Biologists are collecting data on cetaceans in Langkawi in a bid to understand how best to protect them.

WHENEVER Langkawi is mentioned, it usually conjures up images of sandy beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, mangroves and duty-free shopping. Few visitors realise that the waters around Langkawi’s 104 islands are home to dolphins, porpoises and even whales.

As a marine biologist, Dr Louisa Ponnampalam hopes to raise awareness about sea mammals that live around Pulau Langkawi, Kedah

Marine biologist Dr Louisa Ponnampalam, co-founder of the MareCet Research Organisation which is involved in marine mammal research, hopes that this will change and is working hard to increase awareness and collect data about marine mammals in the island off Kedah.

“If we can do good research here in Langkawi, then we can start to think about starting similar research projects in places like Penang and Perak,” she says.

Last month, she conducted a week-long survey of marine mammals with volunteers and members of Langkawi Dolphin Research, a project of MareCet. The organisation derives its name from the Latin mare – meaning sea – and a contraction of the word cetacean, which is the collective noun for whales, dolphins and porpoises. As the name suggests, these are the animals that are the object of Ponnampalam’s study.

“We’ve been doing this since 2010. The more data we collect, the more we will know about the habits of these mammals in their natural environment. We can use this knowledge to understand how best to protect them.”

Some of the data gathered during the field trip includes new information on the distribution of marine mammals around Langkawi, including estimates of group size and the movement and abundance of these groups. By comparing photos from previous field trips, Ponnampalam has shown that some individual humpback dolphins seem to prefer certain sites around Langkawi, while others tend to move around the archipelago a bit more.

When asked why the organisation chose to focus on Langkawi, she replies: “We had already heard of quite a few sightings in Langkawi, so we knew there were marine mammals here, but there was no reliable data to say exactly how many and of what species. Since Langkawi is one of Malaysia’s top tourism destinations, we felt it important to understand the dynamics of how land-based and water-based human activities may be affecting the animals and their marine environment. The fact that Langkawi is easily accessible compared to the islands on the east coast of the peninsula makes a difference, too.”

As well as spending time at sea looking for cetaceans, members of MareCet are also actively involved in establishing a dialogue with local fishermen who are also an important source of first-hand information about the presence and behaviour of marine mammals. MareCet provides guidelines to them on safe fishing practices, particularly the types of nets and hooks to be used to avoid injuring or killing marine mammals. Their website also provides advice for tourism operators, which include not allowing anyone to feed, touch or swim with the animals.

Living her dream

Ponnampalam is a dynamic young woman who clearly has the dedication and drive necessary for her chosen career.

“This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” she says. “I am living my dream. When I was 13, I told everyone that I would go to Hawaii and study to become a marine biologist and that I would set up my own research facility back in Malaysia. I haven’t quite achieved the second part yet, but MareCet is a starting point.”

Dr Louisa Ponnampalam processing a dugong skull

Although she studied in Hawaii and Scotland and did research for her PhD in Oman, she always planned on returning to Malaysia. “I love to travel, but Malaysia is my home. And the marine mammals here are begging to be studied. Marine biology is still very young in Malaysia. Compared to other countries, there is still a lot to do here. That makes it exciting to be a marine biologist in Malaysia. In a way, we are pioneers.”

During last month’s survey, the group sighted Indo-Pacific finless porpoises, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and Bryde’s whales around Langkawi as well as Irrawaddy dolphins close to Kuala Perlis. Group sizes for the dolphins and porpoises ranged from one to 150 individuals but for whales, only one or two were seen at a time.

I was lucky enough to be invited to join the survey team on two of their field trips. Both days, we set off before 7am and did not get back until 10pm. Most of that time was spent out on the water.

“It’s a reality check for some of the young students who are considering a career in marine biology,” says Ponnampalam. “My friends say, ‘Oh, you’re so lucky to go out on the boat’ but they don’t see the long hours we put in. Not everyone is willing, or able, to spend time in such basic conditions, or eat peanut butter sandwiches every day,” she says with a laugh.

Most of her days on board are spent in a high seat that reminds me of a tennis umpire’s chair. From that vantage point, there is a greater field of vision, but it is exhausting to keep watching the waves for any sign of movement in the water. Every wave and shadow makes you wonder if something is there.

The first morning, after barely half an hour out of Kuah harbour, we spot something. The boat idles to a halt. The silence ringing in my ears after the engine cuts out is soon replaced by the splash of waves against the fibreglass hull of the boat.

“Indo-Pacific finless porpoise – three, possibly five,” calls out Ponnampalam from her perch, looking through a pair of binoculars. This information is noted down, along with the GPS coordinates. Visibility and wave swell height according to the Beaufort scale are jotted down as well and we take measurements of depth, water temperature, salinity, level of dissolved oxygen and the presence of any other boats in the vicinity. All this raw data will be fed into a computer at the end of the day and will provide Ponnampalam with plenty of work at her post in the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences in Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.

“We’ve seen large groups of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins during this trip and they appear to consist mainly of mother-calf pairs, perhaps a strategy of ‘safety in numbers’. We also observed very high-energy social and sexual activity in the groups of humpback dolphins that we encountered.”

Helpful technology

This year, another boat has joined in the survey. Dr Satoko Kimura of Nagoya University in Japan is an acoustics specialist conducting research on freshwater ρnless porpoises found in the Yangtze River in China and has come to Langkawi to further her research.

“We are very lucky that she can join us on this field trip,” says Ponnampalam. “It’s the first time that we are using acoustic methods to study dolphins in Malaysia.”

I join Kimura’s boat in the afternoon. The skipper is a sleepy fisherman who spends his nights fishing for squid. I help Kimura keep him awake, but occasionally he falls asleep and the boat steers wildly off course. Her boat travels more slowly than the lead boat and trails a long cable with specially designed microphones attached.

“Dolphins and porpoises make sounds all the time,” says Kimura. “If there is poor visibility, they use sounds to let each other know where they are. They communicate in very high-frequency sounds that humans cannot hear. We can hear 16-20 hertz but Yangtze finless porpoises can hear up to 125 hertz.”

There are two NBHF (Narrow-Band High-Frequency) units on the cable, each with two microphones. Analysing the sounds by triangulation can give the precise location of a mammal and, in a small group, give an idea of the number of individuals present. This data will later be compared to Ponnampalam’s visual sightings.

“Maybe she can see two or three dolphins but the acoustic readings can sometimes show that there were more individuals below the surface. This gives us more accurate data,” says Kimura.

Other than the few porpoises in the morning, we don’t see anything else for the rest of the day. The steady hypnotic hum of the boat engine and the rocking of the waves conspire to lull me to sleep. I wake to find that the wind has picked up. White crests are zipping across the peaks of the waves as the weather hovers between three and four on the Beaufort scale.

GPS coordinates have been pre-set and we follow invisible transect lines along the sea, ranging from almost all the way south to Pulau Payar, where fishing trawlers hover just beyond the border of the designated marine park, close to Kuala Perlis in the north, just a couple of nautical miles shy of the border with Thailand. It is dark by the time we return to Kuah harbour.

Biggest fish

The following evening, Ponnampalam tells me that the team sighted 152 Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. This was something I really wanted to see, so I joined the team again the following day in the hopes of sighting something similar. This time, the transect lines were shorter and ranged more to the south of Langkawi, skirting Pulau Tuba, Pulau Dayang Bunting and dozens of smaller islands with isolated empty beaches and interesting rock formations. I discovered parts of Langkawi that I had never seen before, well off the paths of the standard island-hopping tours that are so popular with the island’s visitors.

