When the buying stops, the killing can too by Asha Kaushal. Posted on July 27, 2014, Sunday

Dr Ronald Orenstein

IF you are an avid follower of nature-oriented television channels, you would have heard the tagline: “When the buying stops, the killing can too.”

Reiterating this was Dr Ronald Orenstein, who recently presented a talk entitled ‘Ivory, Horn and Blood’ in Kuching.

During his presentation, which was organised by the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre and the Kuching branch of the Malaysian Nature Society, Orenstein enlightened the audience on a very little known crime – poaching.

Unknown to many of us, wildlife poaching has long been an international criminal enterprise, equivalent to the illegal arms and drugs trade.

Rhinos have long been killed for their horns, which are believed to hold medicinal and healing properties.

East Asian communities believe that the horns, when ground and consumed, can cure everything from fever to cancer. It is also believed to be an aphrodisiac and all-purpose health tonic.

This is a myth that has not been proven. These claims are merely marketing ploys that victimise the ill, increase profitability for the irresponsible involved in the illicit wildlife trade, and cause the murder of thousands upon thousands of wild animals.

Horns are made of the same type of protein (keratin) that make up our hair and fingernails. In other words, consuming rhino horn is essentially equivalent to biting and swallowing your fingernails or hair. Orenstein explained the need to debunk myths related to the therapeutic uses of rhino horn.

Rhino horn and elephant tusk ivory have also been associated with wealth and status all around the world.

Those who can afford genuine and exclusive decorative items made from horn and ivory have encouraged the trade of these two items on the black market.

Orenstein pointed out that rhinos and elephants are at risk of disappearing, thanks to the menacing automatic rifles brandished by poachers who are funded by the very same international gangs that back wars and the illicit drugs trade.

Rhino horn is said to be as valuable as gold or cocaine, and in this horrendous trade, hundreds of park rangers and those responsible for protecting these animals, particularly in Africa, have been murdered.

During his presentation, Orenstein showed graphic photos of murdered park rangers, and rhinos and elephants left for dead after being brutally mutilated for their horns and tusks.

In his plea to the audience, Orenstein emphasised the need to educate and sensitise the general public to the carnage and atrocities that take place just to acquire horn and ivory.

Orenstein’s talk was based on his recently published book entitled ‘Ivory, Horn and Blood – Behind the Elephant and Rhinoceros Poaching Crisis’, which examines the historical and current situation faced by elephants and rhinos, and trade in ivory and horn.

Orenstein is a Canadian and part-time resident of Kuching. A wildlife conservationist, he has authored eight books on science and nature. He is a recognised expert on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

He acts as a consultant for Humane Society International (HSI) and has represented HSI and other organisations at many Cites meetings, including all Meetings of the Conference of the Parties since 1987, as well as at other treaty meetings including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

At the 1987 Cites meeting, Orenstein was seconded to the official delegation of Malaysia, and oversaw the successful adoption of three Malaysian government proposals to protect Malaysian wild species.

At the 1989 meeting, he was one of the engineers of the compromise amendment that led to an international ivory ban.

He served on the official working group that prepared revised criteria for listing Cites species, adopted in 2004.

Orenstein has worked for many years on elephant and rhinoceros conservation issues.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Species Survival Network (SSN), a coalition of over 80 non-governmental organisations working with the Cites treaty, and also of the Elephant Research Foundation (ERF).

He is also a member of MNS Kuching branch and frequently posts about Sarawak’s natural history on his blog ‘A Wandering Naturalist’ (ronorenstein.blogspot.com).

Orenstein’s latest book ‘Ivory, Horn and Blood – Behind the Elephant and Rhinoceros Poaching Crisis’.

The Malaysian Nature Society

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/27/when-the-buying-stops-the-killing-can-too/#ixzz38kVW8xgx

Building a wildlife corridor in the heart of Borneo. By Danielle Sendou Ringgit @danitbpseeds

UST LAST FEBRUARY, a report on the sighting of the rarely seen Clouded Leopards on Mount Santubong immediately sparked excitement among nature-lovers.

Secretive and solitary, it is rather difficult to study this creature as they are rarely seen anywhere in the forest and studying them can be challenging.

