015 and 2016 caused widespread coral bleaching in Indonesian waters, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported.

El Nino triggered a rise in the water temperature, and this condition caused coral bleaching, Dirhamsyah, head of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences' (LIPI) Oceanography Research Centre, was quoted as saying on Wednesday (June 7).

He warned that coral bleaching may occur more frequently due to climate change and global warming.

Other factors affecting the country's coral reefs include destructive fishing activities using explosives, water pollution, and development activities in the coastal areas.

LIPI has released a report on the latest condition of Indonesian coral reefs in 2017.

Based on data from verification and analyses conducted in 108 locations and 1,064 stations across the Indonesian waters, 6.39 per cent of the country's coral reefs are in excellent condition, 23.40 per cent in good condition, 35.06 per cent in moderate condition, and 35.15 per cent are in poor condition.

Suharsono, a senior researcher at the LIPI Oceanography Research Centre, said Indonesia's coral reefs are found in waters the westernmost province of Aceh to the Merauke waters in the easternmost province of Papua.

The highest distribution concentration is in the central and eastern Indonesian waters including the waters of Sulawesi, Papua, Nusa Tenggara, and Maluku, which is also called the coral triangle core.

Based on the latest satellite imagery mapping, Indonesia's coral reefs are spread across an area of 25 thousand square kilometers, or around 10 per cent of the world's coral reef measuring 284,300 square kilometers.

" Indonesia has the highest number of coral reef species on the planet - 569 species from 82 families and 15 tribes - out of the total 845 coral reef species in the world," he said.

He cited as an example that Indonesia has 94 species of Acropora corals (Acropora sp), or 70 per cent of the 124 found across the world. Caribbean has only three species.

Read more!

Nine of world's biggest fishing firms sign up to protect oceans

Voluntary initiative marks first time companies from Asia, Europe and US have joined together to stop overfishing, illegal catch and use of slave labour
Fiona Harvey The Guardian 9 Jun 17;

Nine of the world’s biggest fishing companies have signed up to protect the world’s oceans, pledging to help stamp out illegal activities, including the use of slave labour, and prevent overfishing.

The initiative will be announced on Friday, as part of the UN Ocean Conference this week in New York, the first conference of its kind at which member states are discussing how to meet the sustainable development goal on ocean health.

Goal 14 of the roster requires countries to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources”. However, little has yet been done to set out concrete commitments on meeting this target. The UN is hoping countries, companies and organisations will set out voluntary plans this week to work on issues such as pollution, overfishing, the destruction of coastal habitats, and acidification.

The Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) initiative, supported by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, marks the first time that companies from Asia, Europe and the US have come together aiming to end unsustainable practices. Although the fishing industry is highly fragmented at the local level, with millions of small boats and subsistence fishermen, about 11 to 16% of the global catch goes to just 13 companies, who are thought to control about 40% of the most valuable and biggest species.

Henrik Osterblöm, deputy science director at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, which brought the initiative together, said: “Sustainable marine ecosystems will be essential to feed a growing population, but the oceans are at risk. Seafood makes up 20% of the global intake of animal protein.”

The nine fishing companies signed up to SeaBOS have a combined annual revenue of about $30bn (£23bn), making up more than one-third of that of the top 100 seafood companies. They pledged to eliminate from their supply chains any fish that could have come from piracy or other illegal sources. As much as half the world’s fish catch is thought to involve “black” or illegal fishing, where vessels trespass into other national waters, use illegal gear, catch more than their quota or target endangered species or fish for which they have no quota. These fish are often “laundered” to find their way into legal fish markets.

Slavery has also been a serious problem in fisheries, as spotlighted by the Guardian’s investigation into slavery in the Thai prawn fishing industry, which found worker exploitation and the deprivation of people’s rights was widespread in parts of Asia’s fishing grounds. The new declaration binds SeaBOS members to develop and enforce a code of conduct for their operations and those of their suppliers.

The companies said: “We will also work towards full traceability and transparency throughout our supply chains. We also pledge to work actively together with governments to improve existing regulations for fisheries, for aquaculture, and for the ocean.”

Fish farms have also been a cause of concern to ocean experts, with the heavy use of medicines and disinfectants causing marine pollution, and the use of millions of tonnes of fishmeal from ground-up wild fish to provide food for the farmed fish – as much as five tonnes of wild fish for every tonne of farmed.

These factors undermine the claims of the fish farming industry to provide a sustainable source of fish, protecting wild populations. The SeaBOS signatories pledged: “We [will] make efficient use of aquaculture and use fish feed resources from sustainably harvested stocks. We will actively use and apply existing certification standards and prevent harmful discharges and habitat destruction. We call on the whole industry to do the same.”

SeaBOS comprises: the two biggest seafood companies by revenue, Maruha Nichiro and Nippon Suisan Kaisha; two of the biggest tuna specialists, Thai Union Group and Dongwon Industries; the two biggest companies selling feed to fish farms, Nutreco (parent company of Skretting) and Cargill Aqua Nutrition; and the two biggest farmed salmon companies, Marine Harvest and the Cermaq subsidiary of Mitsubishi; and the Japanese tuna purse seine company Kyokuyo. Most of these are not household names to consumers, but their products are found all over the world. The group aims to sign up more companies, and to lobby governments to enforce better regulations, and to review its progress in a year.

Read more!