Start from tomorrow until 30th i have an interesting trip to the village and i hope i will get something interesting and this experience will help me to get more confidence to face the lolcal community later.
It is tough at first but i am sure it will be fine.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Siesta Syndrome
This week i faced a problem where i always feel sleepy and even i can not focused on my work. I search online and i found this interesting article on the same problem. So, i just want to share some info of it here.
Sunday, 6 February 2005
Your boss calls it falling asleep on the job. You can call it 'siesta syndrome'.
It strikes after lunch, from 2-4pm. And it's costing Britain dear. Abigail Townsend reveals why.
The phone is blaring and the boss is bearing down. But you are slouched over the keyboard, doing nothing. For it is between 2pm and 4pm - and siesta syndrome has struck.
Apathy in the afternoon is severely damaging the national economy, according to a new study conducted by British scientists. And the country's workers are drifting off thanks largely to their poor diet.
Double portions of burgers and fish and chips washed down with pints of beer or sugary drinks are sending office staff across the UK into a snooze zone.
Of 1,000 workers questioned, most blamed extreme tiredness for an increase in mistakes during the two-hour wave of weariness. The drop in output is also down to a natural break taken by the body at that time of day, as well as the onset of boredom.
The catering group Avenance, which commissioned the survey, said the slump was costing British industry millions of pounds. Its chief executive, Mike Audis, added: "Less work and costly errors during the afternoon means the UK siesta syndrome is having a devastating impact on the company's bottom line and its reputation."
Too many workers are eating either sugary snacks, which cause insulin levels to rocket, or high-fat foods that are hard to digest. Drinking at lunchtime also adds to the afternoon malaise.
Stephen Harling, a director at Avenance, said he was surprised more employers had not addressed the problem. "Look at what industry spends on recruiting people, on training them, keeping them - what it spends on ergonomics, for example. But it doesn't look after workers from a food point of view. This is affecting productivity - and you don't need a significant reduction to add cost to a product."
Mr Harling also criticised the food being offered by many companies on site and warned that it could prompt lunchtime drinking. "If the food on offer is poor and does not inspire people, they will go off site, and if they do that, generally they are going to go to the pub."
Britons' unofficial office siesta has arrived as countries more often associated with an afternoon slumber are waking up to the economic costs of taking a nap while the rest of the world works. While Spaniards once drifted off after lunch, that country's new corporate culture now spurns the notion as being unproductive.
No such worries in the offices of London, Birmingham and Manchester, though. Here the big sleep is just beginning. But it's not all down to diet: the body has a natural "down" period in the afternoon which, aside from poor eating habits, is another reason people tend to feel tired after lunch.
"We naturally have a slump [in the afternoon] and for us to keep going from 8am right through the day is asking a lot," said Raffaella Piovesan, a dietician. "When it comes to recharging the body, a lot of people believe in power naps, and that is what essentially a siesta is."
However, Ms Piovesan conceded that it was unrealistic to expect the siesta to become accepted in the UK just as it is being ditched elsewhere.
Instead, to overcome the syndrome, people should eat regularly throughout the day, snacking on healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables. Lunchtime meals should be restricted to healthy options, for example a tuna salad sandwich or fish or chicken with steamed vegetables. Refuelling on light, vitamin-rich food, it seems, can keep the daytime dozing at bay.
THE BODY CLOCK
Breakfast and good night's sleep boost energy
Commute is drain on brain, but activity still high
Body and mind in optimum condition for work
Mid-morning snack required to stave off slump
Lunchtime refuelling under way - with threat of fatigue
Siesta syndrome strikes, often after big lunch
Energy resurgence, helped by power-napping and light snacks
Weariness returns towards bedtime as body prepares itself for main rest
Finally body and brain get to recuperate during sleep
Friday, April 17, 2009
Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
An endangered clouded leopard at the National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center (CRC) in Front Royal, Virginia, gave birth to a genetically valuable litter of two cubs early in the morning on March 24. Staff had been on pregnancy watch of the two-and-a-half-year-old clouded leopard Jao Chu for five days. This is Jao Chu’s first litter. She and the cubs’ father, two-and-a-half-year-old Hannibal, were born in Thailand in a collaborative research program with the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand. The cubs’ sex will not be known until the first veterinary exam.
