Malaysia: ‘Review to stop illegal wildlife trade’

GAN PEI LING The Star 8 Jul 17;

BENTONG: The Transport Ministry will review its transshipment procedures in a bid to curb the illegal wildlife trade, its minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

“We support Hong Kong’s seizure of illegal elephant ivory because we won’t allow this sort of illegal activity to go through our port,” he said after attending a Hari Raya celebration at Felda Sungai Kemahal.

He was commenting on Hong Kong Custom’s seizure of 7.2 tonnes of tusks, valued at about HK$72mil (RM40mil), in a 12.19m (40ft) container shipped from Malaysia on Tuesday.

Liow said all shipments destined to enter the country were screened thoroughly but only random checks were conducted on transshipments.

“Definitely we’ll look through the procedures again,” he said.

He said the ministry had previously strengthened the transshipment policy to enable authorities to keep better tabs on goods entering its ports.

“I suspect there is manipulation of the (customs) manifest,” he said.

Illegal wildlife trade watchdog Traffic South-East Asia acting regional director Kanitha Krishnasamy said smugglers could be shifting to seaports due to several seizures of trafficked wildlife at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

“The onus to end Malaysia’s reputation as an illegal trade hub falls not only on enforcement agencies but also port and airport authorities, logistics providers and the Transport Ministry.

“The fact that these shipments were being identified and searched as a result of risk assessments should show port and airport authorities how serious the situation is for Malaysia,” she said.

Liow said he organises celebrations at every village in his constituency during Hari Raya and this year’s will continue until July 25.

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Malaysia: Bid to smuggle exotic animals foiled, three held

G.C. TAN The Star 8 Jul 17;

KANGAR: An attempt to smuggle 58 bearded dragon lizards and eight Sulcata tortoises into the country was foiled when the exotic animals were rescued by Padang Besar Malaysian Border Security Agency (Aksem) at Kampung Kolam in Padang Besar.

Perlis Aksem commander Deputy Superintendent Syed Basri Syed Ali said a 36-year-old Malaysian from Klang, Selangor, and two Thai nationals were detained during a spot check at 3.30pm on Thursday.

“The Thais, a 24-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, are both from Bangkok.

“We also seized a white car,” he said.

DSP Syed Basri said they believed the exotic animals were meant for a Klang-based pet shop owner.

“We are investigating how the exotic animals could have passed through the authorities at the check point.

“The seized animals have been handed over to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks,” he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 69 of the Wildlife Protection Act 2010 (Act 716).

If found guilty, the suspects face a jail term up to 10 years and a fine not more than RM200,000.


Attempt to smuggle bearded dragons, sulcata tortoises foiled
G.C. TAN The Star 7 Jul 17;

PADANG BESAR: An attempt to smuggle 58 bearded dragons and eight sulcata tortoises worth RM18,100 into the country was foiled during a raid at Kampung Kolam here on Thursday.

Three people — a 36-year-old Malaysian man from Klang, Selangor, a 24-year-old Thai man and a 28-year-old Thai woman, both from Bangkok — were detained by Padang Besar Malaysian Border Security Agency (Aksem) in the 3.30pm raid.

Perlis Aksem commander Deputy Superintendent Syed Basri Syed Ali said the case is being investigated under Section 69 of the Wildlife Protection Act 2010 (Act 716) for hunting or keeping protected wildlife without a special permit.

"If found guilty, the suspects could each be jailed up to 10 years and fined not more than RM200,000," he said on Friday.


Malaysia foils bid to smuggle 'bearded dragons'
The Star 10 Jul 17;

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - Malaysia has foiled an attempt to smuggle dozens of bearded dragon lizards and tortoises into the country from neighbouring Thailand to be sold as pets, authorities said Monday.

Two Thais and one Malaysian were arrested as they drove an SUV with the animals hidden inside, according to local border security chief Syed Basri Syed Ali.

Authorities found 58 bearded dragons and eight African spurred tortoises.

Both animals are popular pets in Malaysia but it is illegal to bring them into the country without the correct permits.

