A dead crocodile at Sebelak River. Near Kampung Melayu Roban, Sarawak.

# News Source (New Sarawak Tribune)
Published : Wednesday September 2, 2015

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ROBAN: A group of anglers were shocked to see a dead crocodile floating in Sungai Seblak near Kampung Melayu Roban here yesterday.

The discovery of the three‐metre reptile weighing over 100 kilogrammes clearly sent chills down the nearby villagers’ spines.

According to one of the anglers who requested anonymity said he and his friends were on their way to their favourite fishing spot at downstream when they spotted an object
resembling a log floating near the riverbank around 8.00am.

“As we got closer to the object, we realised that it was a dead crocodile and we immediately alerted the authority about the discovery,” he said.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) when contacted confirmed receiving a report of the crocodile carcass.

He said the discovery of the carcass was a surprise as there was no instruction issued by the relevant authority to hunt or catch crocodiles in Sungai Seblak.

“The crocodile carcass was retrieved for further action,” said the spokesman.

- New Sarawak Tribune

# News Source (Facebook)
Published : Tuesday September 1, 2015 

More News on Crocodile Attacks & Cullings :

Hunt for killer croc ‘Bujang Seblak’ extended another week. (June 29, 2012)

SFC: Secret burial ground for Bujang Seblak, two others. (July 4, 2012)
SWAT captures 9 Foot Crocodile. (August 7, 2013)

Carcass of dolphin washed ashore. Miri, Sarawak.

# News Source (Borneo Post)
Published : Wednesday August 19, 2015

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MIRI: The carcass of a dolphin was found washed ashore the beach at Luak Esplanade here yesterday.

The carcass with its tail cut off was found by members of the public around 1.00pm.

A team of fire fighters from the district Fire and Rescue Department lead by Frederick Aok rushed to the scene to retrieve the carcass after being informed of the discovery.

The carcass was taken to the fire station and it will be handed over the relevant authority for
further action.

Sematan, where myths and land rise to meet the sea. Lundu, Sarawak.

# News Source (Borneo Post)
Published : Tuesday August 11, 2015 

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LUNDU: Sematan is hard to miss – it is the passageway to Tg Datu the westernmost tip of Sarawak, north of Kuching, where land meets the sea.

For the road-weary traveller it is a place to soak in the sun on beaches where myths spring forth from the blue depths of the South China Sea.

Sematan is within Lundu District, 105km away from Kuching city. It is located by the sea and home to many quaint fishing villages.

The name ‘Sematan’ (San Ma Dan in Chinese) means ‘Three Red Horses’. Many local Chinese believe their forefathers were enchanted by three red-haired stallions cantering in the area. 

Ironically, Sematan although dubbed the ‘land of horses’ is actually much more blessed by the vast sea surrounding it.

Away from the Sematan beach, as told by 70-year-old Pemanca Lo Sin Li, are two islands – Talang-Talang – resembling turtle shells and which coincidently are the breeding spot for the many turtles found in the South China Sea.

“Each year, hundreds of turtles will lay their eggs on the two islands and a long time ago, there was a festival which was celebrated annually by the folk of Sematan. 

During the festival, the people will gather on the two islands and pelt each other with turtle eggs found there,” said Lo who has been Lundu’s Pemanca for seven years.

“This was a ritual to worship the sea god but since the two islands have been protected by the government, the festival also came to an end.”

Lo said Sematan is blessed with the rich waters where seafood is joyfully abundant. He explained that jellyfish can be seen floating on the shores of Sematan every year from February to March and from April to May, whereupon people would be on the move to harvest small shrimps.

Deep sea angling too lures cityfolk to these unspoilt spots, where for RM800 a trip, young man Alias Sudin runs a boat hire and fishing expedition based at the handicraft centre of Kpg Siru, a small village in Sematan. 

He ferries five to six customers on his 35-foot boat for the one-hour ride to Tg Datu, the 
northernmost tip of Sarawak bordering Indonesian Kalimantan.