The newborn cubs will not be on exhibit. However, visitors may get an up-close treetop view of two clouded leopards—a male named Tai and a female named Mook—in their exhibit at the Zoo's Asia Trail.
Due to deforestation and hunting, clouded leopards are vulnerable to extinction. National Zoo scientist JoGayle Howard and colleagues are aggressively working to save this species from decline. The Zoo has been working with clouded leopards at CRC since 1978, with the goal of creating a genetically diverse population. In the past 30 years, more than 70 clouded leopards have been born at the Zoo’s research facility in Virginia, with the last litter born in 1993.
Breeding clouded leopards in captivity has been a challenge, primarily due to male aggression, decreased breeding activity between paired animals, and high cub mortality. In 2002, the National Zoo in collaboration with the Nashville Zoo and the Clouded Leopard Species Survival Plan (SSP) created the Thailand Clouded Leopard Consortium—the largest population of confiscated clouded leopards in Southeast Asia. The Clouded Leopard SSP oversees clouded leopard populations in zoos worldwide, and makes breeding recommendations for potential pairs based on the genetics of each cat. Since Thailand’s captive cubs are only one or two generations removed from the wild, their genes are especially valuable.
To date, the Thailand Clouded Leopard Consortium has produced 33 surviving cubs. The National Zoo’s program at CRC is the only one of its kind combining breeding with scientific research. For example, scientists still do not know why male clouded leopards attack their possible mates, but several graduate students at the Zoo are studying the males’ behavior—one student plans to test anti-anxiety drugs used in humans and domestic cats in an attempt to suppress male aggression.
Howard and colleagues have learned how to reduce the risk of fatal attacks by hand-rearing cubs for socialization and also introducing males to their mates when they are six months old, allowing the pair to grow up together. Hannibal and Jao Chu, the only compatible pair of clouded leopards at CRC, are proof that these techniques work. The new cubs also will be handreared by experienced CRC staff.
Following mating, the gestation period for clouded leopards is about 86 to 93 days. The average litter size for clouded leopards is two to five cubs. Clouded leopard cubs weigh about half a pound when born.
Little is known about clouded leopards. These cats are native to Southeast Asia and parts of China in a habitat that ranges from dense tropical evergreen forests to drier forests if there is suitable prey.
They are the smallest of the big cats, weighing 30 to 50 pounds and measuring about five feet long. Their short legs, large paws, and long tail, which accounts for half their length, help them balance on small branches, and their flexible ankles allow them to run down trees headfirst.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Great Picture of Moments
Take away fast food
An elephant just came out from water
A real fight
Smallest horse in the world 40cm tall, American farm10 Most Alien Like Insects on Earth
I have recieved an email from a friend and this is really interesting. I want to share it here. I credited the brilliant photographer that took this wonderful and amazing photos. It's really interesting. Take a look.
This praying mantis looks straight out of Alien or Men in Black… No prizes for guessing who inspired whom.
"Call me a cricket one more time!" Grasshoppers have horns or antennas that are shorter than their body, unlike their relatives', the bush crickets. They may look well shielded but lose many a battle when they end up as a protein-rich delicacy on someone's plate in many parts of the world.
"Who you're calling an alien? Our ancestors have been around since 350 million BC!" Wasps are said to be terrestrial but some of them look positively extra-terrestrial. Though often called pests, they are in fact very important for ecosystems: as food for other insects and birds or as predators limiting the populations of many other species.
This praying mantis male would certainly score a role in any alien movie. His acting talent is undisputed as he's part of the flower mantis species - they pretend to be flowers and then attack their prey. How very cunning, indeed.
"I might look cute but I can sap you out!" Treehoppers have long fascinated biologists because of their unusual appearance. They belong to the Membracidae family and are closely related to cicadas and leafhoppers. They feed upon the sap found in plant stems, which they prick with their beaks. 
"Hullo there, did I startle you? If I did pretty please, will you be my… ahem… buy my dinner?" This praying mantis is one of 2,000 species in the mantis order of insects. As predatory aliens, ER, insects, they might better be called preying mantis.
