(MY) elepant crossings

[Guest guest]

Tuesday May 23, 2006 - The Star

 

Research needed

 

SPEAKING UP

 

THE sight of an elephant and a calf walking across the Gerik-Jeli

highway which was reported in the newspapers may be awe-inspiring, but

it spells disaster for elephants. Scenes like these are worrisome and

drive home the fact that the construction of highways and roads eat

into wildlife habitats.

 

Not only are these elephants in a vulnerable situation, they pose a

risk to road users too.

 

Sahabat Alam Malaysia has previously raised the problem of wildlife

crossings through letters to the Ministry concerned, but to our

disappointment no effective measures have been initiated.

 

Clearly not enough is being done to ensure the safety of our wildlife.

As traffic volume increases and development continues to spread across

the landscape, fragmentation and animal-vehicle collisions will

continue to rise.

 

After nearly a decade of major road-building projects, there has been

virtually no studies carried out on how to incorporate wildlife

crossing structures. No measures are being taken to reduce wildlife

crossings by maintaining or improving habitat connectivity.

 

Studies by the Western Transportation Institute in Montana State

University, the United States, have shown that wildlife will use

crossing structures. However, the level of use varies between species,

locations and landscapes. Therefore research and studies have to be

carried out, focusing on mitigating wildlife mortality and habitat

fragmentation.

 

Basic data needs to be recorded and analysed to illustrate the

magnitude of the problem and changes over time.

 

Road planners and engineers rarely consider that roads and highways

cause forested areas to become fragmented, besides allowing access to

poachers.

 

Adequate forest is the most important requirement in maintaining a

viable population of elephants and ensuring the survival of most of

the other species found within its large home range. Connecting

national parks, wildlife reserves and multiple use forest areas

through " corridors " will provide for elephant movements and prevent

pocketed elephant herds and genetic degradation of their population.

 

Long-term planning must be part of conservation efforts for elephants

and all large mammals.

 

Until and unless governments work together to ensure sustainable

development and balanced co-existence with our wildlife, there remains

the danger that our elephants may someday be lost forever.

 

S.M. Mohd Idris,

President,

Sahabat Alam Malaysia

 

--\

------------------------------

 

Tuesday May 23, 2006

 

 

Worrying development

 

SPEAKING UP

 

THE Malaysian Nature Society is concerned about the recent enthusiasm

for deployment of artificial reefs around marine parks in Malaysia

without proper planning and study.

 

Many organisations share MNS's concern regarding artificial reefs. At

present, the study on the success rate of coral regeneration on

artifical reefs is inconclusive. Assessments of old reef balls

indicate that coral regeneration is almost non-existent and only

bivalves and sea urchins are found on them.

 

Without clear indication on the success rate of reef balls, relevant

organisations must be more cautious in deploying artificial reefs.

Apart from that, the placement of artificial reefs is an issue that

needs attention. A reconnaissance dive by MNS on April 22 showed that

several artificial reefs deployed in Pirate Reef off Tioman were

placed over staghorn corals, damaging the reef. This has been a major

concern regarding deployment of artificial reefs. Without proper

methods to place the units, many healthy corals are damaged,

contributing to the degradation of the marine environment.

 

In view of this, MNS calls for a better study on artificial reefs

before any effort is taken to deploy them. We would also like to see

better supervision of their deployment and constant monitoring of such

activities by the Marine Park authorities.

 

Lastly, we call for more resources to be channelled towards studying

the natural marine ecosystem and its functions, rather than being

channelled into counter-productive activities such as building

artificial reefs.

 

Malaysian Nature Society