I was travelling in Kimura’s boat. Ponnampalam and her team had reached the end of the line and were waiting for us to arrive. Suddenly everyone was standing up and pointing at something in the water. I saw see a few ripples, but couldn’t tell what it was.

“A whale shark,” shouts Ponnampalam excitedly. I took from her demeanour that this was something quite exceptional.

Our boatman took us in a bit closer to the ripples, but I still couldn’t see anything except the reflected glare off the surface of the water. Then suddenly it was there right beside our boat, barely a metre beneath the surface. I was stunned by the size of it – almost as long as our boat and more than big enough to overturn us if it should so wish, but the whale shark seemed content to let us admire the rows of star-like patterns on its back and give us the time to snap a few photos. The whale shark is the world’s biggest fish and can measure up to 14m. The creature we spotted is roughly half that size.

After a few minutes, it dived deeper and then the surface ripples appeared further out. The boatmen turned their boats and we headed back towards the main island.

“According to local fishermen, they are found near Langkawi from September to February,” says Ponnampalam .

The following day, the MareCet team made two more whale shark sightings in addition to all the other data gathered over the week.

Malaysia is a maritime nation and a fish-eating nation. It depends on the health of its waters to feed its population and maintain its fisheries. In order to protect its maritime assets, more has to be understood about these complex ecosystems and that requires dedicated researchers like Ponnampalam and her team and the facilities necessary to do their work.

“I hope that we can raise awareness of the importance of marine conservation in Malaysia and that the work we are doing will someday materialise into a permanent research facility here in Langkawi,” says Ponnampalam. - Marc de Faoite

Much of MareCet’s funding is now dependent on research grants from Australia and Universiti Malaya. To continue its research, it welcomes contributions, both financial and in kind, from individuals and corporations. Learn more about MareCet at marecet.org.

Map: Pulau Langkawi, Kedah

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Just like humans, trees can be individually identified through DNA. Scientists are building up a DNA database of commonly traded timber trees for use in curbing illegal logging.

DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC acid, otherwise known as DNA, is nature’s barcode. It is inherent in nearly every cell in every organism, and could just be our answer to curbing illegal timber trade.

It might sound like science fiction or something out of an alternative CSI episode where investigators track down trees instead of killers, but DNA fingerprinting for trees based on technologies routinely used in criminal forensics holds much promise in the field of international enforcement.

In fact, these tools are prime candidates for putting a spanner on illegal logging – an industry which has devastating consequences for biodiversity, ecosystems and national economies alike.

To understand how this is possible, you need to think of DNA as a code. Genes in specific sequences translate into a variety of proteins which do most of the work in cells (structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs, for example).

DNA profiling promises a better chance at curbing the global illegal timber trade.

A good analogy put forward by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins is to think of genes as instructions in a cooking recipe. The instructions “collaborate” in the cookery process to culminate in a dish. Genes are expressed in a similarly collaborative fashion, but result in developmental processes which culminate in a body, be it human, fly or tree.

Dr Lee Soon Leong specialises in the DNA found in trees. He wades through peat swamps and treks through isolated forests to expand his collection of tree DNA samples, which he studies at the genetics laboratory at Forestry Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM).

In this leafy hub of scientific activity hidden away from the dusty streets of Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, Lee heads the genetics laboratory. In recent years, his team has been engaged in research which has important implications for prosecutors trying to bring illegally logged timber cases to court.

To understand this work, however, we first need to understand a highly interesting and useful feature of DNA – some sequences are highly conserved, whilst others are more variable.

Chloroplast genes which code for proteins involved in photosynthesis, for example, perform an important function that green plants cannot do without – allowing green plants to use energy from sunlight to synthesise food out of carbon dioxide and water. The DNA in these gene sequences are therefore highly conserved, and are likely to be very consistent between individuals of the same plant species.

Not all DNA sequences actually code for genes, however, and within these intergenic regions, harmless mutations which do not pose any disadvantage will often occur, and be passed on to subsequent generations. In this way, sequence changes can clock up along these segments, so the DNA profiles of specific intergenic regions in a distantly related group of trees will be increasingly more divergent from those of their founding population. This feature makes DNA profiling the perfect tool for shedding light on the murky routes of illegal timber trade, which is often obscured by log laundering.

Dodgy paperwork is just one of the methods companies use to disguise the origin and species of timber, effectively “legalising” logs that have come from an illegal source.

Researchers from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia have been busy collecting tree tissue samples for DNA profiling.

When you consider how advanced the world has become – increasingly powerful and advanced technologies being made to members of the public through smartphones, for example – it is surprising just how rudimentary our global timber trade tracking system is. The main checks that occur rely on an examination of externally applied, and easily manipulated, marks such as ink, metal bands and tags. These are cross-checked against paper documents, which can be falsified.

It is hard to blame customs officials. After all, a block of wood is, to the average person, a block of wood. Shipments of processed logs all pretty much look the same when you’re not trained in wood anatomy, which is currently the standard method used in log identification.

Even then, a timber package suspicious enough to warrant checking is subject to some disadvantages – important timber tree species are not necessarily visually distinguishable from similar species in the sawn form. All these are serious problems when it comes to the mislabelling of trade-restricted or endangered species of wood for laundering purposes.

The barcode of life

Illegal loggers might be able to mess with the paper system but they cannot mess with DNA. It is a unique property inherent in trees, and present in almost every cell within a solid wood product. It is the differences in variability across the genome that has allowed scientists like Lee to play detective, taking unknown wood samples, and tracing their origins using specific DNA sequences or “DNA markers”. Highly conserved DNA markers that are consistent within a species can be used as “barcodes” for species identification, he explains.

Since their project began in 2010, Lee’s team has amassed barcodes for half of Malaysia’s 408 commercially valuable timber species. The database of barcodes can be used for rapid identification of wood species used in heavy construction and furniture manufacturing. There is also potential implication in conservation as the barcodes can be used to assess plant biodiversity.

Dr Lee Soon Leong (third from left) and his team of forest researchers have drawn up DNA ‘barcodes’ for 204 timber tree species.

Whilst the highly conserved barcodes can be used for timber species identification, intergenic markers can be used to track geographical origins. Closely related trees located within the same timber concession might share common marker sequences, but the further you go, the more variation you will find within those markers. This effectively enables scientists to calculate the statistical probability of an unknown wood sample coming from a specific region, or population of trees.

But first, a database of intergenic DNA markers must be compiled from samples covering the species’ geographical range. This is exact what Lee’s team has done for cengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii), a valuable timber species which reportedly fetches up to RM10,000 per tonne, and ramin melawis (Gonystylus bancanus), a rare and endangered species which is trade-restricted and found only within dwindling lowland freshwater and peat swamp forests. Work is also currently under way to create databases for kempas (Koompassia mallaccensis) and dark red meranti (Shorea platyclados).

Being able to make geographical distinctions with regards to the place of origin of the timber has ground-breaking implications. It means that a DNA sample extracted from any piece of wood, be it a shipment going through customs or a piece of furniture, can be used to cross-check the source that is stated in the paperwork.

To take things a step further, stretches of DNA known as “microsatellites” are also variable, so these can act like individual fingerprints with only two samples from the same tree providing a perfect match.

Proving that misdeclared logs have not originated from a legal timber concession remains one of the timber world’s biggest challenges.

Section 15 of the National Forestry Act 1984 prohibits the taking of forest produce from permanent reserved forest or state land forest without a licence but it has yet to be the basis for any prosecution, partly due to the difficulties involved in producing evidence strong enough to stand up in court.

Lee says the primary application for his research is to furnish enforcement agencies with the necessary tools to do their job.