"Listen to me, Earthling, feel the mighty wrath of Gandalf the Green!" This green bush cricket of the TettigoniidaeLord of the Rings.
This species of aliens has fooled humans for many years. Popularly known as a bumblebee of the Apidae family, they have donned a fuzzy yellow-and-black fur and spread rumours that some of them are stingless. Right, whatever, just careful with that … thingy, dude!
"Give me… FOOD!" This fuzzy yellow alien with black spots is called Dasychira Pudibunda and is the larval form, or caterpillar, of the red-tailed moth.
This alien poses as a damselfly of the Zygoptera suborder. People often fail to notice that they hold their wings differently when at rest and are also smaller than dragonflies. Oh, and did you notice, their eyes are separated. Though running might be better than waiting to see the blue in their eyes…Friday, April 10, 2009
Tiger park – Where stands the council?
By Goh Ban Lee
The Sun
THE proposal for a tiger park at Relau by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has attracted considerable attention. So far, public reactions, including those of the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (Mycat) and Penang branch of the Malaysian Nature Society, have largely been negative.
This is not to add to the many reasons why a tiger park is not suitable. It is to point out that the land owner and the local planning authority, namely the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP), does not seem to have much say in the project.
MPPP senior officers, including municipal president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman, were present when Lim made the announcement. Was it an indication of support? It would be interesting to know their views. Have the councillors discussed the project? Has the council approved the tiger park? When was the decision made?
The 16ha identified for the tiger park is part of more than 40.5ha of hilly land owned by MPPP. Except for a small piece that was surrendered by the developer of a nearby housing scheme, the land was bought in the late 1990s or early 2000s for about RM40 million to be turned into a large recreation park amid hundreds of fruit trees and greenery.
The idea of a recreation park to compliment the very popular Municipal Park, formerly known as the Youth Park, was made as far back as the 1970s in the Interim Zoning Plan for that area. Indeed, the council has already done a reasonably good job in making part of the land into the Metropolitan Park.
Like all local councils in the country, MPPP is not a department of the state government. As has been stressed many times in this column, it is a local authority. In other words, it is a local government with the president as its chief executive officer and chairman of council meetings and councillors as the policymakers although they do play some executive roles.
Unlike state departments, such as the State Housing Department, MPPP is a corporate body that can sue and be sued. Its power and responsibilities are rather well defined in the Local Government Act (LGA), Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) and the Street, Drainage and Building Act (SDBA) and other laws.
The chief minister has limited direct roles in the workings of the council. There is no provision for him or the state government to decide on the use of land belonging to the council. However, if MPPP wants to sell any landed properties, it must get the permission of the state government.Under the LGA, the Penang State Government can pass policies of a general nature which MPPP must follow. Under the TCPA, the state planning committee, chaired by the chief minister, can also pass town planning policies which must also be followed by the council.
However, the state government or the chief minister has no power to instruct or decide for the council that its land be used for a tiger park.
It is, of course, not illegal or wrong for Lim to float the idea of a tiger park. He has to think of new ideas to make Penang attractive and an engine of growth. The proper step should have been for him to communicate the proposal to the council.
In the spirit of CAT – competency, accountability and transparency – and following the spirit of Local Agenda 21, the council conducts an exercise to solicit feedback from the people of Penang.
The president and councillors then make the decision.
The laws provide for a clear separation of roles between the state and local governments. These must be followed to ensure accountability. Unfortunately, there has been serious blurring of lines between the state governments and local councils in the country.
Under such circumstance, it is hard for local council officers to sustain the principle of rule of law and a commitment to good governance. It is also confusing to the councillors about their roles.
These, in turn, lead to ineffectiveness and inefficiency.
The problem is that the state governments have very little to do vis-Ã -vis the local councils. This is complicated by the federal government taking over functions that are usually local government matters. There is a serious and urgent need to rethink about the allocations of functions among the three tiers of government.
Dr Goh Ban Lee is a retired academic interested in urban governance, housing and urban planning. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com.
The Sun
THE proposal for a tiger park at Relau by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has attracted considerable attention. So far, public reactions, including those of the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (Mycat) and Penang branch of the Malaysian Nature Society, have largely been negative.
This is not to add to the many reasons why a tiger park is not suitable. It is to point out that the land owner and the local planning authority, namely the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP), does not seem to have much say in the project.