If found guilty of breaking wildlife protection laws, the trio -- who were arrested Thursday -- could be jailed for up to 10 years, said Syed Basri.

Kanitha Krishnasamy, acting regional director for wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic, told AFP the discovery could help investigators probing pet smuggling.

"This case could potentially uncover connections to the exotic pet trade that appears to be booming in Malaysia," she said.

African spurred tortoises are kept as pets due to their reputation for having a pleasant temperament. The world's third-largest tortoise, they are classified as "vulnerable" by protection group the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Bearded dragons -- which take their name from the scales under their head that resemble a beard -- are popular pets due to their hardy and tame nature.

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Borneo's orangutans in 'alarming' decline: study

AFP Yahoo News 8 Jul 17;

Paris (AFP) - The orangutan population on the island of Borneo has shrunk by a quarter in the last decade, researchers said Friday, urging a rethink of strategies to protect the critically-endangered great ape.

The first-ever analysis of long-term orangutan population trends revealed a worrying decline, they said.

An international team of researchers used a combination of helicopter and ground surveys, interviews with local communities, and modelling techniques to draw a picture of change over the past ten years.

Previous counts have largely relied on estimations based on ground and aerial surveys of orangutan nests. Some suggested that Bornean orangutan numbers were in fact increasing.

The new findings, the team said in a statement, are "a wake-up call for the orangutan conservation community and the Indonesian and Malaysian governments who have committed to saving the species."

Every year, some $30-40 million (26-35 million euros) is spent in the region to halt wildlife decline.

"The study shows that these funds are not effectively spent," said the team.

The biggest threat to orangutans, one of only two great ape species found in Asia today, are habitat loss due to farming and climate change, and their killing for food or in conflict with humans.

Some 2,500 orangutans are killed in Borneo every year, the researchers said.

The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports. The study provides no raw population numbers, but an estimate of individuals per 100 square kilometres (39 square miles) of forest -- down from about 15 in the period 1997-2002 to about 10 in 2009-2015.

- One step from extinction -

"The species (is) estimated to have declined at an alarming rate of 25 percent over the past 10 years," the researchers concluded.

Right now, 10,000 orangutans live in areas earmarked for oil palm production, said study co-author Erik Meijaard of the University of Queensland.

"If these areas are converted to oil palm plantations without changes in current practices, most of these 10,000 individuals will be destroyed and the steep population decline is likely to continue," he said.

"The study's worrying outcomes suggest that we need to fundamentally rethink orangutan conservation strategies."

Orangutans need a solid network of protected forests that are properly managed.

Current efforts focus on rescues and rehabilitation, said Meijaard, "but that only addresses the symptoms and not the underlying problem."

Last year, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature declared the Bornean orangutan as "critically endangered" -- one step away from extinction.

Borneo is the third-largest island in the world, administerd by Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

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Philippine police arrest rare sea turtle poachers

AFP Yahoo News 7 Jul 17;

Philippine police said Friday they had seized 70 dead hawksbill marine turtles, a critically endangered species illegally trafficked for its prized shell, and arrested two suspects.

Hawksbills face an extremely high risk of extinction according to Swiss-based International Union for Conservation of Nature as their shell is used for making jewellery and hair ornaments.

Two local men were arrested Thursday while transporting the dead hawksbills by boat off the coast of Dumaran town on Palawan island, police chief Arnel Bagona told AFP.

"We suspect that these two are dealing with Chinese poachers," Bagona said by telephone.

The marine turtles, who roam the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, are typically found around coastal reefs, estuaries and lagoons.

Philippine conservation law prohibits their collection and trade.

Palawan, an archipelago of more than 1,700 islands in the South China Sea, is famous for its abundant marine life that are targeted by poachers.

Chief Inspector Bagona said poachers usually bought the hawksbills and other rare Palawan-based species from locals.

Hawksbills retailed for at least 3,500 pesos ($69) each in the black market, he added.

He said police asked prosecutors Friday to file charges against the suspects for taking endangered species, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to five million pesos (about $99,000).

The suspects told police they planned to deliver the dead sea turtles to the island of Balabac, about 400 kilometres (249 miles) south of Dumaran, he said.

