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.

SANTUBONG: Where the dolphins go Focus 21 0 By Patricia Hului @pattbpseeds

TOURISTS VISIT A PLACE for many reasons; the beach, the views, food, culture, history, nature… the list goes on and on.

What about a place that offers both history and biodiversity? Wouldn’t that be a great catch for a place to visit?

Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch (MNSKB) highlighted the Santubong peninsular in a talk called ‘An Afternoon on Santubong’ at Kota Sentosa Public Library on July 16.

The Santubong peninsula is home to 810m high Gunung Santubong, Kampung Buntal, Kampung Santubong, the nearest public beach at Damai Beach resort and more scenic sites.

The talk is one of the many lead-up activities to this year’s Santubong Nature Festival (SNF) organised by the MNSKB and Permai Rainforest Resort.

Into its second year, the festival will be held from November 8-9 at Permai Rainforest Resort.

In a session called Archaeology of Santubong by Ipoi Datan, the Director of Sarawak Museum Department Santubong underlined the archaeological sites in Santubong.

Ipoi Datan, the Director of Sarawak Museum.

Ipoi outlined the archaeological sites of Santubong are Sungai Jaong, Bongkissam, Bukit Maras, Tanjong Kubur, Sungai Buah, Tanjong Tegok, Sultan Tengah Mausoleum, Sungai Santubong and Santubong Headland.

He mentioned that Santubong was historically significant because it could have been part of the Srivijaya Empire of South Sumatera from the 7th to 13th century and then also that of the Javanese Majapahit Empire from the 14 to 15th century.

Some ceramics found in Sungai Jaong.

“But what is evident is that it was part of the Brunei Sultanate under the first and last Sultan of Sarawak, Sultan Tengah who died in 1641 and was buried in Santubong.”

The tomb of Sultan Tengah is preserved to this day and is located about 5km away from Damai Beach Resort.

Other archaeological findings are a stone Buddha figure – minus the head and limbs – similar to 7th century images from the Indian Gupta School found at Bukit Maram.

The torso of a stone Buddha found at Bukit Maram, Santubong.

A stone hammer found at Bongkissam.

“Based on the archaeological findings, Santubong can be said to have been a trading centre linking West Asia, Southeast Asia and China from 10th to 13th centuries.”

According to Ipoi, Santubong was a place for iron works because some excavations at Sungai Santubong in 2007 yielded some stones with engravings on them and boulders with troughs carved on their upper surfaces.

The inscribed hammer stone clearly hinted at the possibility of iron working and petroglyph carving occurring at the same time. Besides Sungai Santubong, hammer stones also found in Bongkissam.

He continued, “As such, research proposals with University of Malaya and Leicester University are being planned to further investigate the area for its role in iron working and ancient international trade.”

Dolphin watching

Sarawak Dolphin Project (SDP) was started in 2008 by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) along with founding partners, Sarawak Shell Berhad and Sarawak Forestry Cooperation.

Since then the project has continued under Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation in Unimas, with funding assistance from Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the International Whaling Commission and in-kind support from Permai Rainforest Resort.

Cindy Peter, fulltime Research Fellow in Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Unimas.

Cindy Peter has been working on SDP which has been focused on Kuching Bay and Similajau area since it was launched.

According to Cindy, SDP has found that the species most commonly observed by the order of frequency are Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella breviostris), finless porpoises (Neophacaena phocaenoides), Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus).

According to Cindy, SDP estimated about 233 individuals of Irrawaddy Dolphins in Kuching Bay which encompasses the area from Telaga Air on the west and the Bako peninsula on the east, as well as the rivers that connect these areas, namely Sungai Sibu Laut, Sungai Salak and Sungai Santubong.

As for finless porpoises, a line-transect distance survey has yielded a result of 135 individuals (CV=31%, 95% Cl=74-246) in the same area.

“However, it is important to note that the numbers listed are not reflective of the population at all times, threats on their survival as wells as possible immigration and emigration of the population could decrease or increase their estimates.”

According to Cindy, threats of bycatch from fisheries, habitat degradation and heavy vessel traffic especially by tour operators that provided dolphin watching services are problematic in the cetacean habitat in Sarawak.

She also emphasised that the public can help lessen the threats on dolphins by reporting incidences of stranded or dead dolphins to SDP, or simple actions such as keeping clean and going green.