MPPP senior officers, including municipal president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman, were present when Lim made the announcement. Was it an indication of support? It would be interesting to know their views. Have the councillors discussed the project? Has the council approved the tiger park? When was the decision made?
The 16ha identified for the tiger park is part of more than 40.5ha of hilly land owned by MPPP. Except for a small piece that was surrendered by the developer of a nearby housing scheme, the land was bought in the late 1990s or early 2000s for about RM40 million to be turned into a large recreation park amid hundreds of fruit trees and greenery.
The idea of a recreation park to compliment the very popular Municipal Park, formerly known as the Youth Park, was made as far back as the 1970s in the Interim Zoning Plan for that area. Indeed, the council has already done a reasonably good job in making part of the land into the Metropolitan Park.
Like all local councils in the country, MPPP is not a department of the state government. As has been stressed many times in this column, it is a local authority. In other words, it is a local government with the president as its chief executive officer and chairman of council meetings and councillors as the policymakers although they do play some executive roles.
Unlike state departments, such as the State Housing Department, MPPP is a corporate body that can sue and be sued. Its power and responsibilities are rather well defined in the Local Government Act (LGA), Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) and the Street, Drainage and Building Act (SDBA) and other laws.
The chief minister has limited direct roles in the workings of the council. There is no provision for him or the state government to decide on the use of land belonging to the council. However, if MPPP wants to sell any landed properties, it must get the permission of the state government.Under the LGA, the Penang State Government can pass policies of a general nature which MPPP must follow. Under the TCPA, the state planning committee, chaired by the chief minister, can also pass town planning policies which must also be followed by the council.
However, the state government or the chief minister has no power to instruct or decide for the council that its land be used for a tiger park.
It is, of course, not illegal or wrong for Lim to float the idea of a tiger park. He has to think of new ideas to make Penang attractive and an engine of growth. The proper step should have been for him to communicate the proposal to the council.
In the spirit of CAT – competency, accountability and transparency – and following the spirit of Local Agenda 21, the council conducts an exercise to solicit feedback from the people of Penang.
The president and councillors then make the decision.
The laws provide for a clear separation of roles between the state and local governments. These must be followed to ensure accountability. Unfortunately, there has been serious blurring of lines between the state governments and local councils in the country.
Under such circumstance, it is hard for local council officers to sustain the principle of rule of law and a commitment to good governance. It is also confusing to the councillors about their roles.
These, in turn, lead to ineffectiveness and inefficiency.
The problem is that the state governments have very little to do vis-Ã -vis the local councils. This is complicated by the federal government taking over functions that are usually local government matters. There is a serious and urgent need to rethink about the allocations of functions among the three tiers of government.
Dr Goh Ban Lee is a retired academic interested in urban governance, housing and urban planning. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Ricefield Frog (Rana erythraea)
I came up with two unidentified species earlier in my previous posts and now i come up with another one. This frog is in Rana genus but i am not sure what is the species again. I don't have my field guide book with me now so i can't identify it too. I tried to search in Google but i still can't find one similar with this. But i am pretty sure that, this frog is in Rana group. I found it in a pond where the people in the village rear fish in it. I heard it's call but i am not familiar with it too. Actually i have to learn more about species of wild animals or plants in Sabah because some of it are different from Sarawak.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Wild Orchid
I only can tell that this is a wild orchid but i am not sure what is the species name of this beautiful orchid.It was quite easy to find them in the forest and people in the village like to plant it. Again, i need help on identifying this orhid.....
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wierd Fruit
I found this fruit nearby the river. I am not sure whether it is a wild fruits or planted by the local people in the village.
Anyone can help me to identify this fruit?
Nature + Wildlife + Community
I am thinking a lot on how i can contribute to something that i really like the most in my life using this blog as my tool to reach out to the world. So, i have decided to dedicate this blog, My Life Is My Choice to my passion of nature and wildlife but then i know it will enggaged to the community surround them.
I am growing and expand my knowledge now, so many things that i expected and unexpected will happen in my life along this journey and adventure. Therefore, i am hoping that i can contribute something to the nature and wildlife (that can not speak for themselves but through our observation will shows what they need from us, human beings - that do a lot of talking and actions). So, i will not forget about the communities that lives or i can say connected to them.
