Guest guest Posted May 27, 2003 Report Share Posted May 27, 2003 ***************************Advertisement*************************** TechCentral http://star-techcentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from thestar.com.my URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2003/5/27/features/hrrimau & sec=f\ eatures ________________________ Tuesday, May 27, 2003 Alive and well in Taman Negara By HILARY CHIEW When a research team led by a tenacious Japanese scientist went into uncharted terrain in Taman Negara for the first ecological study of tigers in Malaysia, little did they know that they would be in for a gruelling expedition that stretched them to the limits - physically and mentally. Many adventures and almost three years later, they emerged from the woods bearing good news: our national park is a relatively safe haven for the endangered tiger. BETWEEN 1998 and 2001, something exciting happened in the largest virgin rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia. A research team attempted to find out just how many tigers there were in Taman Negara, the country & #8217;s premier national park. Until the completion of the research project, the population status of the Panthera tigris which roams the tropical rainforests of Malaysia had never been scientifically documented. So when Dr Kae Kawanishi, then a doctorate student from the University of Florida, United States, approached the Department of Wildlife and National Park (Perhilitan) in 1995 to conduct a collaborative scientific research on tigers in Malaysia, the proposal was readily accepted by Perhilitan. This led to the establishment of a partnership with the American Institute of the University of Florida, and the joint project became known as the University of Florida-Malaysia Tiger Project. In 1997, Kawanishi arrived in Malaysia and set foot in Taman Negara for the first time. The tropical rainforest was to be her home for the next three years as she went about the arduous task of data collection. Her first task was to identify potential sampling sites in Taman Negara. ”Taman Negara was the obvious choice for the study site,” explains Kawanishi. “As the core protected area within the largest block of contiguous forest in this region, it is internationally recognised as a priority region for tiger conservation.” Kawanishi points out that the dense jungle made it difficult to collect baseline information on the big cat as it hampered the use of conventional techniques such as radio telemetry which is used to study free-roaming animals like the tiger. The paucity of basic information is a major obstacle in developing an effective conservation strategy. Internationally, conservation efforts have been centred on tiger populations in India, Nepal and Russia where baseline data on tigers has long co-existed with the political will for conservation. “Most of what we know about tiger ecology today comes from studies done in these countries in the past four decades,” says Kawanishi, adding that the tiger population is recovering in these countries, thanks to intensive conservation and research efforts. “Tiger experts expect the tiger project in Malaysia to generate data to fill a major gap in the understanding of tiger ecology. The project is also expected to have significant implications on tiger conservation worldwide.” Kawanishi & #8217;s pioneering efforts received funding from international agencies such as the US National Fish and Wildlife Foundation & #8217;s Save the Tiger Fund created in partnership with ExxonMobil Corporation, the University of Florida, Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Japan, England and the Netherlands, and 21st Century Tiger, a conservation group based in London Zoo. Local support in kind included the donation of a second-hand car from a Japanese electronics firm and the loan of two four-wheel drive from WWF Malaysia and the Wildlife Conservation Society of Sarawak. Rainforest challenge The low-profile nature of the study belies its significance and the extraordinary endeavour of its petite Japanese researcher. It was the first ecological study of tigers in Malaysia and the longest research ever conducted on large mammals in Taman Negara. The study will undoubtedly set the benchmark for future wildlife research in the 4,343sqkm park which straddles Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu. “Well-meaning colleagues thought it was logistically impossible and that I was crazy. Taman Negara has one of the lowest road densities among the world & #8217;s national parks; this is superb for wildlife but a nightmare for wildlife biologists. “Monitoring wild populations is crucial in identifying priorities and evaluating conservation efforts. However, studying rare animals like the tiger is a daunting task. The difficulty is compounded by tropical forests with limited visibility, the low density of tigers and uncooperative weather.” It is interesting to note that dense tropical rainforests