(MY) Latest on the hippos given as gifts, in their wetland sanctuary

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New Straits Times » Local

 

Sanctuary under siege

Farrah Naz Karim

 

PUTRAJAYA, Mon 8 Aug 2005

 

Rounded bellies slack, brown skin almost black: The hippopotamuses of the

Paya Indah Wetlands Sanctuary were in a near-critical condition.

 

That was Azman Othman’s first sight of the animals five months ago, when the

Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) took over after the

cash-strapped sanctuary shut its gates.

 

The four creatures, gifts from the Botswana Government, were dying from

neglect, starvation and threat of being poisoned by the stagnant lake in

which they lived.

 

Azman, a Perhilitan assistant director, and a team of park rangers

immediately moved into one of the chalets there and put all their energy

into saving these emaciated animals and the other neglected wildlife there.

 

It was too little too late for one of the four Nile hippos. Ti-Ami, the

younger of the two males, died in May.

 

Since then, the remaining three — Kundra, Cendana and Juita — have regained

their " rotund " appearance.

 

The park, 50km from Kuala Lumpur, lies in a peat swamp forest and sustains a

myriad of ecosystems.

 

Four years ago, the sanctuary was touted as Malaysia’s eco-tourism showcase.

Nearly RM160 million was allocated to turn 3,100ha of tin mining land into a

park.

 

It has been an uphill struggle for Azman and his five-man team. He has not

left the sanctuary since moving in.

 

 

The mini-lakes for swans and pelicans, among others, were dried up because

of broken water pumps.

 

Poachers entered the fenceless wetlands freely and went bird-hunting.

 

Most of the animals have not reproduced, because of the poor living

conditions. Recently, however, the crocodiles laid eggs.

 

The wetlands were also under siege: There is evidence that the lakes were

being mined for sand.

 

Meanwhile, the hippo lake was stagnant. Lab tests showed the water had a pH

level of less than 5, as acidic as some fruit juices.

 

A concrete trench that was supposed to bring fresh water was choked with

weeds. Without flowing water, the hippos were wallowing in their own faeces.

 

The trench has been cleared, and a pump installed to ensure the lake stays

clean. The hippos consume at least 50kg of vegetables a day. They also get

nutrient pellets as supplements.

 

Azman’s determination to nurse them back to health has helped him form a

bond. Standing by the lake, he calls out: " Kundera, Kundera " .

 

And the one-tonne male lumbers from its watery refuge to eat the bananas

thrown on the bank.

 

" They are on their way to recovery. "

 

 

New Straits Times » Local

 

Park likely to re-open next March

 

 

PUTRAJAYA, Mon 8 August 2005

--

 

With months of work still to be done, the Paya Indah Wetlands Sanctuary may

only re-open some time before next March.

 

With about 15 per cent of the turnaround work completed, it will not meet

its year-end re-opening deadline, said Wildlife and National Parks

Department (Perhilitan) deputy director-general Burhanuddin Mohamed.

 

Still, rehabilitation work is in full swing, with six officers working

around-the-clock.

 

Perhilitan is conducting soil studies and working closely with the Forest

Research Institute Malaysia to ensure trees are properly planted.

 

It has been in charge since March, after the park’s cash-strapped management

closed it down.

 

The park’s failure remains a mystery. The Natural Resources and Environment

Ministry said in March it would investigate the matter.

 

But its spokesman said last week the report, to be submitted to the Cabinet,

was not ready.

 

Before its closure, the management, under the Malaysian Wetlands Foundation,

was spending RM120,000 a month on operations, but revenues hovered around

RM50,000.

 

More than RM90 million was spent to rehabilitate the landscape over seven

years until it opened in 2001.

 

Experts in soil, hydrology, biology, wildlife, landscaping and engineering

laboured on the project.

 

Another RM70 million was spent on upkeep and development.

 

The park was said to have had an average of 100 to 200 visitors a month, and

only a third of its 33 chalets occupied. Sponsors also dropped out.

 

Chief operating officer Nor Hisham Ismail gave assurances that there was no

cause for alarm about the state of the park.

 

However, Burhanuddin said much of the park’s infrastructure needed to be

replaced.

 

The lobby’s pillars have collapsed from termite attacks and the chalets

scattered throughout the park need to be refurbished.

 

 

The New Straits Times

 

RM10m lifeline for Paya Indah

Hamidah Atan

 

PUTRAJAYA, Tues - August 9th 2005.

--

 

The Government has approved an allocation of RM10 million to rehabilitate

the Paya Indah Wetlands Sanctuary.

Part of the money will be used to plant more than 2,000 trees on the

460-hectare wetlands, once touted as Malaysia’s eco-tourism showcase.

 

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (National Economic Planning)

Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said the Government was committed to preserving the

important national treasure and to turn it into the country’s premier

wetlands for future generations.

 

" The Government will provide sufficient funds for this sanctuary under the

Ninth Malaysia Plan, " he said.

 

" This is a small sum but money worth spending. In terms of returns, we will

be able to preserve and protect such fragile environments, which has always

been among the Government’s main concerns. "

 

GREEN FIELDS: A view of the Paya Indah Wetlands Sanctuary from the lake.

 

Mustapa said the allocation would also be used to repair and upgrade

existing facilities such as bridges and chalets.

 

" The Government, through the Economic Planning Unit, has appointed a local

contractor who will plant the trees and repair the facilities. In the next

few days, the contractor will clear a 28ha area within the sanctuary to be

turned into a nursery where various species of trees from Tanjung Malim will

be transferred and planted, " he said.

 

The trees to be planted at the wetlands include those that can bear fruits

for wildlife and birds, including migratory species.

 

Mustapa spent about an hour visiting the sanctuary today, accompanied by

several Wildlife and National Parks Department officers, including its

deputy director-general (Operations) Jasmi Abdul and the department’s

assistant director Azman Othman.

 

" There are abundant fish in the lakes and animals like the hippopotamuses

and crocodiles are much healthier now. The drainage system where these

animals are has been improved. "

 

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