The biodiversity of Santubong

Oswald Braken Tisen, the Deputy General Manager of Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation division of Sarawak Forestry Corporation was another speaker at the talk where he spoke on Santubong’s biodiversity, briefing participants on examples of animals and plants that can be found in the area.

Oswald Braken Tisen, the Deputy General Manager of Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation division of Sarawak Forestry Corporation.

Oswald said that Bako Buntal Bay in Santubong area was the first East Asian Australasian Flyway Site Network in Malaysia.

East Asian-Australasian Flyway is one of the world’s great flyways which is important for the millions of migratory waders or shorebirds that breed in northern Asia and Alaska and spend the non-breeding season in Australasia and Southeast Asia which is, in this case, in Bako Buntal Bay.

Oswald gave an example of Chinese Egret (Egretta eulophoyes) which is considered an iconic bird for Bako Buntal Bay. The highest number that SFC counted in one sighting came up to more than 400.

According to him, the Chinese Egret is considered a globally threatened species with a small and declining population (2,600 to 3,400 in number).

This upcoming SNF is open to all MNS members and the public.

For more information on SNF, email mns.santubong@gmail.com, visit mnskuching.blogspot.com andsantubongnaturefestival.blogspot.com

Don’t take dengue fever lightly

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

Santubong talk

Highlighting Santubong’s natural heritage

DBKU principal deputy director Kartina Zamhari and MNSKB chairman Anthony Sebastian exchange documents during the soft launch. Also seen is Abang Wahap.

THE Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch (MNSKB) will hold its signature nature event — the Santubong Nature Festival — for the second time in November. It is hosted by the Permai Rainforest Resort and supported by the Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) and the Sarawak Museum Department.

Open to the public, the festival will run from Nov 8-9.

Kuching North Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai officiated at the festival’s soft launching at Taman Budaya (Reservoir Park) last month.

The Santubong Nature Festival aims to highlight the rich heritage of the Santubong peninsula, from its visually stunning appearance, to the rare clouded leopards and hornbills that call it home, right down to the dolphins that swim its shores.

It also advocates a holistic and integrated approach to development and management of the area, safeguarding its unique landscape, biodiversity and historical assets, and showcases the tourism and recreational potential of the Santubong peninsula.

Santubong Nature Festival-goers join a night walk.

Following last year’s festival’s success, the two-day event will continue to highlight Santubong peninsula’s natural, historical and cultural heritage.

Exciting activities such as multi-sport treasure hunt, guided heritage, geology and nature walks, tree planting, guided boat cruises and a beach clean-up will be held between now and the festival proper. This includes a series of talks on geology, archaeology, dolphins and biodiversity of Santubong, which will be held in Kuching and Permai Rainforest Resort. The first guided geology walk was held yesterday.

MNSKB has been carrying out many activities, particularly bird-watching, in the Santubong peninsula for many years. These regular bird-watching activities eventually resulted in Bako-Buntal Bay, which forms part of the Santubong peninsula, being included in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Site Network last year. Bako-Buntal Bay is the first flyway network site established in Malaysia and one of the world’s Important Bird Areas.

In 2002, MNSKB held a major clean-up of Mount Santubong from the foothills to the peak and volunteers collected 1.2 tonnes of rubbish.

Photo shows kayakers in Santubong.

MNSKB, as a local environmental non-governmental organisation, is very concerned with the overall development and well-being of Santubong peninsula. It recognises the need to develop the area but advocates that the development should be well-planned so it would not degrade the iconic mountain.

Land clearing for housing, tall buildings and a proposed cable car to the peak of the mountain could alter the landscape and scar Santubong’s aesthetic visual value if not properly planned. Development taking place without sensitivity to historical and archaeological considerations would also produce many irreversible problems.

It is hoped that the Santubong Nature Festival will help to address these issues through greater public awareness and eventually advocate for a holistic, sustainable and integrated approach for the development and management of the area.

For more information and updates on the festival, visit the Santubong Nature Festival Facebook page, http://santubongnaturefestival.blogspot.com, or email mns.santubong@gmail.com.

MNS members go on a geology walk at the Santubong peninsula.

The Malaysian Nature Society
Established in 1940, the Malaysian Nature Society is the oldest scientific and non-govern

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/13/highlighting-santubongs-natural-heritage/#ixzz37c00bRJ8

"An Afternoon in Santubong Talk"

Greetings from Malaysian Nature Society. 