With a distinctive black and greyish patterned fur coat, over 2 metres in length and weighing up to 25 kg, this rare and exotic creature is severely threatened by hunting and loss of its forest habitats.

In November last year, according to Borneo Bulletin, a spotted clouded leopard was caught slipping into human habitat in Brunei when it was spotted by security guards roaming around a facility before they called the authorities. Thankfully, the leopard was caught and safely released into the wild.

The Bornean clouded leopard seen resting on a tree in Brunei’s capital. – Photo courtesy of DONNY TAN & ADIB TAHA/ Borneo Bulletin photo

Sadly, this wasn’t the first time a spotted leopard had been found roaming urban areas. Wildlife authorities have reported a lot of cases of encroachment by these big cats looking for food in recent years indicating that its natural habitat has been disturbed.

Since their living habitats have been harassed mostly by human activities such as excessive logging, deforestation and development of agriculture for crops and plants, it is no wonder these wildlife creatures have begun to invade human habitats.

These animals face difficulties in migrating to other parts of the jungle due to the scarcity of safe passage or routes for them to use. Even though there are currently 31 national parks, eight nature reserves and four wildlife sanctuaries in Sarawak, their scattered locations throughout the state and also around Borneo makes it harder for the wild animals to move around to breed, thereby limiting their gene pool.

During a presentation at the ‘Youth Green X-Change Programme – Talk on Sustainable Development’ held at Azam Complex, World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) head of conservation Dr Henry Chan said that the idea of a wildlife corridor, linking protected areas from Kalimantan to Sabah could help boost the rich ecosystem of Borneo.

So, what’s the big deal about this corridor and why are they so important?

The Heart of Borneo proposed boundary. Photo credit www.wwf.org.my

According to conservation corridor website, Wildlife Corridors are habitats that may vary in size, shape and composition connecting fragments of patches of habitats to help the migration and movements of individuals through both disposal and migration so that the gene pool and diversity are maintained between local populations. It is by linking population throughout the landscape that there are fewer chances for wildlife animals to extinct.

In many cases of endangered species where their habitat has been disturbed, sometimes the only way they can survive is to migrate to another part of the forest for protection as well as food. The corridor may enable animals to travel a long distance.

The wildlife corridor vital to ensure the safety of animal was proven in 2012 through an 18-month intensive study conducted by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) between two areas in the fragmented Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

The long-term study which used camera traps funded by four American zoos: Houston, Columbus, Cincinnati and Phoenix was initiated by SWD to gather information on the presence/absence of wildlife in the corridor and document its use by different species.

Through the study, they identified 27 species of mammals including the extremely rare otter civet, the clouded leopard, Malayan Sun Bear, six species of birds including the endangered storm stork and it was indicated that the animals relied on the forested link to get from one patch to another.

The sun bear (Ursus malayanus) is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. Photo credit: Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC).

The Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), Vulnerable.  Photo credit: Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC).

The long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), Least Concern. Photo credit: Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC).

The crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela), Least Concern.  Photo credit: Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC).

The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Endangered. Photo credit: Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC).

Bornean elephant take two. Photo credit: Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC).

A romp of oriental small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinerea), Vulnerable. Photo credit: Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC).

The proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), Endangered. Photo credit: Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC)

According to DGFC Director, Dr Benoit Goossens, since there is a high diversity of mammal species and also abundance of individuals making use of the narrow corridor in the forest, without it, most animal populations would diminish and probably go extinct.

Borneo may only make up about 1% of land in the world but it holds approximately 6% of the globe’s biodiversity in its rich tropical rainforest. Our rainforest is the habitat for clouded leopards, sun bears, orang utan, proboscis monkey, pygmy elephants and hornbills.

With the high diversity of living individuals in our tropical forest, national parks have played a key role in providing habitats for wildlife animals in our tropical forest but due to these protected areas being scattered around Borneo, it is hard for these wildlife animals to migrate safely to ensure their survival.

Other examples of animals that depend on the corridor for migration purposes are the pygmy elephants and orang utans in Lower Kinabatangan. In 2012, the Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT) secured a 5.7-acre land which served as an ecological corridor for fragmented forests in Sabah for the migration of elephants and orang utans.