Bagona said the remote island is infamous as a trading place for wildlife poachers.

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New data shows extreme coastal sea levels more likely

Extreme sea levels are typically caused by high tides, storm surges and waves. Amy Wallace UPI 7 Jul 17;

July 7 (UPI) -- Researchers at the University of Central Florida are using newly available data and advanced modeling techniques to improve predictions of extreme sea levels.

The study, published July 7 in Nature Communications, suggests extreme sea levels will occur more frequently than previously predicted in the west coast regions of the United States and in large portions of Australia and Europe.

Extreme sea levels are caused by a combination of high tides, storm surges and waves.

"Storm surges globally lead to considerable loss of life and billions of dollars of damages each year, and yet we still have a limited understanding of the likelihood and associated uncertainties of these extreme events both today and in the future," said Thomas Wahl, an assistant engineering professor in the University of Central Florida, said in a press release.

Rising sea levels combined with extreme weather events mean more damage can be done even with a less intense storm, such as a Category 1 hurricane.

The study found that because of rising sea levels, extreme events are predicted to happen every decade, or year, by 2050 compared to the previous average of once every hundred years.

Researchers used a sample of 20 different methods for predicting extreme sea levels to focus on the measures of uncertainty that go along with any prediction.

"Based on our results we can see, for the first time globally, what role uncertainties in extreme sea level predictions play," said Ivan Haigh, an associate professor at the University of Southampton in England. "It helps identify hotspots where we can focus on in more detail, performing localized studies to reduce the uncertainties and improve our confidence in the results."

According to researchers, including extreme sea levels in coastal impact studies is vital to helping vulnerable parts of the world to protect themselves by adapting through new or upgraded infrastructure.


New data, advanced modeling techniques suggest extreme coastal sea levels more likely to occur
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA EurekAlert 7 Jul 17;

Improving projections for how much ocean levels may change in the future and what that means for coastal communities has vexed researchers studying sea level rise for years, but a new international study that incorporates extreme events may have just given researchers and coastal planners what they need.

The study, published today in Nature Communications uses newly available data and advanced models to improve global predictions when it comes to extreme sea levels. The results suggest that extreme sea levels will likely occur more frequently than previously predicted, particularly in the west coast regions of the U.S. and in large parts of Europe and Australia.

"Storm surges globally lead to considerable loss of life and billions of dollars of damages each year, and yet we still have a limited understanding of the likelihood and associated uncertainties of these extreme events both today and in the future," said Thomas Wahl, an assistant engineering professor in the University of Central Florida who led the study. He is also a member of UCF's Sustainable Coastal Systems Cluster.

The study was conducted to make data about extreme events a part of the ongoing research and planning required to help communities prepare now for conditions that may be dramatically different in the not-too-distant future.

Extreme sea levels are typically caused by a combination of high tides, storm surges, and in many cases waves, Wahl said.

When an extreme event collides with continually rising seas, it takes a less intense storm, such as a Category I hurricane, to inflict as much coastal damage as a Category II or III storm would have had when the seas were lower.

Because of the rising sea levels, which research has confirmed has occurred steadily during the past century and is expected to accelerate in the future, extreme events that are now expected to happen, on average, only once every hundred years, could occur every decade or even every year, in many places by 2050, the study said.

Using a representative sample of 20 different methods for predicting extreme sea levels the researchers focused intensely on the measures of uncertainty that accompany any prediction, but that are particularly vexing in the analysis of extremes.

Interspersing sea level rise with the latest predictions of extreme sea level events, the research team was able to illustrate the dramatic effect one has on the other and pinpoint regions of the world that are especially threatened.

"In order to understand coastal impacts under current and future climate and socio-economic conditions, we do not only need robust projections of mean sea level rise but also a profound knowledge of present-day and future extreme sea levels, because these events drive the impacts," Wahl said.

The researcher team agreed that including extreme sea levels into coastal impact studies is imperative in helping vulnerable parts of the world effectively protect themselves by adapting through new or upgraded infrastructure such as dikes, pumping systems, barriers, or other tools like new building codes or flood zoning that prevents new infrastructure from being built in high-risk areas.