Microsatellite markers, for example, should be good enough to prove beyond doubt that there has been a chain-of-custody breach along the life cycle of a wood product, especially if the DNA can be matched to a specific tree stump.

Aside from helping with the prosecution of illegal loggers, there is a bigger picture his work is helping to build.

The data his team are generating can be used for fundamental sciences and furthering our understanding about the evolutionary genetics of tropical plants, and can also be used to identify biodiversity hubs and come up with more effective conservation strategies.

“Safeguarding our forests and figuring out how best to conserve them is important,” says Lee. “Because the forest doesn’t just belong to existing generations, but also to future generations.” – By NATALIE HENG

Due diligence through DNA

THE lack of practicable control mechanisms to identify the origins of timber and wood products means that every year, an undetermined amount of illegally logged timber makes it onto the mainstream market.

Up to 50% of the wood exported from South-East Asia, the Amazon, central Africa and Russia is suspected to have come from illegal sources, according to the European Union’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan. This is equivalent to US$15bil (RM45bil) worth of losses in revenue and assets every year for some of the poorest countries in the world.

It is acknowledged that illegal deforestation is not just the responsibility of suppliers, but also consumer countries. Next year, a new piece of legislation will come into force, effectively banning the world’s largest single market, the European Union, from importing any illegally-sourced timber.

This has left timber supply countries, including Malaysia, which currently exports about RM2.29bil worth of timber products to the EU annually, scrambling to finalise the EU-Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA). Supporting this is the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan, to help relevant countries set up a legality assurance system so that they can comply with the new regulation.

It is in this context that technologies such as DNA fingerprinting and stable-isotyping, a technology with similar uses, are emerging to take centrestage, as they might just be the solutions the world is looking for when it comes to the due diligence required for the issuance of FLEGT timber export licences.

In line with this, Biodiversity International has launched a new facility, based in Kuala Lumpur, to promote the identification of timber species and their origins. Scientific co-ordinator for the facility, Marius Ekue, says that by the end of the three-year project, they aim to have a functional international database featuring genetic and stable isotopes for 20 major commercial species of timber.

“We also expect to have an international agreement on standards for using genetic and stable isotopes markers for timber species identification and tracking, so certification bodies and other service providers can start incorporating genetic and stable isotope fingerprinting into their evaluation criteria.”

One big advantage of DNA and stable isotopes, says Ekue, is that such markers can also be used with processed wood.

“Such tools are already being used for major food commodities. There is no reason why it should not work for wood and wood products.”

The ultimate goal is to eliminate the possibility of falsifying accompanying chain-of-custody documents, by introducing a new and effective weapon in the fight against timber laundering. Aside from recent DNA database profiling work done at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, there are a number of international projects geared towards similar objectives.

There is also potential for co-operation with existing databases, such as the Barcode of Life, which is an international collaboration between scientists to create a single, open access database containing barcodes for as many species as possible.

In the mean time, however, the facility will serve to bridge these individual efforts by co-ordinating a series of workshops aimed at helping various quarters reach agreements on knowledge-sharing so they can work together. A regional workshop for the Asia-Pacific region will be held in China next month.

This year, Ghana became the first country to conclude its EU-Voluntary Partnership Agreement. Two countries are currently undergoing the ratification process while seven more are still in negotiations. Malaysia, one of the first countries to begin negotiations, hopes to finalise its agreement by the end of the year.

It might be a while before the science is translated into a viable system offering DNA-based timber tracking services but at least the wheels have been set in motion, promising a better chance at curbing the global illegal timber trade. – By NATALIE HENG

Thumbnail Image ©stock.xchng, renzoin

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Without the cooperation from communities, activists, traders and governments, WWF Malaysia’s turtle conservation programme in Malacca would not have reaped the success it enjoys today.

Malacca’s coastline saw one of the highest nestings of Hawksbill turtles in 2011, a success story that has been made possible through collaboration between the state government, non-governmental organisations and members of the public.

Over 500 nestings were recorded, an achievement comparable to that at the Sabah Turtle Island, one of the main nesting sites for the Hawksbill turtle in Malaysia.

A lone hatchling makes its way to the ocean at the Padang Kemunting beach in Malacca.

One of the main activities of this turtle protection programme, which was imperative to its success, is the creation of patrolling teams.   During the peak nesting season from April to September, teams will monitor key nesting beaches from sunset to sunrise, sometimes covering distances of almost 40km.  WWF-Malaysia’s staff, assistants, interns and volunteers make up these teams.

The objective of these patrols is to deter poachers from stealing freshly laid eggs, and to transfer these new eggs into a protected hatchery, with the help of the Fisheries Department and licensed egg collectors.   Patrol teams cover beaches at Kem-Terendak-Tanjung Bidara, Padang Kemunting-Pasir Gembur and Pulau Upeh.  The latest beach to be patrolled is Balik Batu beach.

Another aspect of the turtle protection programme is to deploy satellite transmitters on selected turtles to monitor their movements, and help scientists understand migration patterns of turtles.  The data is useful to identify the potential threats to turtles and ways to protect these reptiles.  These turtles often swim over long distances, sometimes from as far as Jawa, Indonesia to come to Malacca’s beaches to nest.

A Hawksbill turtle tagged with a satellite transmitter.

And like any programme that involves communities, education is vital. Penyu Balik ke Kampung Halamanku (Turtles Returning to My Village) is the theme used to create awareness among fishermen, chalet operators, schoolchildren and villagers.   The Padang Kemunting Turtle Conservation and Information Centre also plays its role in educating the public on the importance of protecting Hawksbill turtles.

The newest addition to this awareness programme is the Hawksbill Melaka Eco-tourism programme, where operators are educated about proper practices when conducting tours, without disturbing the turtles or their habitat.

Map: Padang Kemunting Turtle Conservation and Information Centre

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Wanted: laws with bite

A cause to travel

A foundation and a sanctuary have come together and, like anxious parents, are hoping for the patter of little feet someday – so that the Sumatran rhino can be saved from extinction.

It is 10 in the morning and Tam is as restless as a child wanting to get out and play. Wilson Kuntil, his keeper, patiently coaxes him to settle down. The 20-year-old rhino paces the floor of his paddock and keeps knocking at the metal gate with the stub of his horn.

Though Wilson has been working at the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary for less than a year, he’s already become attached to Tam (short for Kertam) and two other rhinos, females named Puntung and Gelogob. These Sumatran rhinos were captured and translocated to the sanctuary in the hopes of breeding them.

Animal passion: Wilson Kuntil, Tam’s keeper, has become attached to the Sumatran rhino after a year working with him at the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary in Sabah.

Since the 1980s, efforts to conserve the Sumatran rhinoceros have been an uphill task in this region. Scientists estimate there are only 200 of these rhinos left in the wild with a meagre population of less than 40 in central and east Sabah.

In 2009, the Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) began work on curbing the rapid extinction of these animals with the set up of the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary within the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, near Lahad Datu in eastern Sabah. The sanctuary now houses these three Sumatran rhinos that were rescued over the past three years, with the latest, Puntung, in December last year.

It is with the help of private funders like Yayasan Sime Darby, which has provided RM5mil over the last three years, that conservation work at the sanctuary has been able to move forward. Bora’s executive director, Datuk Dr Junaidi Payne, says funding was recently extended for another three years with the foundation pledging RM6.4mil more.

Tam eagerly trots home from the wallow outside his paddock, looking forward to his wash and feed, no doubt!

He adds that the bulk of the funds will be used to maintain an optimum number of staff who will track and monitor rhinos. In December last year these efforts took an encouraging turn with the capture of Puntung. The 12-year-old female’s name is the Malay word for “stump” – she has a front foot missing.