This will be fun and i am changing my layout again because i don't want it to be look so complicated. I just want it to be simple and hopefully easy to access.
~With Love,
From Writer's Table.
I am growing and expand my knowledge now, so many things that i expected and unexpected will happen in my life along this journey and adventure. Therefore, i am hoping that i can contribute something to the nature and wildlife (that can not speak for themselves but through our observation will shows what they need from us, human beings - that do a lot of talking and actions). So, i will not forget about the communities that lives or i can say connected to them.
This will be fun and i am changing my layout again because i don't want it to be look so complicated. I just want it to be simple and hopefully easy to access.
~With Love,
From Writer's Table.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
WANTED: VOLUNTEERS FOR MYCAT OUTREACH PROGRAMME
My friend forwarded and email to me saying that they need a volunteers. So i hope everyone that interested will come forward ena send emails to them via email add below and get the form from them.
Time to do some action here. :D
We need Malay-speaking volunteers to help us conduct an awareness outreach programme in Gerik, Perak. The programme is a component of our campaign to reduce consumption and trade of tigers and their prey. Gerik has been identified as a wildlife crime hotspot, and with its close proximity to the forests of Belum-Temengor, it is crucial for efforts to be intensified in the surrounding areas.
This outreach programme, a continuity from the event held in 2008 (please refer to the Pictorial report as attached), will target adults and school students. Training to conduct both programmes will be provided. Please refer to attachment for the programme itinerary (file name: Proposed Gerik April 2009).
Dates: 28 April to 3 May 2009
Venue: Pasar Malam - Adults programme
Primary and Secondary Schools - School students
Transportation, meals and accommodation will be provided. You will also receive a certificate of participation for your efforts. Prior experience in conducting awarness programmes is an advantage.
Please fill in the attached volunteer form, save it under Gerik2009_Vol_YOUR NAME.doc and email malaysian_cat2003@yahoo.com by the 10th April 2009.
Time to do some action here. :D
We need Malay-speaking volunteers to help us conduct an awareness outreach programme in Gerik, Perak. The programme is a component of our campaign to reduce consumption and trade of tigers and their prey. Gerik has been identified as a wildlife crime hotspot, and with its close proximity to the forests of Belum-Temengor, it is crucial for efforts to be intensified in the surrounding areas.
This outreach programme, a continuity from the event held in 2008 (please refer to the Pictorial report as attached), will target adults and school students. Training to conduct both programmes will be provided. Please refer to attachment for the programme itinerary (file name: Proposed Gerik April 2009).
Dates: 28 April to 3 May 2009
Venue: Pasar Malam - Adults programme
Primary and Secondary Schools - School students
Transportation, meals and accommodation will be provided. You will also receive a certificate of participation for your efforts. Prior experience in conducting awarness programmes is an advantage.
Please fill in the attached volunteer form, save it under Gerik2009_Vol_YOUR NAME.doc and email malaysian_cat2003@yahoo.com by the 10th April 2009.
Vote for Sipadan Island
Published on: Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Kota Kinabalu: The State Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), is embarking on an all-out "Vote for Sipadan" campaign to promote the island as one of the world's New Seven Wonders of Nature. The island, also known as a dive haven among divers worldwide, is currently on 17th place under the island category in the on-going search for the new wonders of nature, which is being carried out via an Internet online voting system.
Sipadan still needs more votes to make it to the top 77 by group categories in the second stage period from January to July 7 this year. It must be in 11th place under the island category within these three months to go to the next round.
Sipadan is one of the 261 national and multinational nominees from 222 countries which participated in the New Seven Wonders of Nature search.
It went through the first stage - the National Qualification - on Dec. 31 last year.
"We will work together with Tourism Malaysia, dive operators, hotels and travel agents, the press and government agencies in disseminating information to the public and tourists to vote Sipadan," said State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun in a press conference to announce the campaign, Tuesday.
They will also go to schools and colleges to conduct talks on this as well as write to all the elected representatives in the country on top of a cyber campaign.
Malaysians in Sabah can vote for Sipadan under the island category via website address: http://www.sabahtourism.com/ or directly at www.new7wonders.com/nature.