The idea of the wildlife corridor from Kalimantan to Sabah was initially addressed by the Sultan of Brunei during the ‘Heart of Borneo’ (HoB) meeting the previous year and that the implementation of the programme would be carried out in stages.

The HoB initiative, a combined effort of both government and NGO was initiated by a joint Declaration by the governments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2007 covers approximately 200,000 square kilometres of inter-connected forest in all three regions which covers 30% of Borneo.

Don’t take dengue fever lightly Posted on July 20, 2014, Sunday

Aedes mosquito having its fill of blood.

A YOUNG housewife was not bothered about mosquitoes until she came down with dengue fever about four years ago.

It started as a mild headache before morphing into a burning fever.There was a rash of tiny red spots over her arms, chest and back.

“The fever was awful but the headache was the worst — like being tortured,” recalled the 35-year-old from a suburban village accessible by all vehicles.

Taking paracetamol did not prove very effective and it was worse when she tried to sleep.

“The headache — it was horrible,” she said on condition of anonymity.

She suffered for two days and one night before seeking medical help.

“I was first examined by a medical assistant from one of the rural clinics. He immediately referred me to the Sarawak General Hospital.

“I was too weak to go to the hospital — and thank goodness, my husband was there to help me,” she said.

At first, the hospital was unable to confirm the dengue virus but because there was an outbreak in Kuching back then, they put me in the ward.

“I was prescribed paracetamol but on my first night in hospital, I just felt awful. The next day, my blood test confirmed it was dengue. Luckily, I did not have any serious complications,” she added.

The housewife started feeling a lot better after the first day in hospital with the doctors monitoring her condition.

On the second day, she was informed the fever had peaked and the worst was over. She stayed in hospital for two nights and three days.

She said the illness made her “incredibly weak” for a week after she was discharged and it took a while for her to fully recover.

The mother of four said she would never again be casual about protection against mosquitoes.

“I don’t ever want to go through the same ordeal. I have learnt my lesson and will always make sure mosquitoes have no place in our home,” she said.

The life cycle of Aedes mosquito.

Chills and headaches

A general worker in his mid-40s had also struggled with Dengue fever about a year ago. It started with fever, chills and headaches.

“When I first got it, my days were spent under the blanket in my bedroom. It was horrible and I didn’t know I had Dengue fever until the doctor told me,”said the man who also preferred not to be identified.

He first felt something was wrong when he woke up one Sunday morning with “one of my worst hangovers ever.”

The night before, while clubbing, he had a few cans of beer but the morning after, he felt as though he had downed a whole bottle of whisky.

He had pounding headaches all day, chills even when the weather was hot and muscle aches all

over. Miraculously, the next day, his fever subsided — the headaches were gone and he felt better.

“In fact, I felt so good I decided to return to work. As I got started, the pain came back — my feet were really sore and my fingertips hurt.

“I felt something was wrong when I could not move my fingers — the pain was so bad. Red dots started appearing all over my hands and feet. So I asked my friend to drive me to a private clinic.”

He claimed at first the doctor seemed doubtful it was Dengue because most patients suffered a lot more than he did. Nevertheless, he was referred to the Sarawak General Hospital where he was given a blood test.

About an hour later, the results confirmed he was infected by Dengue fever. His platelets count was low but not so low as to require hospitalisation.

Severe cases of Dengue are called hemorrhagic fever and can result in internal bleeding, low blood pressure and death.

The man said the doctor told him he must have a very strong immune system to suffer fever for only one day. Normally, victims are out for a week — or require hospitalisation.

He was also told there is no real medical treatment for Dengue fever other than rest, hydration and removal of mosquito breeding grounds.

He made sure he heeded the doctor’s advice to get plenty of rest and drink a lot of water over the week.

“My brush with Dengue was a mild one — I was lucky,” he said.

The two above narratives should serve as an eye-opener to all that Dengue fever is a painful affliction.

Dengue fever is caused by a tropical virus and spread by mosquitoes. It is a serious disease that can leave sufferers bed-ridden for weeks — and also kills tens of thousands people worldwide every year.

Dengue has been in the news in Malaysia everyday for weeks now.