At that time, the Bora team was hopeful that perhaps Puntung and Tam could produce a calf. But hopes were dashed when they found Puntung has problems with her uterus and surgery is needed before any attempt at conception can be made.

Today, she stays in her wallow outside the paddock most of the time, as the ground is softer and better for her stump. Puntung and Tam, unlike Gelogob, are let out of their paddocks to go to their wallows in the jungle daily. They have been conditioned to return after four to five hours.

Like eager parents, the team at the sanctuary awaits the rhinos’ return each day, and then cleans and feeds them. And like eager parents, the team is also looking forward to Tam siring a baby rhino soon. – By TAN JU ENG

Bora’s birth

The Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) is a local NGO based in Sabah. Active since the year 2000, and formerly known as SOS Rhino and subsequently SOS Rhino Borneo, Bora provides protection and monitoring of a critical population of Sumatran rhinos in Tabin Wildlife Reserve in eastern Sabah.

The critically endangered Sumatran rhino is now one of the world’s rarest mammals. Its populations have dwindled to fewer than 200 animals. Of the sub-species found on Borneo (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni), less than 40 are thought to survive, clinging to pockets of forest in eastern and central Sabah. The two main populations, numbering perhaps 13-15 rhinos each, are in the Danum Valley Conservation Area and Tabin Wildlife Reserve, with a few other isolated individuals scattered elsewhere.

File photo of Sabah Wildlife department officials trying to capture Tam after he was found wandering around an oil palm plantation near Tabin in 2008. Tam became the first resident of the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary that was established soon after his capture.

Recognising the urgency of this situation, from 2000 SOS Rhino (a US-based NGO) began to actively assist the Sabah Wildlife Department in rhino protection in Tabin. In 2003, SOS Rhino Borneo (SOSRB), a local NGO, was established in the form of a not-for-profit company to provide protection for Tabin’s rhinos through patrolling, monitoring and community outreach.

After several years of building a foundation for this work, in 2007 a workshop with all relevant stakeholders was organised to chart the future of the Sabah rhino. This resulted in a resolution to develop a Borneo Rhino Sanctuary, and a Rhino Action Plan.

Encouraged by this commitment, SOS Rhino announced in December 2007 that it would cease to provide further funding for SOSRB after June 2008. Working with a group of concerned individuals within the conservation movement in Sabah, a six-month transition process was initiated to continue and expand on the work they had started and sustained over the years. In May 2008, SOSRB moved forward with a new Sabah-based board comprised of highly skilled, qualified and dedicated Sabah-based conservation leaders. Commencing in January 2009, the name Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) was adopted to better reflect the collaborative nature of rhino conservation work in Sabah. – Source: borneorhinoalliance.org

Map: Tabin Wildlife Reserve

Video: Life of a Rhino keeper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovJTfzVkYlk

Video: Wallowing with Gelogob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rL7f85By-I

Video: Sime Darby support for rhino breeding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzlCWqOfe9Q

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Last hope for rhinos

Off limits to the public, the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve is used as an outdoor lab for UPM’s forestry students to carry out various research.

The Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve in Puchong is rich in biodiversity and serves as an outdoor research lab for undergraduates specialising in forest research.

allMalaysia.info recently met Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Forestry Faculty dean Datin Dr Faridah Hanum Ibrahim and several faculty members to find out more about the research facilities housed in the Sultan Idris Shah Forestry Education Centre (Sisfec) located within the forest.

Community activity: A UPM forestry staff member explaining about herbal plants to students during an educational visit to the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve.

The forest became a topic of debate recently when some hikers were denied entry by security guards stationed at the entrance at Taman Wawasan 5/1.

They have now asked for permission to continue hiking in the forest.

The 1,176ha forest is under the jurisdiction of the Selangor Forestry Department and the Selangor government granted a 80-year lease to UPM in 1996 for education, research and extension in forestry.

Having been gazetted as a education and research forest, the forest is actually off-limits to the public and access is granted upon permission by the UPM Forestry Faculty.

The faculty offers three undergraduate programmes (Bachelor of Wood Science and Technology; Bachelor of Forestry Science; and Bachelor of Parks and Recreation Sciences) and graduate courses like Master of Tropical Forest Resource Management and Master of Wood Industries Technology.

UPM deputy dean Dr Mohd Zaki Hamzah said they had more than 600 students, including 239 post-graduate students.

“We have more than 50 courses running each semester and the forest serves as an outdoor research laboratory for our students,” said Dr Mohd Zaki.

The research centre is accessible through the eastern border in Taman Saujana Puchong and includes a main administration centre, a lecture hall, laboratories, dormitories, camp site, nursery, obstacle course circuit and a paintball field.

Dr Faridah. said the dormitories were completed in 2009 while the academic buildings were completed last year.

“We have been conducting research in the forest, sometimes with international researchers, long before these facilities were built,” she said.

The chalets can accommodate up to 60 students doing field work in the forest.

“The obstacle course and paintball field are meant for our recreational and leadership training.

“The paintball field is built on an open area is not meant for public use,” she said.

Wildlife ecology lecturer Dr Puan Chong Leong said some of his undergraduate students who were studying the birds and wildlife would set up camp in the forest, staying between one and two months while the post-graduates could be staying there for up to a year.

Spotted: This bright-coloured Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher is one of the 200 species recorded in the forest reserve.

“There are more than 200 species of birds recorded in the forest and most are protected species.

“About 35 of them are threatened species. There are also more than 30 species of migratory birds every year,” said Dr Puan.

Dr Faridah said the university followed a Forest Management Plan that was approved by the state government and Forestry Department,

“We have had two plans so far. The first one was from 1996 to 2006 while the second will bring us through 2015.

“There are 8.1ha zoned for development and we have so far used about 2ha,” she said.

Forest and plantation section head Dr Paiman Bawon stressed that the plan was put in place to ensure that the management of the forest was carried out systematically.

Besides the development zone, the other three zones were controlled disturbance, no-disturbance, and a demonstration forest and outdoor recreation zone.

Part of the trail used by hikers goes through the no-disturbance zone.

Senior lecturer and researcher Dr Manohar Mariapan said the effects of having too many people in the forest was cumulative and could only be seen over time.

New facility: The lecture hall in the UPM Sultan Idris Shah Forestry Education Centre is used by students.

“The research that we are doing here is for the longevity of the forest. Having external disturbances would affect our study,” he said.

Associate Professor Dr Lai Food See said people sometimes had the misconception that if they went in for just a few hours, it would not affect the health of the forest.

“Over years, it can have a degenerative effect on the forest.

“Only certain areas are designated for our activities,” said Dr Lai.

Dr Manohar said garbage and food bits left behind attracted rodents and increased the risk of the diseases like leptospirosis because there was a river running through the forest.

“Leptospirosis is caused by rat urine and because the river flows past the housing area, it could affect residents,” he said.

Selangor Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) chairman Henry Goh said the public’s request to use the forest was a fair one but they must also ensure that their activities would not affect the research reserve.

“The Selangor Forestry Department and UPM have plans to develop part of the main forest into a community park,” he said.

From an environmental standpoint, Goh said some of the effects of having an unrestricted and uncontrolled number of people entering the forest were trail degradation, soil erosion and pollution.

“Although there are genuine nature lovers, there are bound to be a few who will cut trees, poach animals, and pollute sites and streams.

“There must be some mechanism put in place to ensure that this does not happen.” he said.

He suggested that the hikers formally register an association and be responsible for the actions of their members.

Living outdoors: Students can sometimes spend up to a year in the forest to do research on wildlife and would set up tents in the area.

“The access and activities of the hikers should be limited to the approved trails. The trail users can also help to repair and improve the trails.