"Let's show the world that Sipadan too has what it takes to become one of the seven Wonders of Nature," said Masidi, adding that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman had himself already agreed to provide a special allocation for effort.
He said Sabah is currently also getting help from Professional Association of Diving Instructor (PADI), an international organisation which comprises 80 per cent of the certified divers in the world, in fishing for votes for Sipadan.
Meanwhile, Masidi said Sipadan island which is still under the Federal Government's jurisdiction is expected to be returned to the State Government's administration soon.
Sipadan had been under the Federal Government's jurisdiction pending the outcome of the dispute on the sovereignty of the island between Malaysia and Indonesia, he said, adding the Federal Government is now finalising a move to transfer the jurisdiction back to the State Government now that the matter had been resolved.
"Only then (after the jurisdiction returns to the State Government) we can sit down and discuss how to manage it better. The Attorney-General is looking into it. The process is on track and hopefully it would be immediate," he said.
Currently only a limited number of divers at a time are allowed to dive at more than 10 dive spots around the island as part of conservation efforts, he said, confident that Sipadan island will greatly boost the State's tourism industry by being one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature.
Kota Kinabalu: The State Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, through the Sabah Tourism Board (STB), is embarking on an all-out "Vote for Sipadan" campaign to promote the island as one of the world's New Seven Wonders of Nature. The island, also known as a dive haven among divers worldwide, is currently on 17th place under the island category in the on-going search for the new wonders of nature, which is being carried out via an Internet online voting system.
Sipadan still needs more votes to make it to the top 77 by group categories in the second stage period from January to July 7 this year. It must be in 11th place under the island category within these three months to go to the next round.
Sipadan is one of the 261 national and multinational nominees from 222 countries which participated in the New Seven Wonders of Nature search.
It went through the first stage - the National Qualification - on Dec. 31 last year.
"We will work together with Tourism Malaysia, dive operators, hotels and travel agents, the press and government agencies in disseminating information to the public and tourists to vote Sipadan," said State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun in a press conference to announce the campaign, Tuesday.
They will also go to schools and colleges to conduct talks on this as well as write to all the elected representatives in the country on top of a cyber campaign.
Malaysians in Sabah can vote for Sipadan under the island category via website address: http://www.sabahtourism.com/ or directly at www.new7wonders.com/nature.
"Let's show the world that Sipadan too has what it takes to become one of the seven Wonders of Nature," said Masidi, adding that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman had himself already agreed to provide a special allocation for effort.
He said Sabah is currently also getting help from Professional Association of Diving Instructor (PADI), an international organisation which comprises 80 per cent of the certified divers in the world, in fishing for votes for Sipadan.
Meanwhile, Masidi said Sipadan island which is still under the Federal Government's jurisdiction is expected to be returned to the State Government's administration soon.
Sipadan had been under the Federal Government's jurisdiction pending the outcome of the dispute on the sovereignty of the island between Malaysia and Indonesia, he said, adding the Federal Government is now finalising a move to transfer the jurisdiction back to the State Government now that the matter had been resolved.
"Only then (after the jurisdiction returns to the State Government) we can sit down and discuss how to manage it better. The Attorney-General is looking into it. The process is on track and hopefully it would be immediate," he said.
Currently only a limited number of divers at a time are allowed to dive at more than 10 dive spots around the island as part of conservation efforts, he said, confident that Sipadan island will greatly boost the State's tourism industry by being one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature.
New campaign to raise profile, $ for orang-utan
Published on: Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Kota Kinabalu: A brand new campaign designed to open a window of opportunity to everyone in Malaysia to make a real difference for Sabah's orang-utan kick-starts today (April 1) in Kuala Lumpur. The twin focus over the next 12 months is to "raise the profile of and raise funds for" the conservation of orang-utan whose last population count in the State numbered at about 13,000 among a total of 30,000 which, as a world population, is considered precariously low.
Feeling a compelling sense of mission and urgency, Haulieu Bagnau, an International Marketing Management graduate with a former corporate career background made a "complete turnaround" to join Orang-utan Appeal UK as the Charity's Liaison Officer for fund procurement!