Please be reminded that the talk "An Afternoon in Santubong Talk" will be held:
Subject: Archaeology of Santubong by JMS 
               Biodiversity of Santubong by SFC
               Dolphin of Santubong by Cindy 
Date: 16 July 2014 (Wednesday)
Time: 2:30pm-4:30pm
Venue: Kota Santosa Public Library

Batu 7 (Jalan Liu Shan Bang), 93250 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

Should you need further information, please do not hesitate contacting me.

Regards,
Sinyin 
SNF2014 Secretary 0149903335

mns.santubong@gmail.com

Protecting Santubong’s clouded leopards by Joanna Yap,

WHEN reports of a sighting of three Sunda clouded leopards on Mount Santubong surfaced in April this year, the news was greeted with a mixture of excitement and anxiety – for good reason.

Very little is known about the clouded leopard in comparison with other big cats such as the lion and tiger as research on the species has been scant.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, in 2007, it  was estimated there were fewer than 10,000 clouded leopards in total effective population size, with real numbers suspected to be much lower.

The overall population of the clouded leopard is on a declining trend due to deforestation and illegal hunting, leading to a categorisation of Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List – meaning it is considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Up until recently, it was classically considered as a single species until it was discovered there were, in fact, two species – Neofelis nebulosa which dwells on mainland South East Asia and Neofelis diardi, also known as the Sunda or Sundaland clouded leopard, which is endemic to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

Thus, it is nothing short of astonishing that Borneo’s top cat has been living incognito almost literally at our doorstep all this time, undetected by the hundreds of people who trek up and down Mt Santubong every year.

Moreover, the rare sighting of the highly endangered species underlines the fact that for all of our perceived familiarity with our beloved Mt Santunbong, it seems there is still much which remains to be discovered about the richness of its biodiversity and wildlife, a mere 45 minutes’ drive from the state capital.

National treasure

Familiarity often causes people to take things for granted, and unfortunately, this has been mostly the case for what most of us think we know about Santubong.

In fact, the Santubong peninsula is a treasure trove of natural and historical heritage and a priceless national treasure, Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch (MNSKB) chairman Anthony Sebastian told thesundaypost.

“For example, Santubong was thought to have no hornbills but it is now known to have four species living there. Generally speaking, there’s no reason why all eight species of hornbills in state cannot live there,” he said.

On the significance of Santubong, Anthony immediately zeroed in on the forests as the “highest value of Santubong.”

“First, there is the coastal mixed dipterocarp forest where the land or mountain comes at a steep angle straight down to the sea, as opposed to the rest of 90 per cent Sarawak where there is usually a flat stretch of sand or land between the mountain and the sea.

“This only exists on Santubong and Tanjung Datu. There used to be a small patch in Lambir, Miri, but it has been completely destroyed.

“As it grows right next to the sea, the forests have evolved over thousands of years to be more tolerant to saltwater and other aspects of the environment there like the dry and strong winds.

“There are also a whole lot of very unique and even endemic species to be found in these forests. This is one of Santubong’s highest values,” he said, adding that the forests were one of the most beautiful to experience.

The MNSKB chairman also highlighted the strategic importance of Santubong’s location right next to the biggest urban centre in the state.

“Its value and economics just shoot up because there’s so many things you can do with it, not just in terms of biodiversity conservation. It’s also about giving researchers and people the opportunities to see these forests.

“It’s about developing the forests with beautiful trails and picnic spots and more while preserving the forest. It has much higher economic value to us to be used because of its nearby location,” he said.

Another type of forest found in Santubong is the tropical heath forest or kerangas, which is also ecologically unique.

It is a forest type found mainly in the northwestern corner of Borneo, including most of Sarawak, a little in Riau in Indonesia and a small patch in the south eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia.

“Sarawak should be proud because we have most of the kerangas forest. The biggest stretch of kerangas forest was from Lundu all the way to Serapi in the area known as Sampadi. I say was because much of it is now oil palm plantation,” Anthony noted wryly.

Threat to heritage

The recent sighting of the clouded leopard at Mt Santubong has helped cast a welcomed public spotlight on Santubong, long marked for tourism development.

“Having a population of endangered clouded leopards living so close by also presents a priceless opportunity to educate the public about the importance of ensuring their survival so that they will know it’s not all right to hunt, kill, trap, sell or eat the animal,” Anthony pointed out.

