By AFOP, January 24th 2012

Sumatran elephants were once widespread on the Indonesian island of Sumatra but in 2011 there are between 2,400 and 2,800 remaining, a sharp population decline of more than 80% in the last 75 years. In 1985, Sumatran elephant populations were estimated to be 5,000 but the fragmentation of their habitat due to land clearance for palm oil and pulp plantations and logging has pushed the species close to extinction.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recently changed the classification of the species from endangered to critically endangered. The IUCN upgraded the status after carrying out an assessment that tracked the rate of habitat loss on Sumatra, which is estimated at 69% on the last 25 years. The IUCN also pointed out that many Sumatran elephant populations risk being wiped out because they are not living in protected areas and conflict with humans is likely. On occasions, Indonesia’s elephants venture into human settlements in their search for food and in the process may destroy crops and attack humans, making them prime targets for angry villagers. The other threat these animals face is poaching, as their tusks can fetch hefty prices on the black market.

If the Sumatran elephant has a chance at survival, more areas need to be put aside by the Indonesian government to protect their remaining habitat. Currently, 85% of the Sumatran elephants habitat is not under protection, according to the IUCN.

Guardian- Sumatran elephant upgraded to critically endangered status

(CC) Image by aurelgrooves

By AFOP, January 23rd 2012

Malaysian wildlife authorities from the Sabah Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Rescue Unit are currently nursing a baby Borneo pygmy elephant calf on Borneo island, rescued from a deep moat outside a palm oil plantation.

According to wildlife officials, that spoke to Malaysia’s New Straits Times newspaper, the elephant was found severely dehydrated, with many visible cuts to the body. The elephant was also found abandoned by its mother, an unusual occurrence seeing that elephant mothers and herds never abandon calves. The calf is currently receiving 24 hour intensive care and if it can survive the next 72 hours in care, its chances of survival will be better.

This is the fifth Borneo pygmy elephant calf rescued since 2009 by Malaysian wildlife authorities, three of those previously rescued were unable to survive after their traumatic experience. The Borneo pygmy elephant, a sub-species of the Asian elephant number at just 2,000 in the wild and this number is continually decreasing. A range of threats including human encroachment and loss of habitat are pushing elephants into increasingly dwindling habitats, mainly making them confined to the northern and northeastern parts of Borneo. The loss of habitat, disruption to migration roots and depletion of food sources may be the prime cause of Borneo pygmy elephant calves getting stranded near plantations.

New Straits Times: Abandoned baby elephant rescued

(CC) Image by PLoS

By AFOP, January 22nd 2012

Chinese hotel chain Shangri-La has taken shark fin soup off the menu’s from all 72 of its worldwide hotels in an effort to reduce pressure on dwindling worldwide shark populations. The hotel giant also announced plans to phase out the sale of bluefin tuna and the Patagonian tooth fish, both species severely threatened by overfishing. Shangri-La has adopted a Corporate Social Responsibility strategy since 2005 and has been working on marine conservation initiatives to ensure coral reef stability and sustainable seafood practices.

The move by the hotel company came just days before Chinese New Year celebrations which is celebrated on the 23rd January, a time when almost one third of all shark fins are consumed. Between 26 million to 73 million sharks have their fins ruthlessly cut off from them before being thrown back into the sea to die each year in order to supply fins to restaurants and hotels, many of which are located in China.

In November 2011, The Peninsula hotel became the first traditional hotel in Hong Kong to ban shark fin soup from menus. This was shortly followed by 112 companies signing up to a ‘Say No’ initiative to remove shark fin soup from corporate banquets.

In a recent survey by the Hong Kong Shark Foundation, 98% of 64 leading hotels were found to serve endangered marine species, almost all of them selling shark fin soup. The decision by Shangri-La and the Peninsula may help pave the way for more hotels to follow.

Guardian- Shangri-La hotels take shark fin soup off the menu

Image by PIRO-NOAA Observer Program

By AFOP, January 20th 2012

In a statement issued by the Indonesian President‘s office, 45% of Kalimantan, Indonesia’s part of Borneo, is being set aside as a protected area. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) has signed a decree that will give species including the orangutan and the proboscis monkey the opportunity to flourish and will help protect the local ecosystem of Kalimantan.

The regulation, issued on January 5th 2012 will ensure sustainable use of forest resources, sustainable oil and palm production, rehabilitation of degraded forest areas and a control on the expansion of farmlands. The regulation will also seek to establish a network of conservation areas, links together by ‘ecosystem corridors’ which would enable the growth of plant species and the free passage of animal species from one part of forest to another.

Indonesia shares Borneo island with Malaysia and Brunei and in 2007 an agreement was signed by these countries to protect 220,000 square kilometres of forest. Last year, the Indonesia President vowed to spend the rest of his term in office fighting to protect the countries rainforests and issued an instruction banning new concessions of primary forest areas and peatlands. However, Indonesia still has a long way to go becoming an environmentally-friendly nation as the country is the third-worst greenhouse gas emitter in the world with 80% of the countries greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation, according to environmental groups.

Jakarta Globe- Indonesian President SBY Sees Kalimantan as the ‘Lungs of the World’

(CC) Image by DavidDennisPhotos.com