Three more elephants found dead

KUALA LUMPUR: Another rare Borneo pygmy elephant has been found dead of suspected poisoning, Malaysian officials said today.

This brings to 14 in the latest series of fatalities that has shaken conservation efforts.

Meanwhile, an official warned that a three-month-old baby elephant, poignantly photographed trying to nuzzle its dead mother, was losing weight fast and may not survive.

The decomposed remains of the latest known victim were located on Wednesday, said Laurentius Ambu, director of the wildlife department in the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island.

Officials believe the animals may have been poisoned, possibly by substances left out by workers at nearby oil palm plantations to deter the animals from eating their palm fruit.

They fear more dead pygmy elephants — an endangered species — could be found because they usually roam Borneo’s jungles in herds of 50 to 60 animals.

Masidi Manjun, Sabah’s tourism, culture and environment minister, warned it would be a “challenging task” to keep the three-month-old orphaned calf alive as it was consuming only half its normal 30 litres (7.9 gallons) of milk daily.

“It is surviving, but it is going to be a challenging task,” he told AFP by phone from Sabah of the calf, which has been named “Joe”.

It is being kept in quarantine at a wildlife park and has lost 10 kilograms (22 pounds) after being traumatised by an 800 kilometre (497 mile) road journey to the park, the Star newspaper said Thursday.

State officials on Tuesday released photos of the original 10 pachyderms to be found dead, including one of the orphan and its dead mother.

A chemists’ report on the beasts would be completed next week and could reveal what killed them. Poisoning is suspected due to severe ulceration and bleeding in the animals’ digestive tracts.

Dozens of wildlife officials, police and other personnel have been dispatched to comb through the Gunung Rara reserve, where the carcasses have been found, for other possible victims.

Masidi vowed to push for severe punishment including a stiff jail sentence for anyone found to have maliciously poisoned the animals.

“It is a combination of anger and sadness. I am still grieving. I fail to understand human behaviour,” he said.

WWF-Malaysia in a statement blamed the deaths on rampant felling of forests by planters, which had forced elephants to find alternative food and space and put them in conflict with humans.

The group says only about 1,200 Borneo pygmy elephants, which are smaller and have more rounded features than full-sized Asian elephants, are estimated to be left in the wild.

Kuching Golden Triangle

Kuching is a riverine city. Its location on the Sarawak River was chosen not only for its strategic and commercial importance, but also for its enchanting natural beauty. In days gone by the river was the city's main highway. The river still retains its importance and picturesque charm in the modern era. Present day life is still concentrated on the waterfront.
A meander on the Kuching waterfront is a walk through time; from Kuching's humble, ancient origins, to its status as a modern city. No visit to Kuching would be complete without a stroll on the modern esplanade, or to sit, relax and experience a Sarawakian sunset.

There have of course been many changes since James Brooke's time, but there are still many landmarks that are legacies from the White Raj. For the first time visitor, it would be easy to imagine the scene in 1839 when James Brooke first landed in Kuching, and started a new chapter in the annals of Sarawak's history.

The Waterfront has of course undergone several transformations since the 19th century - from a small settlement with a few atop buildings, to a busy port with warehouses and wharves, to the landscaped riverside walk it is today. The Waterfront is now also home to modern sculpture, an open-air theatre and a musical fountain.

Several buildings, originally built in the 19th and early 20th centuries to cater to Kuching's earlier development as a port and administrative center, have been restored to their former glory and are worth visiting, starting with the Sarawak Steamship Building.

volunteer programme for Borneo Jazz and RWMF

KUCHING: Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) has announced the opportunity for the public to join their volunteer programme for its iconic musical events, Borneo Jazz and Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF).
In a press statement issued yesterday, those interested to volunteer for these prestigious musical events in Sarawak may register respectively on the Borneo Jazz website at www.jazzborneo and the RWMF website at www.rwmf.net .
Volunteers can register online and only successful applicants will be notified via email or telephone.
The volunteer programme by STB is designed to provide an overall understanding of the operational aspects of the festivals for a successful musical event.
Volunteers will be required to participate and be involved in logistics, technical and operational aspects of the event management plan, event marketing plan and event operational plan.
The festival event management areas will require volunteers as liaison officers for the performing artists and handlers for the musical instruments. They are required to work during the workshops as well as the concerts and practice sessions.
Volunteers in the event marketing management will work in sales promotion, product development of festival tour packages, management information, media and public relations programme as well as media centre operation.
Event operation management volunteers will oversee the site readiness, vendor management, admission and gate operation, event secretariat, equipment and materials preparation, and transportation.
The volunteers play a significant part in running a festival smoothly. According to Qarmilla Chin, project manager for the 2013 festival, the programme had seen many repeated volunteers and provides not only a learning platform but also a time to get together.
Festival organiser STB will provide T-shirts to be worn on duty. The volunteers will be assigned on day or night shifts. Most volunteers from past events commented that they obtained invaluable experiences from the programme .
Closing date for the submission form is March 22 for Borneo Jazz and April 4 for the Rainforest World Music Festival.
The 7th Borneo Jazz will be from May 10-11 in Miri and the 16th Rainforest World Music Festival from June 28-30 in Kuching.
Check the festivals’ websites for information and updates on programmes, packages and more.


Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/01/10/volunteer-programme-for-borneo-jazz-and-rwmf-now-open/#ixzz2HZusjKON