“MNS is ready to provide advice and assistance on the proper approach towards conservation and protection of our environment for stakeholders and the public,” said Goh.

UPM professors and lecturers suggested that the trail could go around the forest instead of through it.

State Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong said they hoped to settle the issue by the end of this month.

“We want to make it a recreational trail for people to enjoy without disturbing the forest.

“We have gone through the route taken by the hikers through the entrance at Taman Wawasan and we have had discussions with the Forestry Department.

“We want more people to be involved, including the orang asli,” she said.

Wong said the Ayer Hitam forest had been gazetted as a permanent reserve for education and research, including the 22ha site that was originally earmarked for a cemetery.

“We are hoping to work out a route around the fringes of the forest to minimise disturbances.

“The forest is a regional centre for research and we advise people to stick to the route once we have determined it,” she said. – By TAN KARR WEI, Photos courtesy of UPM

Map: Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve

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Sanctuaries sacrificed

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Do your bit for the environment by counting the birds in your backyard.

Calling all experienced and novice birders. The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) needs your help to do a bird count today and tomorrow for its MY Garden Birdwatch (MYGB2012) project.

The nationwide bird survey on garden birds can be done anywhere in Malaysia, on the weekend (June 2 and 3) before World Environment Day, which falls on June 5. All you need to do is spend 30 minutes at one spot in a park, garden, backyard or playground, observing and jotting down all the birds you see.

The Yellow-Vented Bulbul was among the common birds spotted last year. – Pictures courtesy of Andy Paul and Serina Rahman

Don’t know how to identify these birds? Then download a pictorial bird guide to learn basic identification skills.

Also print out the count sheet and bring it along for the survey. Counting times are from 7-11am and 4-6pm, when birds are most active.

Introduced in 2010, this national non-profit project is organised under MNS’ Bird Conservation Council and seeks to raise awareness about garden birds, as well as track and monitor their numbers across the country.

According to Khoo Swee Seng, who leads the MNS data analysis team this year, there has never been a survey of garden birds in Malaysia. The upcoming bird counting project will enable MNS to look at the distribution of garden birds and monitor its population.

Conceived after a similar initiative in the United Kingdom called the Big Garden Birdwatch, MNS hopes the data collected over a period of time will help give a better understanding of the bird populations in Malaysia.

“The results may show that there are declines in certain species. The reasons causing these declines can then be identified and hopefully reversed,” explains Khoo.

However, it will take at least five years to track the emergence of population trends, and 10 years of data to see any confirmed trend.

He says, “There is no set time for this survey to continue because once the survey stops, so does the information we get about garden birds. Therefore, ideally, the survey should continue in perpetuity.”

The Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater.

“The beauty of surveys like these is that they often open up a whole new world for the uninitiated. While keeping tabs on the birds, people start to notice bizarre insects, peculiar plants and how everything is cleverly connected in the natural world,” adds project coordinator Chin Pik Wun.

Last year, only 135 counters (participants) took part in the project, while in 2010, the figure was 205. This year, MNS expects a substantial increase in the number of counters, with nearly 480 people from various states in the country pledging to count birds at their chosen survey sites for two consecutive years. In contrast, a similar survey in the UK attracted almost 600,000 counters this year.

“We hope the survey will grow as more people participate as individuals, or with friends and family. The strength of the survey lies in the number of counters mobilised around the country, so every entry makes a difference. So, it’s time we peeled ourselves away from the couch and give the garden birds a tiny dose of attention!” says Chin.

Won’t two counters observing from the same spot result in double counting?

“No,” replies Khoo. “The chances of two participants counting at the same site are remote due to the low number of counters. One of the reasons we do not count flying birds is to lessen the chance of double counting as flying birds are more likely to be seen by more than one counter. Also, counters are asked to stay in one spot when they conduct the survey, without walking around.”

Even if you don’t see any birds, submit your data. However, if you only hear a bird chirping but can’t see it, don’t count it. And no, you don’t need a pair of binoculars. Just your naked eye will do. If you do have a pair of binoculars, bring it along. They may give you a better look at the birds and help you identify them accurately.

In the past two years, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow emerged as the most commonly sighted garden bird, followed by the Common Myna.

In 2011, the bulk of the survey sites (41%) were in the central zone, which is Selangor. The northern zone came close, with 56 survey sites. This year, Chin is hoping that more people from various states can chip in to have their areas represented.

Chin has been bird watching for eight years and finds it therapeutic.

Last year, she ran the survey at four sites, one of which was along the Klang River (where The Gardens mall looks out to). Chin spotted six species in half an hour – Little Heron (13), White-Throated Kingfisher (1), House Crow (9), Pacific Swallow (1), Yellow-Vented Bulbul (1) and Eurasian Tree Sparrow (12).

The Oriental Magpie-robin.

“I was also at the Kwong Tong Chinese Cemetery where ten species were recorded within just half an hour. From the balcony at home, I spotted eight species. I plan to run the survey at all four sites again this year. I might include a new site or two … this can be addictive!”

Despite loving all bird species, Chin doesn’t have a bird as a pet, as she doesn’t believe in keeping them in a cage.

“Wings are for flying, no? Birds are all around us, anyway. There is the Olive-Backed Sunbird that perches on the retired Astro dish and sings on my balcony while I’m having lunch or hanging out the laundry, and the Blue-Tailed Bee-Eaters that dive from the TV aerial onto the neighbour’s roof to catch insects,” she says.

For business consultant Hurnain Abdul Hamid, 34, bird watching is a brilliant way to attract people to birds.

“They don’t have to go deep into the jungle or up a mountain as what the birders are wont to do. People can still stay in their comfort zone and do their birding,” says the business consultant who spotted close to 20 birds in his backyard in Sungai Penchala, Kuala Lumpur, last year.

“Plus, it is also a good way to add to the bird’s list, especially in urban areas.”

The Pacific Swallow.

Hurnain was the former Herpetofauna group coordinator for the MNS Selangor branch and his specialties are reptiles and amphibians.

So, what are you waiting for? Spring into action now. Once you’ve completed the survey, key in the data at www.mygardenbirdwatch.com by June 17. A team appointed by the Bird Conservation Council of MNS will analyse the results and rank the species in terms of abundance (most numerous) and distribution (most widespread).

You don’t have to be a veteran bird watcher to participate in this survey. You can count alone or with your family and friends. Bird watching is not only an educational activity, but the numbers collated are important indicators of our environment’s health. The 2012 results will be announced at mygardenbirdwatch.com in September. – By REVATHI MURUGAPPAN

Video: MY Garden Birdwatch 101

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbWLzMvA2s8

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Nature appreciation

Perfect for bird watching

Caves are an important part of Malaysia’s natural heritage, providing the opportunity for all manner of flora and fauna to thrive. Conservation groups work on various initiatives with the support of local authorities to teach the public on the importance of cave biodiversity.

A spectacular sight in the Dark Cave, one of the three main caves in Batu Caves.

Malaysia has been blessed with some of the largest and longest caves in the world, each of which acts as a natural habitat to a variety of wildlife, and provides benefits to the environment.

The most striking examples of this natural formation – exemplifying the importance of the cave ecosystem – can be found in the state of Sarawak, particularly within the Mulu National Park.

The park has one of the largest limestone cave systems in the world, with breathtaking (not to mention record-breaking) caves such as the Gua Nasib Bagus (Good Luck Cave) which houses the largest known underground chamber in the world (Sarawak Chamber); the Clearwater Cave System which spans a passage of 110km, the largest interconnected cave system in the world by volume; and the famous Niah Caves which is known as a key archaeological site.

