wildsingapore news

Best of our wild blogs: 18 May 13

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:37:00 +0000

23-28 May: Traditional Wayang at Pulau Ubin with free boat ride from wild shores of singapore

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Promote Ubin as a tourist destination

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:40:00 +0000

Straits Times Forum 18 May 13; PULAU Ubin should receive more recognition as a tourist attraction. The island is rich in greenery and history, but it is not as well promoted as other attractions such as Gardens by the Bay and the Botanic Gardens. Pulau Ubin's areas of interest could be better marketed to tourists. For example, the Chek Jawa wetlands are a completely natural habitat that boasts coral reefs and rich sea life such as sea hares and sand dollars. Pulau Ubin is also a "living museum" that can showcase a rustic way of life, as its residents can share stories about island...

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NParks reminds public not to release animals at reservoir parks, nature reserves

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:39:00 +0000

Channel NewsAsia 17 May 13; SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) said there have not been any cases of animals being released at reservoir parks and nature reserves in the past two years. NParks is reminding the public not to release animals into the wild this Vesak Day, which falls on 24 May. NParks' director of conservation, Wong Tuan Wah, said: "We will continue to reach out to the community and appeal to the public not to release animals into the wild. Most of these animals are kept as household pets, and many die shortly after their release as they are unable to adapt to...

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Animal welfare code could be in place next year

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:36:00 +0000

Channel NewsAsia 17 May 13; SINGAPORE: An animal welfare code that spells out the do's and don'ts of pet care could be in place next year. That means owners who don't provide proper shelter, food or leave their sick pets untreated can be punished. Activists are asking authorities to go one step further and set up an animal police force to investigate and nab offenders. For now, a national microchip database is in the works although it may take some time to implement it. Yeo Guat Kwang, chairman of Animal Welfare Legislation Review, said: "It is very straightforward in the sense...

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Indonesia: Constitutional Court Annuls Government Ownership of Customary Forests

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:29:00 +0000

Camelia Pasandaran Jakarta Post 17 May 13; In a landmark decision for indigenous rights, the Constitutional Court decided on Thursday to make null and void the government’s ownership of customary forest areas. The court eliminated the word “state” from Article 1f of the 1999 Law on Forestry, which previously declared that “customary forests are state forests located in the areas of custom-based communities.” Also revised was Article 5 of the law, which said that state forests include customary forests. “Members of customary societies have the right to clear forests belonging to them...

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Malaysia: Critical pollution issues plague Cameron Highlands

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:28:00 +0000

New Straits Times 18 May 13; KUALA LUMPUR: The Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach), a community based organisation formed by a group of Cameron Highlands residents alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating environment, has called on their newly-elected member of parliament Datuk Seri G. Palanivel to solve the critical pollution issues in the constituency. Its president, R. Ramakrishnan, said uncontrolled land clearing activities were being carried out in several forest reserve areas, causing river pollution in Cameron Highlands. "It is learnt that the land is being...

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Indonesia: Fees needed to help marine conservation, Bali activists say

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:20:00 +0000

Desy Nurhayati Bali Daily Jakarta Post 17 May 13; Marine conservationists have recommended that the provincial administration strongly consider developing a user fee system for people wanting to access the island’s marine protected areas (MPA). The money collected under the system could contribute significantly to the costs of MPA management and law enforcement in the areas, said Ketut Sarjana Putra, country executive director of Conservation International Indonesia. “Bali’s government and all related stakeholders should recognize that effective management of MPA will require serious...

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Wildlife Bandits: How Criminology Can Fight Poaching

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:06:00 +0000

Douglas Main LiveScience.com Yahoo News 17 May 13; Newark, N.J. — With no shortage of human-on-human misdeeds, criminologists haven't typically concerned themselves with crimes against wildlife and the environment. But with poaching raging out of control in several areas of the world, that may be changing. "There is a growing sense of urgency about what's going on in the environment," Todd Clear, dean of Rutgers University's School of Criminal Justice, said here at a symposium Tuesday (May 14) on wildlife crime. A variety of new research projects highlighted during the conference...

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World's tallest dam approved by Chinese environmental officials

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Authorities push forward plans for 314 metre-high dam on Dadu river which would affect rare plants and fish Jonathan Kaiman guardian.co.uk 17 May 13; Chinese environmental authorities have approved construction plans for what could become the world's tallest dam, while acknowledging that the project would affect endangered plants and rare fish species. The 314 metre-high dam (1,030ft) will serve the Shuangjiangkou hydropower project along the Dadu river in south-western Sichuan province, according to China's state news agency, Xinhua. A subsidiary of Guodian Group, one of China's five...