The state of Dengue has, in fact, reached endemic level as reported cases continue to rise. As such, the government has set a two-month target to reduce Dengue fever cases, especially in the 492 localities where the disease is active.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced this on July 14 after chairing the inaugural meeting of the National Committee on Dengue in Putrajaya.

He said the Committee would endeavour to achieve the target by initiating “optimum measures” to control the disease.

“We hope to see a positive impact over the next two months. Dengue fever cases and deaths are reportedly rising — and this is alarming,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

According to media reports, Selangor has the highest number of localities where the disease is active at 264, followed by Kelantan (66), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (45), Negeri Sembilan (41), Johor (28) and Sarawak (14).

Between January and July this year, 48,845 cases of Dengue fever have been reported — up 34,719 (246 per cent) over 14,126 for the corresponding period last year. Ninety-two deaths were also reported.

State Health Department director Datu Dr Zulkifli Jantan said as of June this year, Sarawak recorded 674 cases of Dengue fever with three reported deaths. However, overall, cases in the state this year were down 14.2 per cent compared to 786 cases in the corresponding period last year.

Even so, the public cannot be complacent but must continue taking measures to curb the spread of the disease by destroying the breeding grounds of Aedes mosquitoes in their compounds.

The community’s participation is the key to Dengue prevention.

Facts on dengue

The habitats of Aedes

Dengue fever — severe dengue

Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. There are four serotypes of the virus that causes dengue and are known as DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4.

Severe Dengue is a potentially lethal complication which can develop from dengue infections.

It is estimated there are over 50-100 million cases of Dengue worldwide each year and three billion people living in dengue endemic countries.

Where does the disease occur?

Dengue is mainly transmitted by a mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and distributed across all tropical countries. Travellers already infected with the virus also spread the disease when they get bitten by the local Aedes mosquito population.

Dengue outbreaks can occur anytime — as long as the mosquitoes are still active. However, in general, high humidity and temperature are conditions that favour mosquito survival, increasing the likelihood of transmission.

Dengue fever skin rashes.

Symptoms

Dengue fever causes flu-like symptoms and lasts for two to seven days. It usually occurs after an incubation period of four to 10 days after the bite of the infected mosquito.

High fever (40°C/104°F) is usually accompanied by at least two of the following symptoms:

Headaches, pain behind eyes, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, joint, bone or muscle pains and rash.

In severe Dengue, the critical phase takes place around three to seven days after the first signs of illness. Temperature will decrease although this does NOT mean the person is necessarily recovering. Special attention needs to be given to these warning signs as it could lead to severe dengue: Severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding gums, vomiting blood, rapid breathing and fatigue/restlessness.

When severe Dengue is suspected, the sick person should be rushed to the emergency room or to the closest health care provider.

Treatment

There is no vaccine or specific medication for Dengue fever.

Patients should seek medical advice, rest and drink plenty of fluids. Paracetamol can be taken to bring down fever and reduce joint pains. However, aspirin or ibuprofen should not be taken since they can increase the risk of bleeding.

Patients can transmit the infection via Aedes mosquitoes after the first symptoms appear (within four to five days — maximum 12 days). As a precautionary approach, patients can adopt measures to reduce transmission by sleeping under a treated net, especially during the period of illness with fever.

Infection with one strain will provide life-time protection only against that particular strain. However, it’s still possible to become infected by other strains and develop into severe dengue.

When warning signs (listed above) of severe dengue are present, it’s imperative to consult a doctor and seek hospitalisation to manage the disease. With proper medical care and early recognition, case-fatality rates are below one per cent. However, the overall experience remains very discomforting and unpleasant.

Dengue fever skin rashes.

What should I do?

If you suspect you have Dengue, you need to see a doctor immediately.

Who spreads the disease?

Dengue is spread through the bite of the female mosquito (Aedes aegypti). The mosquito becomes infected when it takes the blood of a person infected with the virus. After about one week, the mosquito can then transmit the virus while biting a healthy person. The mosquito can fly up to 400 metres looking for water-filled containers to lay its eggs but usually remains close to the human habitation.

Aedes aegypti is a daytime feeder: The peak biting periods are early in the morning and in the evening before dusk.

Dengue cannot be spread directly from person to person. However, a person infected and suffering from Dengue fever can infect other mosquitoes. Humans are known to carry the infection from one country to another or from one area to another during the stage when the virus circulates and reproduces in the blood system.