This, in fact, is just a sample of a long list of caves and cave systems located throughout Malaysia, offering a chance for environmental awareness and education.

The animals that live within these caves or karst formations, with bats being the most obvious examples, benefit the larger ecosystem by helping with pest control and pollination in surrounding areas.

Arguably the most-visited cave in Peninsular Malaysia is Batu Caves, where the Dark Cave is located. This cave is known to be one of the best-studied natural formations in the world and is enriched with cave fauna.

Being the longest cave on that limestone hill, it is home to the rarest spider in the world – the Trapdoor Spider or Liphistirus batuensis. The Dark Cave also provides shelter to a wildlife community of over 100 million years old.

To promote cave conservation and protection, the Malaysian Nature Society runs adventure and educational tours and programmes with their partners Cave Management Group Sdn Bhd to educate the public on the importance of caves.

Other cave conservationists like the Malaysian Karst Society study these formations to help with legislation on cave protection.

Entrance of Niah Cave in Sarawak.

For example, the society works on preparing cave and karst databases to help proper management of these geological formations and natural wonders.

Research on these caves would help discover new species, which add value to the ecosystem.

Some of the species found in the Malaysian caves are endemic in nature, and require greater protection. Conservationists alongside scientific researchers often call for protection of caves against human activity such as quarrying.

A Neolithic man's remains were excavated from Niah, Sarawak in 1977.

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Gems on the rocks

Berjaya does its part for Mother Nature.

An island where you can trek through the lush jungle, and then run across the powdery sand for a dip in crystal-clear waters: Tioman Island, or Pulau Tioman, is truly one of Mother Nature’s finest examples.

Unfortunately, like the rest of the world, Tioman has been polluted due to ignorance, apathy and a plain lack of caring, and if things are allowed to continue, one of Malaysia’s finest jewels may only exist in photographs.

Enter Berjaya Hotels & Resorts.

Working with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), as part of the larger Project AWARE, Berjaya brought together 60 divers and over 100 other participants – including staff, media, and primary school students – in its effort to restore the island to its natural perfection.

A diver looking for “Crowns of Thorns".

The Tioman Island Clean-up Day (TICD), which took place from March 2-4 had a simple but noble aim: to educate people about the importance of preserving the cleanliness of the island, from airport runway to the sea.

So, as part of the media group, I shortly found myself picking up bits of washed-up debris on the beach with my group of schoolchildren. The children are our future, said the late Whitney Houston, and Berjaya really subscribes to that school of thought.

Fifty children from the nearby Sekolah Kebangsaan Tekek joined in the beach clean-up session, roaming the beach while stuffing everything from discarded bottles to plastic bags in huge bags, eventually amassing over 300kg of trash.

They were also educated on turtle conservation by Professor Chan Eng Heng from the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia, via a children’s storybook she penned, titled Little Turtle Messenger, which local up-and-coming celebrity Fimie Don read out loud to a captivated audience.

Berjaya’s clean-up effort didn’t just stay within sight of the sea, it extended to the runway as well! And by runway, I mean the airport runway. We were each given a pair of gloves and a bag, and put to work walking the runway, so to say.

Thankfully, this effort was in partnership with Berjaya Air, so we could go about our task without having to scatter before incoming air traffic. We picked up whatever we could find that wasn’t already embedded in the tarmac, everything from sticks and stones and metal pieces.

Members of media on the airport runway during TICD 2012.

Captain Zaki, a pilot with Berjaya Air, explained the significance of the items we found. FOD, or foreign object damage, is a very real problem as even small objects, when subjected to the four torque (or 4000 pounds of force) of power needed for takeoff, can cause a significant amount of damage.

A rock, flying with that kind of force, can damage nearby buildings or injure people in the vicinity, Captain Zaki stressed. We left the airport that day humbled by the thought that what we figured to be menial labour at first could actually be saving lives and/or property. After all, how many of us really stop to think about whether or not the runway is littered? Very few.

While we cleaned up on-ground, the divers were under the sea, busily picking up “Crowns of Thorns,” which destroy reefs and, by extension, the balance of the underwater ecosystem. A total of 121 were removed from the surrounding islands, less than last year’s 185; there are less this year, proving that the TICDs are definitely making a positive change for coral beds and breeding grounds alike.

We were given a chance to experience first-hand how beautiful the island is, to fully understand why efforts to preserve Tioman as well as other islands and beaches are so important.

While trekking through the jungle, us city slickers couldn’t help but marvel at how untouched it was. The trees looked so large they could’ve been there since the beginning of time, and the waterfall at the end of our trek was crystal clear, cold, and apparently clean enough to drink (although we were too chicken to test it out)!

Berjaya Tioman Resort brought together 60 divers and over 100 other participants, including staff, media, and primary school students.

I also took part in the Discover Scuba activity and went snorkelling. As someone who had never really been underwater before, actually being IN the water, looking at the beauty all around, made me suddenly realise just how much we’d miss if it were to all die off and disappear.

In Tioman, you can see straight down to the seabed. How many rivers in Kuala Lumpur are so brown they look more like teh tarik than water? Berjaya is definitely doing their best to make sure that Tioman stays as pristine as possible, for as long as possible.

Luxury amidst nature

Of course, Berjaya doesn’t just offer you a chance to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the island. The beauty of its 4-star resort complements that of its surroundings with the luxury that one has come to expect from the Berjaya Hotels & Resorts group.

The chalets are a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. However, depending on where you are, your journey to the lobby and the restaurants may be a bit of a walk. But with such beautiful surroundings, a walk is less a chore – it’s one way to enjoy the island, right?

If you’d rather not walk around, you could always just stay in your chalet; each chalet either faces the sea, the gardens, the hills or the rainforest so you can sit on your verandah and soak up the sea air.

Berjaya Tioman Resort boasts an 18-hole golf course.

Those who need to constantly update their Facebook and Twitter will face a challenge here though: There is no wi-fi in the rooms, and certain telcos’ 3G connection is non-existent on the island.

At night, expect to see guests camped in the lobby and restaurant, laptops and phones in hand. Make sure your devices are fully charged before you camp there too, while there are many plug points, there are more internet-deprived guests than there are sockets.

Berjaya Tioman Resort boasts an 18-hole golf course, with a view of the South China Sea AND a lush rainforest atop rolling hills.

If you prefer aquatic activities, the PADI dive centre is about five minutes by shuttle bus away from your doorstep, with a whole list of activities catering to the newbies, the pros, as well as children, so put on your goggles and get in that water! Fifteen dive sites, teeming with vibrant corals, turtles, fish, crustaceans and rock formations are waiting for you to explore them.

Tioman Island is the best of sea, rainforest and laid-back island life, and with Berjaya’s help, you can be assured you’ll get the most out of your getaway!

Map: Berjaya Tioman Resort

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Would you think twice about paying an extra ringgit for organic products if it was for a good cause?

When it comes to organically-grown food, the question is no longer: “Are they better for you?” Instead, people are asking: “Are they worth the premium price?”

Never mind that scientific evidence has shown that organic products are indeed the healthier alternative; many still write them off as a mere “lifestyle choice”.

Only one in five Malaysians are willing to fork out more for them, according to the Nielsen 2011 Global Online Environment and Sustainability Survey, which polled over 25,000 Internet respondents in 51 countries.

But what if we told you that by paying RM3 more for a bag of organic vegetables, you are potentially helping to support the livelihood of the less fortunate?

That’s precisely what’s happening at the Badan Amal Nur Zaharah in Janda Baik, Pahang.

The Badan Amal Nur Zaharah welfare home is surrounded by a sea of green that is put to good use: the home grows organic vegetables and fruits for its own use and for sale.

