(MY) rhinos threatened

[Guest guest]

Logging 'threatens Terengganu's endangered rhinos' - Malaysiakini.com

 

Nov 12, 08 6:34pm

Terengganu government is planning to log two forest reserves which is home

to the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros and endangered Malayan

tiger.

 

The proposed logging was revealed in a detailed environmental impact

assessment (DEIA), which was recently made available for public viewing.

 

[image: tembat and petuang forest reserve 121108]The DEIA, which is done by

an independent agency, is the process of examining the environmental effects

of the proposed plan to log of the forests.

 

The study revealed that the state government has proposed to log 12,630

hectares of forest adjacent to the 6,130 hectares of forest reserve

currently being cleared for the construction of two hydropower dams.

 

" The Tembat and Petuang Forest Reserves, which also act as a water catchment

area for Tasik Kenyir, are currently being logged to build the Puah and

Tembat dams, " said conservation group World Wildlife Fund in a press

statement today.

 

It said that a survey conducted as part of the DEIA has revealed evidence of

the presence of the elusive Sumatran rhinoceros within the Tembat Forest

Reserve.

 

" Both the forest reserves are also habitat for other endangered wildlife,

namely the Malayan tiger and Malayan tapir which are totally protected

animals under the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972. "

 

[image: sumatran rhinoceros 270106]The environmental impact assessment also

exposed a shocking fact - that logging has already begun in the forest

reserves despite that no approval has been given.

 

" Satellite images in the DEIA indicate that clear felling of the reservoir

area and adjacent hills has begun since 2005-2006.

 

" According to the DEIA, the site of the catchment area has already

experienced changes of between 25 and 30 percent and new logging tracks have

already been constructed, " said WWF-Malaysia.

 

" There seems to be little regard for relevant laws and the DEIA process, "

lamented WWF chief executive officer Dr Dionysius Sharma.

 

*One-third of elephants to be forced out*

 

[image: terengganu logging catchment area wildlife threat 121108 02]According

to the study, the logging will also affect the elephant population in the

forests, where about one-third will be forced into nearby plantations,

creating more human-elephant conflict.

 

" This will result in loss of revenue to plantation owners and property

damages. In the long run, the government will incur higher cost for

human-wildlife conflict management, " said Dionysius.

 

The DEIA also states that the high soil erosion and sedimentation as a

result of the logging will affect fish biodiversity and spawning grounds.

 

" The Kelah fish population found in rivers there will undeniably decrease.

Kelah has high conservation and commercial values, " said the WWF chief

executive.

 

[image: terengganu logging catchment area wildlife threat 121108 01]Dionysius

also added that eco-tourism activities will be affected, translating to loss

of revenue to the eco-tourism operators in the area.

 

The WWF has called on the state government to protect the two forest

reserves by classifying them as wildlife sanctuaries under the National

Forestry Act 1984 and gazetting them as water catchment forests.

 

" Logging or clear felling should not be allowed to take place at any time, "

he said.