Breeding grounds

The mosquitoes thrive in areas close to human population (urban areas).

The Aedes mosquito lays its eggs in water-filled containers inside the house and surrounding areas of dwellings. The eggs hatch when in contact with water. Eggs can withstand very dry conditions and survive for months. Female mosquitoes lay dozens of eggs up to five times during their lifetime. Adult mosquitoes “usually” rest indoors in dark areas (closets, under beds, behind curtains).

Reducing the risk

The best preventive measure for areas infested with Aedes mosquito is to eliminate the egg-laying sites – called source reduction. Lowering the number of eggs, larvae and pupae will reduce the number of emerging adult mosquitoes and the transmission of the disease.

Examples of breeding habitats: Indoor, ant traps, flower vases and saucers, water storage tank (domestic drinking water, bathrooms), plastic containers, bottles, outdoor, discarded bottles and tins, discarded tyres, artificial containers, tree holes, potholes, construction sites, drums for collecting rainwater, shells, husks, pods from trees, leaf axils of various plants, boats and equipment.

Items that collect rainwater or are used to store water should be covered or properly discarded. The remaining essential containers should be emptied and cleaned and scrubbed (to remove eggs) at least once a week. This will prevent adult mosquitoes from emerging from the egg-larva-pupa stage.

Outdoor breeding grounds of dengue-spreading Aedes mosquitoes are destroyed through fogging.

Protection

Reduce exposed skin to mosquitoes bites. Long-sleeved clothing and mosquito repellents are the most viable options.

Window and door screens, air-conditioning reduces the risk of mosquitoes coming into contact with the household members. Mosquito nets (and/or insecticide-treated nets) will also provide additional protection to people sleeping during the day or protect against other mosquitoes which can bite at night (such as Anopheles (malaria).

Household insecticides, aerosols, mosquito coils or other insecticide vaporisers maybe also reduce biting activity.

Generally, breeding grounds in the environment are destroyed through periodical fogging.

(Source: World Health Organisation)

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/20/dont-take-dengue-fever-lightly/#ixzz3857xEr75

News bites from the natural world by Tom MacLaughlin. Posted on June 29, 2014, Sunday

It is estimated that thousands of wild civets are poached from the wild for coffee farms.

Tsunami model for Sabah

A TSUNAMI that occurred off the coast of Brunei, known as the Brunei Slide, has been modelled to show the affects of the waves on Brunei and East Malaysia.

During the first 15 minutes, the west coast of Western Sabah would have gotten waves of 24 metres, while Brunei and the Northeast Malaysia coast would have received waves of 14 metres and 17 metres respectively.

The research was conducted by Mui Fatt Chai and others from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

For more go to www.sciencedirect.com.

Rising of New Zealand

The islands of New Zealand split off from Antarctica about 80 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period.

New Zealand then became part of the sea floor only to rise again about 25 million years ago during the Oligiocene.

This ‘Moa Ark’ hypothesis has been challenged by some scientists as they feel that part of the land mass remained above water.

The discovery of A kinabalu from North Borneo and A rostralis from Norfolk Island, west Pacific, has led to the belief that at least part of the islands were above water during the entire period from when it was associated with Gondawana.

A kinabalu and A rostralis are mites and are thought to be associated with the New Zealand ones aeons ago.

For more go to www.mapress.com.

A civet eats coffee berries at a farm.

Coffee and civet cats

The most expensive coffee in the world (Kopi Luwak) has partially been digested by two civets (Palm Civet – Paradoruxsus hermaphroditus and Binturong – Arctictus binturong).

These two species have been kept in “inadequate conditions that result in a high rate of morbidity and mortality”.

It has been estimated that thousands of wild civets have been poached from the wild to maintain these farms.

This has reduced wild populations and this is of concern especially for Binturongs, as they categorised as being vulnerable to extinction.

In traditional farms, workers collect the expelled beans from beneath the coffee trees.

The writers of the article maintain that coffee beans produced and collected this way is mutually beneficial to the civets and human.

This method of production should not negatively affect wild populations.

For more go to http://journals.cambridge.org.

Some scientists have challenged the ‘Moa Ark’ hypothesis as they feel that part of the land mass remained above water.