Just 40 minutes’ drive from Kuala Lumpur, Janda Baik is a quiet enclave located in the heart of Banjaran Titiwangsa. It is here that Nur Zaharah, established in 2005 by chairperson Datin Norjan Noor, serves as a welfare home for children and young adults between the age of four and 20.

At a glance, the boy’s home at Kampung Chemperoh (the girls live apart at Kampung Sum Sum Hilir) seems ordinary enough, consisting of a simple white-washed double-storey building with walkways that circle the upper tier. Instead of a garden, however, the home is surrounded by a field that stretches out on slightly more than half a hectare of land. Half of this sea of green is used, not as a football field for the boys as most would expect but, as an organic farm that helps generate a modest income for the organisation.

“We grow a variety of leafy vegetables like kailan, sawi and siu pak choy,” says manager Yahya Yusof, 29, who runs the home and farm. Once a week, hired workers will transport boxes containing 3kg worth of fresh produce, via motorcycle, direct to their customers’ doorsteps – all 30 of them who reside in KL.

“Instead of depending solely on public donations, we decided early on that we wanted to do something more proactive to support the centre,” explains Yahya, who obtained a degree in Islamic law from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia in Nilai, Negri Sembilan. Upon graduation, he came to learn of the need for self-sustainable orphanages in the country and was keen on seeing what he could do to help.

Badan Amal Nur Zaharah home manager, Yahya Yusof tending to the passion fruit.

The father of two then took on the task of heading Nur Zaharah, but not before he had spent some time in Singapore learning about how to better manage welfare homes.

Every month, the farm draws an income of RM4,000 – a generous sum if one was feeding a family of four. But Nur Zaharah is home to 41 young residents. Running the centre requires RM25,000 a month.

As a symphony of bleating cuts through the air, Yahya reveals that for extra income, the home collects rental for a goat shed – and the farm uses the free organic goat manure to fertilise the crops.

Yahya says the home is “still surviving”, but adds that support is always welcome.

Apart from public and private contributions, Nur Zaharah is also banking on its newly-opened Coffee and Craft Shop to help bring in additional revenue. The shop, run by skilled personnel, offers java brewed from the farm’s own coffee beans, while the crafts are all-natural wood décor made from recycled materials.

Nutrition is usually a problem that plagues the underprivileged but it is hardly a problem at Nur Zaharah, as the home essentially grows its own food. And the air at Janda Baik is crisp and fresh, ideal even for growing children.

“Every Saturday, the kids will help in maintaining the farm. They seem to enjoy it. They were the ones who planted the passion fruit (vine),” Yahya says, pointing towards the robust green spheres that dangle intertwined with the iron fence.

Apart from contributions, Nur Zaharah is also banking its hopes on its Coffee and Craft Shop for additional revenue. The shop offers java brewed from the farm’s home-grown coffee beans, whilst the "craft" here refers to its all-natural wood décor made from recycled material.

Every child, it seems, has his or her own “tree”, in which they take great pride. When their tree bears fruit, the children feel a huge sense of achievement, not unlike the feeling one has after creating a masterpiece, says Yahya.

While organic farming is still a small industry worldwide – accounting for less than 2% of global retail production, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation – Nur Zaharah is certainly setting a good example when it comes to self-sustainability.

“My aim is that in 10 years’ time, the farm will be able to generate enough income to fully support the home,” Yahya says.

There is value in organic farming, and Nur Zaharah has found a way to maximise its benefits to support the welfare of the underprivileged. Their stance is not unlike the Organics 4 Orphans organisation (organics4orphans.org) founded in 2008 by Canadians Dale and Linda Bolton, which set out to teach communities in Africa how to grow high-quality organic food so that everyone could be fed. While their vision is to improve the health and lifestyle of orphans, they are also helping rural Africans to escape from extreme poverty.

Pricey though they may seem, organic products are, in more ways than one, life-savers. Doesn’t that say something about their worth? – By LEE MEI LI

This article won the Best Environment Story award at the HSBC-Wild Asia Responsible Journalists Programme held in Janda Baik, Pahang, in Oct 2010. The programme, in its second year, was designed to inspire and challenge journalists to look deeper into the root causes of environmental and social issues, to help them understand how the natural world interrelates with our daily lives.

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Take it slow

Home for useful wigglers

Sumatran rhino numbers have plunged so low that if captive breeding is not done now, the species might well tip over the brink.

She has difficulty moving and hobbles pitifully around her enclosure in a special sanctuary in Sabah. Her left forefoot is just a stump – it was caught in a snare when she was a calf. So they named her Puntung, Malay for “stump”.

Her handicap had prevented her from actively foraging for food, which explains her skinny frame – the lines of her rib cage show through her torso.

“With only three good legs, she can’t move far in the forest. She can’t reach for a lot of food, she can only browse. She has lacerations on her neck and hind leg and is badly scarred, indicating how tough a time she must have had in the forest,” says veterinarian Dr Zainal Zahari Zainuddin.

Keeping cool: Recently trapped rhino, Puntung, gets a cooling shower from workers at the Borneo Rhino Sanctuary in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sabah. Found to be solitary with little chance of mating with a male, a decision was made to capture her for captive breeding.

Thankfully, Puntung, a female Sumatran rhinoceros, is now safely esconced at Borneo Rhino Sanctuary, a 4,500ha sprawl of forest within Tabin Wildlife Reserve, some 45km from Lahad Datu in eastern Sabah.

Late last year, news of her capture made headlines all over the world. She was trapped on Dec 18 in another part of Tabin and on Christmas Day, airlifted by helicopter to the sanctuary. In her new home, she is showered with attention. She has her own paddock and workers feed her with leaves from different trees and occasionally shower her with water to keep her cool.

All that pampering is with a purpose – Puntung is to be nursed back to health so that she can mate with Tam, short for Kretam, a male rhino at the sanctuary. The pair promises wildlife biologists another shot at breeding the critically-endangered species in captivity; it is a last-ditch attempt to save a species which is staring at extinction.

The Sumatran rhinos (or Asian two-horned rhino, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) are dying out as their habitat has dwindled, they are shot for their horns and increasing isolation hinders their breeding. Surveys of known rhino strongholds Taman Negara, Royal Belum State Park and Endau-Rompin National Park in recent years showed no evidence of rhinos, causing some within the wildlife conservation fraternity here to believe that the animal is all but poached out in Peninsular Malaysia.

In Sabah, the population is down to less than 40, which makes the state our only hope of preventing local extinction of the species. (The only other place which harbours the species is Sumatra, which has an estimated population of 150.)

The loss of the rhino is not a modern-day occurrence. They were already being hunted in the 1900s. Vetting old newspapers on Sabah, wildlife biologist Dr Junaidi Payne finds that rhinos were routinely hunted in the early 1900s, during which 20 rhino horns were exported annually. From the 1960s to the 90s, the hunt continued as people still coveted rhino horns as folk remedies, plus there was an added threat – loss of rhino habitat as forests were cleared for timber and conversion to human settlements, farms and plantations.

Today, major deforestation has slowed down somewhat, so loss of habitat is no longer the main threat to rhinos, according to Payne. Rather, it is their dwindling numbers and isolation which prevent breeding, stifling any possibility of expanding the population. Which is why a group of wildlife conservationists has formed the Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) to spearhead a captive breeding programme at Tabin, as a last recourse for the species.

“The problem now is that most remaining rhinos are infertile and too old to breed, and too scattered to meet and breed,” says Payne, executive director of Bora. “Most are solitary, just living out their lives. When a species declines to such low numbers, the only way to boost numbers and birth rate above death rate may be to bring some individuals together to increase the prospects for breeding. “Some people say the way to protect them is in the wild. We did that in the 80s, but the numbers still went down. Clearly (just) protecting and monitoring rhinos is a recipe for witnessing their extinction. So, there is only one priority, which is to make them breed.”