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Best of our wild blogs: 17 May 13

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:11:00 +0000

Preparing for the Southern Expedition from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore Singapore's Southern shores: got anything there meh? from wild shores of singapore Migratory birds, Bidadari and the threat to MacRitchie forest from Bird Ecology Study Group Random Gallery - Perak Lascar from Butterflies of Singapore

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The Tricky Art of Saving Wild Species

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:09:00 +0000

Megan Gannon LiveScience.com Yahoo News 17 May 13; Some estimates put the planet on a pace to lose half of all species by the end of the century, and accordingly, conservation efforts in the United States have moved far beyond not shooting animals. However it's not always clear if our new labors to save species are herculean or Sisyphean. The only hope for sustaining America's whooping cranes might be men dressed in white costumes flying ultralight aircraft. Rescuing a single humpback whale may inadvertently leave a unique butterfly habitat destroyed. To save endangered salmon, humans...

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Accommodate natural greenery, don't remove it

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:08:00 +0000

Straits Times 17 May 13; I REFER to Dr Wee Yeow Chin's letter ("Wild growth alone won't make S'pore a global eco-city"; May 8). The satellite study (The Gardens' Bulletin Singapore, 2011) I referred to in my commentary ("Wild greenery makes S'pore a global eco-city"; May 1) states that out of the 29 per cent of "spontaneous" or "non-managed" greenery, scrubland comes to only 6 per cent, with "the majority (21 per cent)... secondary forest of various kinds". Given the 5 per cent within the nature reserves, this still leaves about 16 per cent unprotected. Relative to the small size of...

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Marina expressway ready by year-end

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:43:00 +0000

Structural works done, including undersea tunnel Royston Sim Straits Times 17 May 13; FINISHING touches are being applied on the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE), which is on track to open by the end of this year. All structural works have been completed on the 5km, $4.3 billion highway, including a 420m undersea tunnel. The bulk of electrical and mechanical systems has been installed and contractors have begun testing and commissioning those systems, a process that will take about five months. This update on Singapore's 10th expressway was given by Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew...

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Indonesia: Raids intensified on illegal hunting in Bengkulu

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:33:00 +0000

Antara 16 May 13; Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - The Bengkulu Natural Resources Conservation Center said it will intensify raids on illegal hunt for wild life in the province. The number of forest rangers from the center will be increased to launch raids on illegal hunts, which are growing rampant in the province lately , center head Anggoro Dwi Sujianto said here on Thursday. The officers mostly in plain clothes would be sent to areas known to be illegal hunting grounds in the province, Anggoro said. He said the hunting grounds are mainly in the regencies of North Bengkulu, Mukomuko,...

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Malaysia: Perils behind fish bombing

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:32:00 +0000

Roy Goh New Straits Times 17 May 13; EDUCATIONAL IMPACT: Raising awareness of its threat among students through drama SEMPORNA: A DRAMATIC step was taken to teach students here about the dangers of fish bombing recently. A drama competition with "anti-fish bombing" as the main theme was held in the district here to raise awareness on its impact. Some 200 students from five schools participated in the competition, which was organised by World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) and supported by a group of volunteers who call themselves Green Semporna. Team Nakoba from...

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In Vietnam, Rhino Horns Worth Their Weight in Gold

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:14:00 +0000

Marwaan Macan-Markar Jakarta Globe 15 May 13; Bangkok. At first glance, the poster appears to be a typical advertisement for an African safari: a large rhinoceros set against a rugged, open terrain. Then you take a closer look and realize something is amiss. A cluster of human hands has replaced the two horns that distinguish this African animal from the single-horned Indian and Javan rhino. A message over the creature’s head reads: “Rhino horn is made of the same stuff as human nails. Still want some?” Produced jointly by the wildlife watchdogs TRAFFIC and the World Wildlife Fund...

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Contribution of forests to food security and nutrition needs more attention

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:06:00 +0000

FAO 16 May 13; 16 May 2013, Rome - Governments, civil society and the private sector should ensure and strengthen the contributions of forests, trees and agroforestry systems to food security and nutrition, participants in the first-ever International Conference on Forests for Food Security and Nutrition (13-15 May), organized by FAO, said yesterday. Globally, millions of people depend on forests for their livelihoods - directly through the consumption and sale of foods harvested in forests, and indirectly through forest-related employment and income generation, forest ecosystem...