At the same time, it has also raised concerns on the management and conservation of the Santubong peninsula as well as their impact on the future well-being of the many unique species which call it home.

The 1,410 ha Santubong National Park (SNP), gazetted in 2007, is the third smallest of the 25 national parks in the state, of which most is occupied by Mt Santubong.

Surrounding lowlands, sustaining the forests which host most of its prey base such as deer, wild pigs, monkeys, porcupines and other small mammals, lie outside the park’s boundaries and are subjected to the threat of deforestation for agriculture and development purposes.

While clouded leopards are highly arboreal and probably at ease living on steep mountain sides, based on the little known about the creature and its habits, Anthony suspects they come down to the lowlands to hunt and breed.

Another factor to consider is that because of deforestation, the forests of Santubong peninsula are fragmented and isolated, meaning that without decisive and concerted intervention, the clouded leopard and other resident wild species will be essentially hemmed into an ever-shrinking patch of forest.

Based on anecdotal evidence and reports by visitors, even the existing national park has not been able to escape the threat of illegal logging and hunting, with perpetrators choosing to exploit the lesser visited eastern side of Mt Santubong for their illegal activities, usually entering the park undetected via sea.

Add to this, a number of large-scale development projects already underway or in the pipeline for the Santubong peninsula (including the proposed Mt Santubong cable car project), and it doesn’t take much to see the very real and present threats to its rich biodiversity unless steps are taken now to effectively plan for and manage land use and natural resources in the area.

This is also where the environmental and scientific community can step up to work closer together with state agencies and administrative departments (and vice versa) to formulate and implement strategies to protect the wildlife and environment as well as ensure decisions and policies, affecting the Santubong peninsula’s development, will not adversely affect the forests and the seas.

Park expansion?

Anthony also suspects the three individuals sighted recently were probably a breeding pair and a juvenile as clouded leopards are normally solitary animals except during mating and breeding season.

It is also likely there may be more of them around but this is difficult to determine for sure without further studies as these predators are self-regulating (meaning their populations and breeding patterns adjust to suit external factors such as availability of food sources and home range).

However, he cautioned these are at best “educated guesses” and that more studies and research needed to be carried out to thoroughly study and evaluate the current status of the clouded leopards of Mt Santubong as well as measures to be taken to ensure their continued and permanent survival.

Going forward, more comprehensive and effective forest management and conservation are a must for the peninsula to ensure the clouded leopard and other iconic species such as the hornbills and Irrawady dolphins can survive and thrive.

“By itself, it (the leopard) has no value. It’s part of the forest. It requires the forest to live. Without the forest, there is no cat. The forests are the highest value of Santubong. With the forest, you have cats, hornbills and so on.

“With the forests, you have the prey base and food sources which they need to survive. When the forests degrade, the top predators are the first to go,” he explained.

Anthony also cautioned any measures to conserve and protect the unique forests of Santubong peninsula should include the sea, further strengthening the argument that the present boundaries of SNP should be extended.

“It should not be just land-based as Santubong has an integral connection with the surrounding seas. Everything about it is influenced by the sea. If you truly want to protect Santubong as an entity, you have to include the sea,” he said.

As for the clouded leopard, Anthony sees in it all the makings to be the state’s next great icon.

“It’s got everything you need to attract people’s attention. It looks beautiful and sexy — plus a ferocious snarl – all the mysterious romance of a beautiful endangered species we still know so little about.

“There’s just something about it which speaks to people,” he mused out loud.

On June 25, the MNSKB signed a memorandum of understanding with Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) to organise the second edition of ts highly successful Santubong Nature Festival (SNF) on Nov 8-9 this year.

This is the first time MNSKB is teaming up with a state agency to organise the SNF.

“This is such a unique opportunity for us and DBKU to showcase what Santubong has to offer. Think about it, how many city councils can legitimately say they have a mountain in their backyard? We look forward to working together with them to bring an even better SNF to the public this year to raise public awareness about Santutubong so that they can appreciate how wonderful and beautiful it is,” Anthony said.

To find out more about MNSKB or how you or your organization can participate in the SNF, email mns.santubong@gmail.com or visit http://mnskuching.blogspot.com and http://santubongnaturefestival.blogspot.com.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/07/06/protecting-santubongs-clouded-leopards/#ixzz36h0wh089