In Haulieu, the Charity has an experienced corporate marketeer in Malaysia to work with big businesses, small businesses, organisations, the community, etc.
If the Charity had kept a low profile for a decade of dedicated conservation work, that is going to change.
In an interview with the Daily Express last week, Haulieu vowed that she is going to muster all her international corporate job knowledge and experience to help "raise the profile of and funds for" the Orang-utan Appeal UK in Malaysia.
After spending six weeks at Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan, with tacit groundwork support from Mike Steel, Appeal's co-ordinator in Sabah, and the Sabah Wildlife Department, Haulier is taking the mission and vision of the Orang-utan Appeal UK right to the national capital, Kuala Lumpur, to rally the national print and electronic media around two starting events right away.
Between April 1 and 5, Orang-utan Appeal UK has teamed up with Cave & Cellar, distributor of wines from Banrock Station, an Australian wine producer which is highly regarded for its passionate conservation cause with 70 such projects in 13 countries, for a one-year campaign.
"For every bottle of 750ml wine sold between April 1 2009 to March 31 2010, they'll donate RM1 to the Appeal," said Haulieu.
"We'll kick off the launch in KL doing a five-day road show with flyers all over and I'll be doing presentations at various venues, with the media there."
The three venues involved on a rotation basis are Tesco, Mutiara Damansara, (April 1 & 3) Cold Storage, Bangsar Shopping Centre (April 2 & 5) and Jusco, Mid Valley (April 4).
A bigger event themed Earth Week: Rockin' For the Environment, follows on April 17-25 April when Orang-utan Appeal UK will team up with expat rock band named Benchmarx and the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) to present Orang-utan Rock at Little Havana in Bukit Bingtang, 9pm to 1am on April 17.
"A fee is charged at the door for the Rock concert featuring Benchmarx and local rock act Pop Shuvit (for adults only) and all proceeds will go to the Orangutan Appeal UK," Haulieu said.
"In 2007, Turtle Rock raised RM7,000 plus for SeaTru , in 2008 Tiger Rock raised RM11,000 plus for MyCat and this is Benchmarx's third annual Rockin' For the Environment event," said Haulieu.
Following that, there will be a Conservation Awareness - Community Outreach Project for the pubic at SoHoKL, Solaris Mont Kiara on April 18-19 April - an Arts, Music and Fun Festival co-organised by Go International Group and SoHoKL.
A Children's Fun Festival follows on April 25 at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Campus.
This Music and Educational Fun Festival is open to ISKL community and students only and a British High Commission officer will be guest speaker at the opening ceremony.
Haulieu noted the cost of one orang-utan at Sepilok ia RM7,500 a year and there are 50 to care for!
Hence at any of the above events, Orang-utan Appeal UK will be offering its Popular and successful Orang-utan Adoption Scheme.
Anyone who signs up with a donation of RM180 will receive a certificate, newsletter, photos of their orang-utan baby and a short story about the adopted orang-utan's history at Sepilok, followed by an update pack six months later detailing the progress of their adopted baby orang-utan has made and more photos, Haulieu said.
"This is a great gift for the occasion - show your care, by helping make a real difference to the lives of orang-utans," she called on people in Malaysia.
Kota Kinabalu: A brand new campaign designed to open a window of opportunity to everyone in Malaysia to make a real difference for Sabah's orang-utan kick-starts today (April 1) in Kuala Lumpur. The twin focus over the next 12 months is to "raise the profile of and raise funds for" the conservation of orang-utan whose last population count in the State numbered at about 13,000 among a total of 30,000 which, as a world population, is considered precariously low.
Feeling a compelling sense of mission and urgency, Haulieu Bagnau, an International Marketing Management graduate with a former corporate career background made a "complete turnaround" to join Orang-utan Appeal UK as the Charity's Liaison Officer for fund procurement!
In Haulieu, the Charity has an experienced corporate marketeer in Malaysia to work with big businesses, small businesses, organisations, the community, etc.
If the Charity had kept a low profile for a decade of dedicated conservation work, that is going to change.
In an interview with the Daily Express last week, Haulieu vowed that she is going to muster all her international corporate job knowledge and experience to help "raise the profile of and funds for" the Orang-utan Appeal UK in Malaysia.