"Based on our results we can see, for the first time globally, what role uncertainties in extreme sea level predictions play," said study co-author and associate professor Ivan Haigh of the University of Southampton, UK. "It helps identify hotspots where we can focus on in more detail, performing localized studies to reduce the uncertainties and improve our confidence in the results."

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Best of our wild blogs: 7 Jul 17

22 Jul (Sat): R.U.M. mangrove clean up and Mangrove Speaks@Sungei Buloh
Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative

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The volunteer lifeguards of Pulau Ubin: ‘We won’t give up until the body is found’

Kampong spirit lives on in a community christened “Sea Angel”, who conduct their own search-and-rescue efforts in waters off Singapore.
Justin Ong Channel NewsAsia 7 Jul 17;

SINGAPORE: Fifteen minutes is all it takes for the fish farm to shed its creaking, bobbing picture of calm set against rippled waters off Pulau Ubin. As storm clouds rush into view, a fearsome racket arrives, mixing the howling wind with slamming doors while white-capped waves lash against flimsy wooden moorings.

Four years ago, the same abrupt change in conditions saw a fisherman in the vicinity thrown off balance by a sudden gust as he hauled in his catch. The elderly man was knocked unconscious by his boat’s propeller as he fell into the sea, and drowned.

“His face got all smashed up. It wasn’t nice. It was very ugly,” said the farm’s owner Phillip Lim, who retrieved the body by himself from the Johor Straits.

Armed with bare-bones diving gear and a modest motor-sampan, the 55-year-old and three other like-minded souls have dutifully served as voluntary lifeguards for the last decade, plumbing Ubin’s waters in search, rescue and salvage missions.

They form part of a wider community dubbed “Sea Angel”, made up of farmers, fishermen, kayakers and other outdoorsy folk aiming to keep the area safe.

At its helm is Lim, who in 2007 experienced a close shave himself when he tumbled out of his boat during a thunderstorm. “I had engine failure, my leg was stuck, half of my body was in the water,” he recalled. “One of the farmers saved my life - if not I would have died a long time ago.”

The incident was a turning point for Lim. A few months later, witnessing the collapse of a nearby kelong, he quickly swung into action, gathering his trio of dive buddies to search for bodies under the debris and recover precious personal belongings.

“I HAD TO HELP”

Lim’s self-professed rescue team has since logged at least 15 dives but they are, as he sternly told Channel NewsAsia, “not interested in records”.

The stories, however, are plentiful: the dead body with an entire leg of meat chewed clean by a wild boar; a senior fisherman who suffered a heart attack out at sea; the numerous boaters, kayakers and sailors towed to safety after capsizing in the middle of the channel.

There is even an origin tale, involving an American family on holiday in Singapore in 2009.

"The parents and their two children, six to seven years old, were kayaking through Ubin when they drifted apart due to a heavy storm,” said Lim. “Visibility was really bad, about 10 metres only.”

“We approached the parents and they told us to save their children first. We found the kids, sent everyone to a kelong, gave them towels and hot drinks.”

“And they gave us the name of Sea Angel.”

Another enduring memory, his “most painful” one yet, was that of a kayaker struck by lightning in 2007.

“When I approached him in the middle of the waters, his body was on fire. And he was still alive. I looked at his face, in pain and stunned… We sent him to hospital and the next day he passed away. It’s very sad. He was just 35.”

Lim recounted his toughest outing to date as an attempt to salvage a farmer’s sampan which had sunk to the bottom of the sea.

“I took two days. It was hard because I was alone, and the visibility in these waters is not good… But the old man is over 80 years old. It’s the only sampan he has, and it’s his livelihood. I had to help him get it back.”

To do so he had to make repeated dives about 12 metres deep, dredging up bulky wreckage with his thin, slight frame.

Lim is accustomed to far greater depths and dangers, having worked as a commercial diver for an oil and shipping company and “seen friends die underwater”. But in the years that passed he has also suffered two collapsed lungs and contracted asthma.

“Small thing,” said Lim, grinning widely in a break from his otherwise unsmiling, weather-beaten appearance and disposition.