The Malaysian Nature Society

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/06/29/news-bites-from-the-natural-world/#ixzz3857PZOJq

What’s up with our weather? by Alan Rogers. Posted on July 20, 2014, Sunday

Empty boat slips protrude from the dock at the abandoned Echo Bay Marina on July 13 in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada in the United States. The marina closed last year in part due to falling water levels. — AFP photo

WE all have a love-hate relationship with our weather. The British talk more about daily weather than any other nation simply because, as an island facing the ravages of Atlantic storms to the west and the huge Eurasian continent to the east, the weather changes almost daily.

George Mikes, a Hungarian refugee in the late 1950s and once a prominent newspaper reporter in the UK, wrote an interesting dialogue on how to demonstrate your ability in the English language … always have a good conversation about the weather!

I frequently ask myself whether I am a prophet of doom and gloom or simply a realist. In 2013 through to early this year, people worldwide have had their lives turned upside down by the sheer intensity of storms, flooding and drought.

At the end of March, strong northeasterly winds battered the coastal areas of Sabah with flash flooding in Beaufort, Keningau, and Tenom and these storms equalled the intensity of rainfall and water depth that was experienced in South West England in January, when three major cyclones hit the area in one week. Wind speeds reached 129 km per hour with gusts up to 145 km per hour. In one day 400 millimetres of rain fell equalling one third of the average monthly rainfall.

In late February, the UK Meteorological Office together with the National Environment Research Council’s Centre for Ecology and Hydrology published a detailed report on ‘The Recent Storms and Floods in the UK’. The authors concluded that the disastrous events there were partly linked to the very high temperatures and rainfall inputs in Indonesia and Borneo and to the exceptionally cold weather in the USA.

A warming world has led to the intense daily and hourly rainfall inputs. With progressive and irreversible climatic change, sea levels are rising with greater coastal inundation by stormy seas and rivers are more frequently in flood. This report did imply that there was a possible link between climate change and the December to January storms in the UK, but stressed that further complex computer modelling was needed to prove a definite link.

Residents carry their belongings as Typhoon Rammasun (locally named Glenda) hits the town of Imus, Cavite southwest of Manila in the Philippines on July 16. Philippine authorities evacuated almost 150,000 people from their homes and shuttered financial markets, government offices, businesses and schools as the typhoon gathered strength. — Reuters photo

The world’s extreme weather patterns are linked to the meandering paths and positions of the jet stream over the Pacific Ocean and over North America before in a westerly direction it reaches Europe. A major change in the path of the Pacific jet stream was driven by increased rainfall over Indonesia and Borneo, associated with higher than normal temperatures. The intensity of the Atlantic cyclones affecting South and South West England was caused by the Polar jet stream taking a more southerly track than the norm for this time of year.

Japanese meteorologists have forecasted a further warming of the sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean in an El Nino effect. In due course this could prompt further drought in Southeast Asia and Australia and flooding in South America where sea temperatures in the Eastern Pacific are warmer than usual.

The debate about the anthropogenic causes of global warming is again erupting and will continue to rumble for future decades. No one can dispute the fact that our oceans are absorbing 90 per cent of the heat added to our planet through climate change and that these oceans absorb almost 33 per cent of our carbon dioxide emissions from oil, gas, or coal fired power stations, industry and vehicle exhausts and diminishing forest cover worldwide. Vegetation is a natural absorber of CO2.

The global mean sea level rose at the rate of 3.2 millimetres per annum from 1993 to 2010. This is explained by the fact that as the sea warms, it expands together with the continued melting of the Arctic Ocean ice and the continental ice sheets of Antarctica shrinking in ice depth and shedding glaciers and melt-water into the sea. We will see more people who are currently living in coastal areas a metre or so above sea level and on island atolls in the Pacific Ocean seeking climate change refugee status over the next decade. The precedent was set last April. With increasing sea levels so will storm surges be more intense and damaging.