In the case of Puntung, she is unlikely to breed in the wild as monitoring work since 2007 shows that she never leaves her 15sqkm territory and no males venture there either; hence a decision was made in late 2009 to trap her.

Unsuccessful mating

Catching endangered wild animals to breed them in captive conditions is controversial but Payne points out that that was exactly how and why the African and Indian rhinos did not go extinct in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nonetheless, wariness lingers over the practice as past attempts, thwarted by poor husbandry and uncertainties, saw little success.

At the rhino sanctuary, Puntung gets plenty of veterinary care from Dr Jorg Junhold (left), director of Germany’s Leipzig Zoo, and veterinarian Dr Zainal Zahari Zainuddin. Her left foreleg, probably caught in a snare, has lost all its hooves.

Between 1984 and 1994, 40 rhinos were captured in Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah under an International Union for Conservation of Nature-led rhino rescue project. The animals ended up in European and American zoos, and in breeding facilities in their home states.

Most, however, fared badly in captivity and died from various diseases and old age. (In hindsight, the experts 30 years ago did not know enough about the rhino’s nutritional needs and reproductive health. In the wild, rhinos eat some 200 species of leaves, some of which contain compounds which bind iron. In captivity, the diet is not as varied, leading to iron accumulation and eventually, diseases.)

Of the 40 rhinos, only one pair, in Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio, the United States, bred and produced three babies. The animal keepers there got the care and the diet right and so, were successful. One of the captive-bred males, Andalas, was returned to Indonesia in 2007 to join three other females at the rhino sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra. The female, Ratu, is now pregnant and due to deliver in July, having miscarried twice before.

In Peninsular Malaysia, captive breeding efforts at the Sungai Dusun Rhino Conservation Centre in Selangor saw no success and ended abruptly in late 2003 when all five remaining rhinos died over a span of 18 days from bacterial infection caused by unkempt conditions. In August 2006, the sole captive male rhino in Sabah then was killed by a falling tree branch at the breeding centre located within the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre in Sepilok, Sandakan. This left the female rhino, Gelogob, without a mate. The breeding programme was doomed until 2008, when Tam was found in an oil palm plantation and trapped.

Past failures in captive breeding were partly because the biology of wild rhinos had conspired against them. Many of the captive rhinos had reproductive pathology associated with long non-productive periods. Many were too old and not fertile, and the females had cysts in their ovary tracts while the males had low sperm count. Sabah Wildlife Department veterinarian Dr Senthilvel Nathan explains: “When animals are sexually inactive and have not mated, their hormonal system is affected, they get reproductively unsound.”

Such is the tragic story of Gelogob, the sole survivor of the 1984-1994 capture programme. She was fertile in 1994 and showed signs of having given birth but by the time Tam was trapped and paired with her, Gelogob was no longer in her prime and her pregnancy did not come to term. Today, she is too old to breed and treatment to promote ovulation has not worked.

Breeding science

At the new rhino sanctuary in Tabin, however, wildlife biologists are optimistic about current breeding efforts as advances in reproductive science mean more options are available. Fussed over by attentive staff, Puntung has piled on over 7kg since her arrival and now weighs close to 500kg. Her enclosure is separated from, but is next to Tam’s, so that they can get familiar with each other’s scent. Puntung now has her own 1,000sqm paddock and this will slowly be enlarged to include the forested area where she can roam. She will be given time to get used to her new environment, before any breeding attempts can start.

Male rhino Kretam, or Tam, dashing off into his forested paddock in the sanctuary in Tabin. Found in an oil palm estate in 2008, he was trapped for captive breeding and will now be paired with recently captured female, Puntung.

Dr Zainal keeps a close watch over Puntung. Her blood is being tested for progesterone levels to determine her reproductive health. “I’m quite certain that her reproductive system is healthy as she’s young, around 10 to 12 years old,” says the Bora field manager. Enclosures are also sanitised – even the pellets fed to the rhinos are tested for fungus – to prevent a repeat of past mishaps of captive rhinos dying from infections triggered by unhygienic conditions.

Three to four months of blood sampling will be needed before the Bora team can decide on the most suitable breeding method to employ, either natural means or advanced reproductive methods such as artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation. Ultrasound scans will enable Zainal to know when the animals are in heat and can be brought together to mate.

But there is a potential snag: Tam’s virility appears to be on the decline. “Tam is producing semen but in small amounts and not of good quality,” says Zainal. “This could be due to many factors. We’re doing electro-ejaculation, and this will give various results as you’re forcing the animal to ejaculate. The best is ejaculation through natural means. He used to give good semen in 2009 and then it fluctuated; it could be due to stress or age (Tam is about 20 years old).”

To beef up chances of success, foreign experts experienced in breeding rhinos are lending their expertise. Dr Jorg Junhold, director of Germany’s Leipzig Zoo, says artificial insemination was first successfully used for elephants eight years ago and can be tried out on rhinos. The zoo has a long history of keeping African rhinos and has bred the black rhino. “In principle, there are a lot of parallels in the keeping of different species of rhinos, which is why Leipzig Zoo is partnering and funding the project here, so we can add our experience to keeping rhinos.”

Will it make a difference?

There is also a plan to cryopreserve sperm from Tam for possible impregnation of captive female rhinos from either the peninsula or Sumatra. (In the past, all three rhino range states worked independently of each other, due to a belief that the Sabahan population is a sub-species. This has since been disputed based on DNA work and scientists now agree that rhinos from all three sites should be managed as one conservation unit.)

Puntung was captured specifically for a captive breeding project.

But even if Tam and Puntung were to produce an offspring, would it make any difference to the survival of the species in the wild? Will it be enough to rejuvenate the dwindling population? With their already small numbers, the slow-breeding rhinos – they have a gestation period of 15 months and a birth-interval of three years – are unlikely to reproduce fast enough to repopulate their own kind.

Payne disagrees: “There are a few fertile rhinos left, so they can be saved if brought together. People say they’re so inbred, is it worthwhile? Several species including the American bison, African and Indian rhinos and Arabian onyx got very, very low in numbers because of people slaughtering them in the late 19th century. Those went down to tens, less than a hundred. But people got together and put them in paddocks and the animals bred and those species are still alive. They may be inbred but they’re still there.”

Recent months have seen dismal news about the world’s rhinos: in October, the Javan rhino was declared extinct in Vietnam, its last range in mainland Asia (the last Javan rhino in Peninsular Malaysia was shot in 1932). Shortly after, in November, the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced the extinction of the western black rhino in Africa.

It also warned that a sub-species of the white rhino in central Africa, the northern white rhino, is teetering on the brink of extinction and has been listed as “possibly extinct in the wild”. The Sumatran rhino appears to be heading down the same path, if we do not act fast enough.

“This species is on the edge of extinction,” says Payne. “There is a chance to save an animal that started off millions of years ago, but that chance will be lost within this decade if sustained action is not taken now.” – By TAN CHENG LI

The captive breeding project at Borneo Rhino Sanctuary is possible only because of generous funding from Yayasan Sime Darby. The foundation committed RM5mil over three years for the project. The foundation’s “Big 9” project focuses on the conservation of nine endangered animals. They include the proboscis monkey (RM1.5mil), orang utan (RM25mil), rhino (RM5mil) and Peninsular Malaysia elephants (RM3.3mil). Funding for the other species – the tiger, sun bear, hornbill, clouded leopard and banteng – has not been finalised.

Map: Tabin Wildlife Reserve

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