“WE HAVE NO TIME TO WAIT”

It begs the question of whether the Sea Angel community are putting themselves in harm’s way by taking matters into their own hands. But their founder rejected the idea.

Said Lim: “We are all trained in first-aid, CPR etc. We are quite well-versed with the terrain, current and underwater features here. All my divers have communications equipment, night-vision goggles and BCDs (buoyancy control devices) so in an emergency, we can surface. If the current is too strong, we abandon.”

And while the divers typically work alone, above water, the rest of the community also chips in, he added.

For instance a fisherman might help watch for passing motorboats as nearby farmers take turns looking out from their individual vantage points.

“Once we spot something, we'll activate, using phones, surrounding people as fast as possible,” said Lim. “We've no time to wait.”

“Drowning cases only have about five to 10 minutes of a chance of survival. If by diving I can save somebody, even though I lose my own life, it doesn’t matter.”

“But if we miss the window, then no choice. We have to start to do a surface search for the body.”

“Regardless of what, we have to find their bodies. Because it’s someone’s child or parent. That’s our principle. We will not give up until the body is found.”

This unflinching position has seen Lim clash with authorities on more than one occasion. His gripes include being stopped from diving and officials activating their own personnel hours too late.

“It’s not that we don’t want to work with authorities. But it’s difficult. All the times I found dead bodies, I ended up being interviewed by this and that, and my farm got inspected.

“They have a lot of red tape. If we call them and wait for them to SOP here, SOP there, I think we would have saved the person by then.

“They have to open up to working together with the community.”

“KAMPONG SPIRIT - THERE’S NO PRICE”

Back in 2002, it was the same defiant streak which led to Lim swapping high-rises and highways for life on a big floating plank accompanied by no-filter sea views, a permanent breeze and a dozen hyperactive dogs.

“I’m a kampong kid. I can’t stand living in the city,” he said.

Wife and kids - a son and a daughter, both in their 20s - live on the mainland but see him once a week and are supportive of what he called his “social work”.

Aside from search-and-rescue, the Sea Angel community counts mangrove restoration and protection of marine life amongst their activities.

They also venture inland to lend aid to Ubin’s elderly and needy by delivering meals, looking after their medication and raising funds where required.

“Ubin is the last proper village we have in Singapore,” said Lim. “The kampong living way, the kampong spirit - there’s no price. If you need, I will help you.”

“Rather than staying at a home where you don’t even know your neighbours. Real, human-to human interaction is more important than just reading books and going to school.”

“That’s the spirit we want to pass down to the next generation of youngsters. That’s why’ve been trying to call for more people to join us.”

Though apparent that his beliefs form the bedrock of Sea Angel’s initiatives, Lim refused to describe himself as a leader. “I can’t say that. It’s everybody’s effort.”

His farm business has also not yielded much income since a devastating plankton bloom in 2009 - yet he does not think it right to return to Singapore now.

“I cannot give up. Because there’s a need for a community to be here.”

“Anyway, I don’t think too much about the future,” said Lim. “My philosophy is simple - today I can do something, so I do it.”

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Wild crocodile dies from injuries after accident along Kranji Way

Straits Times 7 Jul 17;

SINGAPORE - A wild crocodile has died from its injuries after being involved in an accident along Kranji Way on Wednesday (July 5) evening.

The reptile, said to be 1.5m long, was hit by a car at around 10pm near the Kranji Dam, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Its right hind leg was reportedly injured.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, an Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) spokesman said the crocodile died on Thursday morning.

"AVA is aware of the crocodile incident, and understands that it was a wild crocodile," the spokesman added.

"AVA advises the public not to approach, disturb, feed or try to catch any wildlife, including crocodiles. Members of the public can contact AVA at 1800-476-1600 to provide feedback."

According to Shin Min, a member of the public alerted the police after coming across the injured crocodile.

Police officers arrived on scene and cordoned off the area. It is not known how the crocodile ended up on the road.

2.5m-long crocodile stuck at fish farm rescued and released at Sungei Buloh

A staff member from a nearby crocodile farm offered to tend to the reptile. With the help of a few colleagues, they took it back to the farm for treatment.