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Climate change threatens global fish stocks

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation Science Alert 16 May 13; Ocean warming has already affected global fisheries in the past four decades, a new international study has found, driving up the proportion of warm-water fish being caught and posing a threat to food security worldwide. The new study, conducted by researchers from the University of Tasmania’s specialist Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and the University of British Columbia and published in the journal Nature, warned that climate change adaptation plans were needed immediately. “We have demonstrated that climate...

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Melting Glaciers Cause One-Third of Sea-Level Rise

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:50:00 +0000

Stephanie Pappas LiveScience.com Yahoo News 17 May 13; The world's glaciers lost 260 gigatons of water each year between 2003 and 2009, making these rivers of ice responsible for almost a third of sea-level rise in that time, new research finds. The study, to appear tomorrow (May 17) in the journal Science, used multiple methods to pin down estimates of how much ice is lost from glaciers. The results suggest that on-the-ground measurements yield estimates that are too extreme, but some satellite methods don't go far enough. "There was a large amount of uncertainty in how much these...

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Best of our wild blogs: 16 May 13

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:41:00 +0000

Random Gallery - Common Palmfly from Butterflies of Singapore 五月双溪布洛华语导游 Mandarin guide walk@SBWR, May (XXXXI) from PurpleMangrove White-bellied Sea-eagle just before fledging from Bird Ecology Study Group

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Singapore among those granted observer seat on Arctic governing council

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:40:00 +0000

Alister Doyle PlanetArk 16 May 13; The Arctic Council agreed on Wednesday to admit emerging powers China and India as observers, reflecting growing global interest in the trade and energy potential of the planet's Far North. The organization, which coordinates Arctic policy, is gaining clout as sea ice thaws to open up new trade routes and intensify competition for oil and gas - estimated at 15 percent and 30 percent respectively of undiscovered reserves. China has been active in the polar region, becoming one of the biggest mining investors in Greenland and agreeing a free trade...

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ST's Run in the Park offers a workout close to nature

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:14:00 +0000

Priscilla Kham Straits Times 16 May 13; RUN past flowing waterways and lush greenery and catch a glimpse of colourful waterside birds at what will be the largest running event at one of Singapore's new scenic hot spots. The Straits Times Run in the Park promises participants an invigorating trail through the Punggol Waterway park connector, which is part of the North- eastern Riverine Loop. The event, which spans the natural coastline of Punggol Beach, and the banks of Punggol and Sengkang reservoir, aims to be a refreshing alternative to runners used to pounding the streets or...

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Malaysia: Experts want Sumatra and Borneo rhinos to be conserved as single unit

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:03:00 +0000

New Straits Times 16 May 13; KOTA KINABALU: Sumatran rhinos in Sumatra and Borneo should be conserved as a single unit, according to experts in Sabah. With a population as little as 100 left in Indonesia and Malaysia, consolidated efforts are needed to ensure the its survival. The species, which have minimal genetic differences, are not conserved as a single unit because it is found in different locations. This was asserted in a study by the Sabah Wildlife Department, the Wildlife and National Parks Department, the Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora), Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Cardiff...

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Indonesia: Illegal Coal Mining Found In Protected Status Forest

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:58:00 +0000

Tunggadewa Mattangkilang Jakarta Globe 16 May 13; Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan. Police in Kutai Kartanegara have seized 1,100 metric tons of coal allegedly mined illegally from a protected forest, but have not made any arrests in the case. Adj. Comr. Suwarno, a spokesman for the district police, said on Wednesday the coal was seized along with an excavator and two dump trucks belonging to the company Zen Jaya Indonesia. He said the company was mining outside its concession area and encroached the Bukit Suharto community forest. “Because the mining took place inside a...

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World's most distinct mammals and amphibians mapped

noreply@blogger.com (ria tan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:43:00 +0000

BBC 16 May 13; Scientists have developed the first map of the world's most unique and most endangered mammals and amphibians. The map highlights the fact that only a fraction of the areas identified as critical for the conservation of these species are protected. Among the species highlighted by the map are the Mexican salamander, the Sunda pangolin and the black and white ruffed Lemur. The research is published in the journal Plos One. The Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) project has been developed by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to highlight...

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