“It isn’t costly,” said Alias. “We have to buy benzene for boat fuel at RM2.05 per litre. And not from here but from Lundu bazaar, 30km away, ever since Petronas closed its supply at Sematan, and I use two outboard engines for the 10km boat trip.”

He added that weekend anglers often hire his boat, advertised by only word of mouth.

Aside from the rare shark that boatman Alias has spied on – “I’ve seen 40kg sharks but they are not man-eaters” – what else may entice the tourist at Tg Datu?

But by some wild stretch of the imagination, you can fathom the famous legend of the seven seas – the elusive mermaid of yore.

A wide-eyed Alias daringly relates the legend of one of the most endearing tales from seafarers who swear by Neptune that the mermaid is indeed real.

“In the 80s, some people in Tg Datu saw it (mermaid). Half human, half fish from waist down, with tailfin,” contends Alias. 

“But the tale came from an old person who has long died.”

In the midst of myths to grip tourists for conversations after the searing sunsets, Sematan has a dozen homestays and four beach resorts.

Until the state’s blueprint for a tourism belt becomes reality, the remoteness is a meaningful getaway from four-star hotels.

- Borneo Post

Iconic species for eco-tourism loses more habitat in Kinabatangan. Sabah, Borneo.

# News Source (Borneo Post)
Published : Thursday July 30, 2015

The latest drone image of the area,
taken July 2015, with the 2012 points on top,
showing that half of Gambu’s home range has been cleared.

A single tree remaining in an area commonly
used by proboscis monkeys to cross the tributary.

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KINABATANGAN: Gambu was once a “happy” proboscis monkey living with his group in the riparian forest of the Kinabatangan and one of its tributaries, Sungai Sukau. 

But one morning, half of his home range was cleared, all trees (including some parts of the riparian reserve) were felt to leave place (soon) to a rubber plantation.

Gambu (short for Gambunan who was a Dusun group leader from Tambunan) is a male proboscis monkey that was set up with a satellite collar in June 2012 as part of a collaborative project between Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) and Sabah Wildlife Department, funded by Sime Darby Foundation.

DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens said the aim of the satellite tagging programme is to understand the ranging patterns of proboscis monkeys and the factors impacting their movements and density in order to determine the adequate amount of habitat available in order to sustain a continuous viable population in the Kinabatangan region.

“With the continuous degradation and loss of habitat in the Kinabatangan, I wonder whether the proboscis monkey and other wildlife have a chance to sustain viable populations in this iconic eco-touristic jewel that is the Kinabatangan,” he said.

“I understand that the land that has been cleared is native land but what about the riparian reserve that was cleared at the corner of the Kinabatangan River and Sungai Sukau, and along the latter?” he asked.

Goossens said if the government is not imposing a moratorium on further land conversion in the Kinabatangan, Sabah will lose one of its most iconic touristic assets.

According to the director, the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best places in Borneo to encounter Bornean elephants, orangutans, proboscis monkeys, estuarine crocodiles, Storm storks, rhinoceros hornbills and hundreds of other species. 

“If people continue converting the land along the river, legally or illegally, tourists will desert the region,” he said.

“When reading Section 38 of the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997, it says that any person who intends to clear any land in natural forest for cultivation shall not less than 30 days prior to the intended commencement of such clearance notify the director of such intention,” pointed out Goossens.

“The director upon receipt of such notification shall cause an inspection of such land to be carried out and notify the person who gave the notification that the clearance operation may proceed or an animal rescue operation shall be necessary prior to the commencement or during the clearance or logging operations … I believe that the director of Sabah Wildlife Department did not receive such notice and was not given the opportunity to rescue animals within the area,” he added.

Goossens questioned the meaning behind the Kinabatangan Corridor of Life concept, when every year, bits by bits, the forest is cleared along the Kinabatangan River.

“How ironic it is when organisations such as Nestlé and their project RiLeaf, Sime Darby Foundation, MESCOT, WWF-Malaysia, HUTAN, DGFC, BCT, KiTA spend millions of ringgit and hours of manpower to restore riparian reserves and deforested lands when at the same time forest is still cleared, riparian reserves and wildlife habitat destroyed,” he said.

- Borneo Post