Wildlife rescue group Acres told The Straits Times it was alerted to the incident, but did not respond to it as it was told the situation was under control.

Acres' deputy chief executive, Mr Kalai Vanan Balakrishnan, said it is rare for wild crocodiles to encroach onto urban areas as they are usually very shy.

There have been crocodile sightings in the Kranji Way area, however, because of its proximity to Sungei Buloh nature reserve.

In November last year, a 2.5m-long estuarine crocodile wandered into a Lim Chu Kang fish and had to be rescued after being found wedged between a fence, some wood and machinery.

It did not suffer any injuries and was released into Sungei Buloh nature reserve.

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The haze fight: A new lease of life for affected people in Indonesia

In the first of a four-part series on the haze fight in Indonesia, we visit Pekanbaru to find out how things have changed for villagers
Latashni Gobi Nathan Straits Times 7 Jul 17;

PEKANBARU - A permanent blanket of smoke and a stifling charred smell permeating the air — these were the abhorrent living conditions many had to endure for months during the 2015 haze.

A combination of factors, such as the illegal slash-and-burn practices of some farmers, the dry weather due to the El Nino season and the flammable nature of peatlands, caused forest fires in the provinces of Riau, Jambi and South Sumatra to quickly get out of hand.

What arose was a haze crisis in South-east Asia that lasted approximately four months.

Among those most badly affected were residents in Pekanbaru, the capital of Indonesia’s Riau province, which is about 280km away from Singapore. There, the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reached a staggering 1,065 on Sept 14, 2015.

The city has a population of about 1,090,000. A majority of whom work in the agriculture industry as farmers or researchers. Some others are business owners whose income relies on those who visit the city.

As conditions worsened, thousands began fleeing the city to neighbouring Medan, or west to Padang.

Flights were grounded, and at times, visibility was reduced to between 100m and 200m.

Bad for business

Café owner Bambang Suhendro, 43, recalls having very few customers during that period.

He says: “During the 2015 haze, we would go days without seeing any customers. It was frustrating for my wife and me.

“Most of our customers are working adults who drop by after work with their colleagues and friends. The haze caused them to rush home after work to escape the bad air conditions.

“It was hard seeing children constantly coughing and falling ill. It was not just my own children, but those of every other family I knew. The adults shared tips on managing the difficulties and updates on which places were less badly affected.”

Stopping the haze

Mr Suhendro says it was a tough time, but that the Indonesian government and some major companies have been helping to stop the haze.

“I know that Asia Pulp and Paper gave out free masks during the haze in 2015 and has been trying to find solutions to ensure the air quality never gets that bad again,” he says.

“I am relieved and happy that we have had clean air in the past year.”

He adds: “My children can go to school safely and we do not have to spend money on medication. People are able to take part in outdoor activities again.”

Nurse Ance Wovita, 33, a resident of Pekanbaru, says she is pleased she no longer sees a huge number of cases of children with upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), asthma or other related health problems.

Recalling the situation at Perawang Clinic during the 2015 haze, she says: “The clinic is more affordable than a hospital, so during the haze period, most locals brought their children to Perawang Clinic.

“The clinic staff had to attend to more than 400 patients in 24 hours. It was disheartening to see that so many of them were children with URTI.”

Ms Wovita says she used nebulisers - a device that allows medication to be inhaled through the mouth and nose — to help them and that children and babies found it uncomfortable.

The clinic was well-equipped and no patient was turned away, she adds.

Despite the tiring shifts and continuous stream of patients, Ms Wovita still loves her job.

Being a nurse has always been her dream and she likes helping others, she says.

“As a nurse, I know the struggles that come with the job. Once in awhile, some patients will show their appreciation,” she says.

“On several occasions, children whom I have attended to would thank me when they see me outside. It is heartwarming to know I have affected others positively.”

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Hong Kong seizes largest ivory haul in 30 years

Reuters 6 Jul 17;

Authorities in Hong Kong this week made their largest haul of contraband ivory in more than 30 years, amid surging illegal wildlife seizures fuelled by lax regulations and buoyant demand from mainland China.