After spending six weeks at Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan, with tacit groundwork support from Mike Steel, Appeal's co-ordinator in Sabah, and the Sabah Wildlife Department, Haulier is taking the mission and vision of the Orang-utan Appeal UK right to the national capital, Kuala Lumpur, to rally the national print and electronic media around two starting events right away.
Between April 1 and 5, Orang-utan Appeal UK has teamed up with Cave & Cellar, distributor of wines from Banrock Station, an Australian wine producer which is highly regarded for its passionate conservation cause with 70 such projects in 13 countries, for a one-year campaign.
"For every bottle of 750ml wine sold between April 1 2009 to March 31 2010, they'll donate RM1 to the Appeal," said Haulieu.
"We'll kick off the launch in KL doing a five-day road show with flyers all over and I'll be doing presentations at various venues, with the media there."
The three venues involved on a rotation basis are Tesco, Mutiara Damansara, (April 1 & 3) Cold Storage, Bangsar Shopping Centre (April 2 & 5) and Jusco, Mid Valley (April 4).
A bigger event themed Earth Week: Rockin' For the Environment, follows on April 17-25 April when Orang-utan Appeal UK will team up with expat rock band named Benchmarx and the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) to present Orang-utan Rock at Little Havana in Bukit Bingtang, 9pm to 1am on April 17.
"A fee is charged at the door for the Rock concert featuring Benchmarx and local rock act Pop Shuvit (for adults only) and all proceeds will go to the Orangutan Appeal UK," Haulieu said.
"In 2007, Turtle Rock raised RM7,000 plus for SeaTru , in 2008 Tiger Rock raised RM11,000 plus for MyCat and this is Benchmarx's third annual Rockin' For the Environment event," said Haulieu.
Following that, there will be a Conservation Awareness - Community Outreach Project for the pubic at SoHoKL, Solaris Mont Kiara on April 18-19 April - an Arts, Music and Fun Festival co-organised by Go International Group and SoHoKL.
A Children's Fun Festival follows on April 25 at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Campus.
This Music and Educational Fun Festival is open to ISKL community and students only and a British High Commission officer will be guest speaker at the opening ceremony.
Haulieu noted the cost of one orang-utan at Sepilok ia RM7,500 a year and there are 50 to care for!
Hence at any of the above events, Orang-utan Appeal UK will be offering its Popular and successful Orang-utan Adoption Scheme.
Anyone who signs up with a donation of RM180 will receive a certificate, newsletter, photos of their orang-utan baby and a short story about the adopted orang-utan's history at Sepilok, followed by an update pack six months later detailing the progress of their adopted baby orang-utan has made and more photos, Haulieu said.
"This is a great gift for the occasion - show your care, by helping make a real difference to the lives of orang-utans," she called on people in Malaysia.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Bornean Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri)
Known as Bornean Gibbon, this species occurs throughout Borneo except for the southwest (where H. albibarbis found), from the north bank of Kapus River clockwise around the island to the bank of Barito River (Groves, 2001).The species is found in tropical evergreen forests of primary, selectively logged and secondary forest types. They are arboreal and diurnal and frugivorous (preferring fruit high in sugar), but will also eat immature leaves and insects (Leighton, 1987; Rodman, 1978). They have been recorded from forests up to 1,500 m (Leighton, 1987) or 1, 700 m in Sabah (Yasuma and Andau, 2000), with densities decreasing at higher elevations.
Listed in CITES Appendix I and considered Endangered based on an estimated population reduction of over 50% over the past 45 years (3 generations) due to rampant habitat loss and over-utilization. It occurs in a number of protected areas across its range, including Betung-Kerihun National Park, Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park, Kayan Mentarang National Park, Kutai National Park, Sungai Wain Protection Forest, TAnjung Puting National Park (Indonesia); Lanjak-Entimau Sanctuary, Semenggok Forest Reserve (Malaysia). This one i found in Tenom, Sabah, Malaysia.
The major threats of this species according to IUCN 2008 Red List are deforestration and trade in illegal pets are the predominant threats , and in interior areas hunting is also a threat.
My question is: What is the best approach to reach out to the people in the rural areas so they will rather see this animal live freely in the forest more than see it as a delicious meat or a lovely pets?
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