Global warming has a detrimental effect on health. Recently China recorded an average of 500,000 deaths per annum attributed to urban pollution. World economies are at risk. Florida, USA — a major supplier of oranges worldwide — is just recovering from a very severe winter of frosts and snow. Brazil produces 40 per cent of the world’s coffee but the coffee growing areas have been hit by a severe drought. Indonesia and Malaysia, accounting together for 80 per cent of the world’s palm oil production, were severely hit by the drought in January and February. Canada’s wheat farmers have suffered long lasting snow cover beyond the normal planting time and drought has hit the wheat farmers in Australia.

The world market prices for oranges, coffee, palm oil, wheat and cattle feed are forecast to hit record highs this year with inevitably increasing consumer costs in shops. Rising sea levels and the inevitable penetration of salt water inland have affected the yields of rice farmers in the delta lands of Bangladesh and the market gardeners in coastal California.

Whilst we may proudly see ourselves with national identities, we are part of the global economy and a world whose ecosystems are on the verge of reaching atrophy. Climate change is indeed severe, invasive and irreversible but all nations and every one of us need to seek ways of slowing it down and putting it into a state of remission.

As I write, I have ascertained that UK Met Office researchers have broken new ground in developing a computer model simulating longer term predictions of winter weather conditions there. This breakthrough will have a major impact on the economy.

Power suppliers will be able to anticipate energy needs; hospitals better prepared to treat winter illnesses and accidents; retailers will be able to better stock their shelves with appropriate food; and insurance companies will be able to reliably anticipate potential storm damage and flooding areas. Perhaps the methodology in constructing this model may be released to all nations on our planet so that local seasonal adaptations may be programmed into a not dissimilar computer model. We all live in hope.

For further reading see thesundaypost (March 30, 2014): ‘El Nino havoc possible this year’ by Rintos Mail; ‘Palm oil threatened by worst drought for Asian crop’ [Bloomberg Report]; and ‘How to be an Alien’ by George Mikes (1946 Penguin Readers).

Related articles can also be found at www.metoffice.gov.uk.

A man makes his way through a flooded area in Changsha, central China’s Hunan province on July 15. — AFP photo

The Malaysian Nature Society

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/20/whats-up-with-our-weather/#ixzz3855AaDxi

Saving rare wildlife from extinction by Irene C, reporters@theborneopost.com

Fadzillawati (left) showing rhino footprints to an American journalist (centre) during her stint in Sabah.

She is fighting for the welfare of animals, especially the rhinocerous, because she says ‘they do not have a voice to speak out for their rights.’

IT’s not the choice job for youths who aspire to make a name for themselves overnight but for Fadzillawati Zahrah Hamdan, the satisfaction of knowing how her sweat and tears can save a single animal from extinction — like the rhinocerous — is worth all the effort.

While the 33-year-old loves Nature, wildlife and the environment, she never imagined her calling would be fighting for the welfare of animals which “do not have a voice to speak out for their rights.”

The care for animals may be in her blood — or nurtured — because as a student, she spent her school holidays helping out at national parks and nature reserves.

Moreover, her late father worked at the Forest Department, and her stepfather worked there as well — and now at the Sarawak Forestry Corporation.

Fadzillawati started out in 2005 at Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sabah, tracking rhinos in the wild.

Why conservation? Well, it’s certainly not for money – in fact, she doesn’t really know why she chose this path. But she pointed out that the experience she gained from the job could not be bought with money.

Simply priceless, she enthused.

At WWF-Malaysia Sarawak office.

“The best was when I woke up in the morning and an elephant greeted me at my doorstep. It was a fantastic start to my day.”

Fadzillawati said seeing the pachyderm made “the whole world seem marvellous,” especially when her base camp at the Reserve was a building with neither water nor electricity.

Even her bed was hand-made by the staff and the thin mattress was also donated.

The salary back then was very low — only RM300 to RM700 a month without bonus. What made the workers stay on was their love of animals.

Even now, there is still a big shortage for conservationists.

The work at the Reserve is no stroll in the park. A typical work day involves lugging between 15kg and 20kg of tools and supplies plus walking some 10km.

There are also risks as the workers not only can be attacked by wild animals but also shot by poachers.

Though Fadzillawati has never seen a rhino during her stint at the Reserve, just discovering its few footprints made her heart race as this meant there was a chance of encountering one.

A few months later, oil palm plantation workers reported the sighting of a rhino in the area and she rushed with a few others to the plantation.