The former British colony situated at the mouth of China's Pearl River Delta is one of the world's top global transit hubs for endangered species and their products, such as shark fin, pangolin skin and rosewood furniture.

Customs officials on Thursday said they had seized 7,200 kg (15,873 lb) of ivory tusks, valued at around HK$72 million ($9.22 million), at a cargo warehouse beside the city's harbor.

The ivory was discovered in a 40-foot container from Malaysia declared to hold frozen fish, beneath which officers found the tusks.

"The 1,000 boxes were half-empty when we found them with frozen fish put around the ivory," said customs official Raymond Chan.

Conservation group WildAid estimated the tusks had probably been taken from about 720 elephants.

Hong Kong's agriculture, fisheries and conservation department said it was investigating the shipment's final destination, probably a nearby country.

A special administrative region of China, Hong Kong has lagged other places, including the mainland, in adopting tighter rules against trading of ivory and other endangered species.

Regulatory loopholes allow traders to use a stockpile of legal ivory as cover to smuggle illegal ivory to unsuspecting buyers, say groups such as the World Wildlife Fund and WildAid.

China, Singapore and the United States have all banned the ivory trade, with the mainland closing down all operations by the end of this year.

Hong Kong, however, has only timetabled a ban by 2021. Legislators are set to discuss the issue on Friday and decide if traders should be compensated in the case of a total ban.

The teeming port city has the largest retail market for ivory, with 90 percent of consumers from the mainland.

Hong Kong has been trading ivory for more than 150 years, fashioned into jewelry and sculptures, but activists say illegal poaching is pushing elephants toward extinction.

The independent Environmental Investigation Agency last week identified Shuidong, a southern Chinese coastal town close to Hong Kong, as the hub for 10 to 20 Chinese-led criminal syndicates bringing in ivory from Africa.

African rangers detailed harrowing firsthand tales of elephant poaching during a June visit to Hong Kong, an event marked by a tense standoff with traders who say their business is legal.

(Reporting by Doris Huang and Farah Master; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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Wild boar attacks uncommon in Singapore

AVA gets one report a year; NParks advises people to keep a safe distance from boars
Audrey Tan Straits Times 6 Jul 17;

Skirmishes between wild boars and humans are few and far between, with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) receiving about one report related to an attack a year.

The authority was responding to queries from The Straits Times, following an incident in which a Taiwanese visitor was wounded by a wild boar about a week ago.

Ms Ding Yichun, 55, was walking her dog on a trail at the edge of Windsor Nature Park when she was gored in the leg by a wild boar. She received 60 stitches for her wound, which was 10cm long.

"In the interest of public safety, following the unfortunate accident in Windsor Nature Park, NParks has put up signs at all entrances to the park and along the trail to advise visitors about what to do should they encounter wild boars," said Mr Wong Tuan Wah, group director for conservation at the National Parks Board (NParks), which manages the park.

He said NParks will also continue to closely monitor wild boar activities in the area, but advised visitors to remain calm and slowly move away from any they may encounter.

He added: "It is important to keep a safe distance from them, and not approach or attempt to feed them. Adults should also ensure that young children and pets are kept away as they may be curious and approach the boars."

Wild boars are native to Singapore. A female can start reproducing at 18 months of age and produce four to six piglets a year, according to NParks.

"Their quick reproduction rates, presence of ideal foraging habitats and lack of natural predators contribute to their population growth. These days, they are increasingly spotted all over the island," said the website.

AVA said it has received feedback on wild boars in areas such as Punggol and Lorong Halus. Last month, a large number were spotted at a bus interchange in Tuas.

In January, The Straits Times reported that wild boars, seen in Pasir Ris Drive 3, were being fed by people.

Mr Wong said that, based on NParks' observations and research, there are an estimated 500 wild boars in Singapore.

It is uncommon for a wild boar to attack a human as the animals tend to do so only when threatened or startled, said Mr Ong Say Lin, an environmental consultant .

But he noted that as development pushes wild boar populations closer to humans, it is important to develop strategies that discourage the animals from venturing beyond forested habitats in the first place.

Mr Ong, 30, said: "Since the natural habitat of wild boars is the forest, a more proactive solution to reducing human-wildlife conflict is to discourage wild boars from leaving the natural habitats in the first place. This could be done through the enforcement of the no-feeding rule, or not planting plants which they feed on at the fringes of their habitats."

Wild boars are omnivorous but they feed mainly on seeds, tubers and young plants.

"If wild boars do not venture into urban areas to look for food but stay within the forested areas, competition for food in these areas may also help to naturally keep their population in check without the need for culling," said Mr Ong.


500
Estimated number of wild boars here

What to do when encountering a boar
Wild boars are animals native to Singapore. While their natural habitats are in forests, wild boars are versatile creatures, and can venture into urban areas as well.

Last month, a large number of them were spotted at a bus interchange in Tuas.

Like many other wild animals, boars tend to attack only if they are cornered or feel threatened. They can weigh up to 100kg and live more than 20 years.

Here are some tips from the authorities on what to do if you encounter these animals:

• Be calm and move away slowly from the animal. Do not approach or attempt to feed it.

• Keep a safe distance and do not corner or provoke the animal, for instance, by using flash while taking its picture.

• Female wild boars are very protective of their young and can easily be provoked. If you see adults with young piglets, leave them alone. These are potentially more dangerous because they may feel the need to defend their young.

SOURCES: NPARKS, AVA

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What happens to the salt collected from the desalination process?

Audrey Tan Straits Times 5 Jul 17;

Reader Andrew Ng wrote to askST after reading an article in The Straits Times about the construction of Singapore's fourth desalination plant.

"I understand desalination is a complex process where water is extracted from seawater. But I wonder what will happen to the salt? Will the salt be dumped into the sea water that makes it even 'saltier' than it should be?"

He added that the movie blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow (2004) was built on a premise that salinity imbalance in the ocean led to the formation of catastrophic weather conditions: "I admit I am being slightly over dramatic here. But I am curious to find out if our quest for water independence will contribute to climate change, and thus global warming?"

Environment reporter Audrey Tan answered.

SINGAPORE - Desalination is the process of turning sea water into potable water.

Key to this process is reverse osmosis, which involves forcing water through a membrane at high pressure, so salts are removed from the water.

In Singapore, the salt retained through this process is discharged back into the sea. But it is unlikely to have any impact on a global scale, said a spokesman from national water agency PUB.

"Because the ocean is so large, and with replenishment of freshwater from rainfall, the salinity impact of Singapore's desalination plants is negligible on a global scale," said the spokesman.

The salt in desalination brine - the residual solution from the desalination process - originates from the sea, and the discharge returns it to the source, she added.

While this may not have a significant impact at the global level, it could have localised impact, she said. This is why the desalination process is carefully studied, with mitigation planned and implemented.

For example, when planning for desalination plants, PUB carries out environmental impact assessments and modelling to ensure that any impact is within tolerable limits.

"Once the plant begin operations, PUB carries out regular seawater quality monitoring at the discharge points and surrounding waters. PUB complies with the National Environment Agency's guidelines for discharge from the desalination plants into the sea," said the spokesman.

She added that Singapore's first two desalination plants in Tuas have been in operation for 12 and four years (since 2005 and 2013, respectively), and that long-term monitoring has shown no environmental impact to or change in seawater quality.

Singapore's third desalination plant in Tuas is still being built. Construction of the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant - Singapore's fourth - kicked off last month (June) and is expected to be completed in January 2020. A fifth desalination plant of similar capacity is also due to be built on Jurong Island by 2020.

At Singapore's desalination plants, the desalination brine is discharged through an outfall pipe into the sea in a controlled way, and is instantaneously mixed with the seawater in the immediate vicinity.

This process dilutes the brine and brings it to ambient seawater levels, thus preventing it from remaining concentrated in a localised area, said the PUB spokesman.

When asked if the salt can be collected for use elsewhere, PUB noted that while desalination brine can be further treated and salt recovered, the process is costly and uneconomical. Hence, Singapore does not do so.

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