They stayed at the staff quarters and the next morning, she was delighted to see not a handful but hundreds of rhino footprints along the logging road – in fact, so many that it was hard to determine how many animals were there or in which direction they went.

“During our stay, we didn’t see any rhinos but a few months later, the staff managed to video-tape one.

“I was moved to tears — it was a touching moment for me. Although I have never seen one with my own eyes, the video proves there are still rhinocerouses in the wild and this gives me strength to continue conserving the natural habitat so that these precious animals can survive.”

Fadzillawati spent one whole year looking for rhinos and she and her co-workers even started to joke that the animal was a myth because they had never found one.

“So you could imagine the satisfaction I felt after watching the video,” she said.

Protecting rhinos does not only mean keeping them safe from the traps set by poachers but also conserving their habitats so that they can thrive, re-populate and be around for generations to come.

Like most school leavers, Fadzillawati took the traditional path of getting into universities before discovering her love for conservation and the environment.

Learning theories about conservation in the classroom is one thing, what happens in practice on the field is quite another.

“The wild can turn up things quite unlike what you find in textbooks. Practical experience is more important,” she said.

The following year, Fadzillawati was offered a position with WWF-Malaysia as programme officer for Totally Protected Areas. It was the perfect opportunity for her to move further afield in her vocation.

During a trip to Santubong National Park.

Without proper job designation, her conservation efforts had been a drop in the bucket but attached to WWF-Malaysia, she could work in many areas with the help of the Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) management, staff and stakeholders, and make a bigger difference immediately.

“In Sarawak, I lead the WWF-Malaysia Protected Areas programme by co-ordinating a network of conservation organisations and other related stakeholders in the implementation of the programme.

“I have been leading and coordinating the assessment of 29 TPAs in Sarawak, covering an area of 700,727 hectares, using Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) developed by WWF and the World Bank.

“Protected Areas is key to the governance and management of representative ecosystems, therefore ensuring that the health of forests and ecosystems in important areas is increased for the benefit of humankind and Nature,” she explained.

As one of the main contributors to the WWF-Malaysia Sarawak programme, Fadzillawati identifies priority conservation areas (PCAs) which contribute to identification of habitat connectivity.

For the national level of Protected Areas, she contributes to the development of Malaysia National Protected Areas Masterlist.

She is also directly involved in a few of WWF international networks based on the Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiatives:

• Trilateral initiatives between Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
• Sarawak focal person for Protected Areas De-gazettement, Downsizing and Downgrading (PADDD) project with WWF-US.
• Focal person for WWF-Malaysia in reviewing Management Effectiveness Tracking Tools (METT) with WWF-International (Alexander Belukurov).
• High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) Toolkit, one of WWF internal reviewers, and WWF-Traffic Wildlife Crime Strategy.
• One of the reviewers coordinating inputs from WWF-Malaysia  to WWF Network Species Programme and Traffic in reviewing their strategies to combat wildlife crime.

Her job scope involves leading, co-ordinating, and ensuring the implementation conservation strategies and action plans as well as monitoring and evaluating programmes and projects pertaining to Protected Areas in Sarawak and contributing to the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Initiative area.

She is also the focal person on matters related to Protected Areas in Sarawak and also suppoprts Protected Areas National Team in fundraising and capacity-building programmes for work relevant to WWF-Malaysia’s thematic and landscape programmes and projects.

Before holding her current position, she was the WWF-Malaysia Heart of Borneo Species officer from 2008 to 2010.

She was directly involved in WWF structure of Heart of Borneo Initiatives, especially on wildlife issues, working closely with her counterparts in Indonesia and Brunei for a strategic approach and implementation of the initiatives on the ground.

She also advises on WWF directions on the ground, supporting the network initiative in delivery of the programme and overseeing internal WWF programmes or projects related to or contributing to HoB.

She also played an active part in ensuring effective engagement and involvement of various stakeholders, and monitoring issues on HoB as well as outside the HoB boundary in the case of Sarawak.

Fadzillawati is the longest serving WWF employee in the Sarawak team.

Fadzillawati (right) having a meal in the jungle while tracking rhinos in Sabah with an NGO.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/20/saving-rare-wildlife-from-extinction/#ixzz3854owN22