make poor tiger habitats as they do not support large numbers of bigger ungulates (hooved mammals) which form the prey base of the big cat. Large ungulates prefer young leaves, shoots and grass which are not the dominant vegetation types in Taman Negara, while others feed on fruits which are not found in abundance in the dipterocarp-dominated forests, explains Kawanishi. However, she is undaunted. “I was determined to know just how many tigers Taman Negara could support, whether the population was viable in the long-term, what was threatening the tiger population, and what must be done to safeguard their future.” Candid camera To capture the movements of the elusive carnivorous mammal beneath the dense dipterocarp canopies, a total of 150 infrared cameras were set up in three sampling sites at Merapoh, Kuala Trengan (both in Pahang) and Kuala Koh (in Kelantan). Each site covers approximate 200sqkm. Capturing tigers on film has emerged as a more reliable method compared to the traditional track count. The individual stripes of the big cat enable researchers to tell them apart. In some sites, two cameras were fixed facing each other to capture both sides of the tigers. “Identification of individual animals is critical. Because the stripe patterns of tigers are not symmetrical, we need to capture both sides of the animal. We paired about five sets of cameras at the best trapping sites,” explains Kawanishi. “I used the sampling-based camera trapping in combination with capture-recapture population models to estimate the tiger density at three large study sites and ultimately the population of tigers in the whole park. “The study provides the first statistically valid model-based density estimate from Malaysia and reveals the relationship among tigers, prey species and humans in Taman Negara,” says Kawanishi, adding that the 14,000 trap nights yielded only 61 tiger photos out of the 4,556 photos of wildlife. The 34-month ground sampling also provided data that enabled the researcher to make an inference on available prey biomass, an important insight into food availability and ultimately the well-being of tigers in the park. The prey biomass, says Kawanishi, shows a sustainable food source and a healthy equilibrium of the predator-prey relationship. The data also leads to an interesting preliminary finding that the tapir, an ideal prey judging by its defenceless stature, is not hunted by tigers. “Experienced wildlife rangers in Malaysia say that tigers go for wild boars, followed by the barking deer, sambar deer and occasionally primates, mouse-deers and porcupines. “What is interesting about the tapir is its anti-predatory nature. There is an abundance of tapirs in the sample sites. Elsewhere, jaguars prey on lowland tapirs, so why not tigers on Malayan tapirs?” asks an intrigued Kawanishi. The field data also shows that tigers are diurnal creatures as indicated by their activity patterns which are linked to their prey-active hours, a situation that might be peculiar to tropical rainforests. Tiger finds In August 2001, Kawanishi came out of the woods, literally, bearing good news: Taman Negara is a safe haven for the endangered feline, at least for the next 100 years if there is no poaching of tigers and their prey. “Based on an estimated mean density, it is extrapolated that there are between 70 and 112 tigers, consisting of both adults and cubs, in the park. “We found no evidence of poaching of large mammals, and that is quite a finding for a park of this size. In Sumatra, Indonesia, several tigers are killed every year in the national park. And that is a protected area. God knows what happens in non-protected forests.” The conservation community had long suspected that poaching occurred throughout the tiger & #8217;s range in developing countries, driven in part by lax enforcement and a cultural demand for tiger parts. Even Kawanishi was surprised at the findings. “Any tiger researcher who had worked in developing countries would be surprised,” says Kawanishi. “One obvious deterrent is Perhilitan & #8217;s ground patrols and presence in strategic locations in the park. Other factors include limited accessibility, the passive presence of orang asli in the park, the relatively high living standard of the rural folk and the low human density. “My findings are based on data collected in a scientific, objective manner. Of the 854 photos of human activity, there were no shots of anyone carrying snares, carcasses or firearms. We did not run into poachers or come across any snares and bullet cartridges, nor did we hear any gunshots. It may be a completely different picture in a secondary unprotected forest. “We did come across illegal campsites that did not belong to the orang asli. It is unclear what the intruders were up to but there was no evidence to suggest that they were after the animals.” “Animal carcasses and spent shells of firearms aren & #8217;t that easy to be missed by those of us searching for tiger faeces,” says Kawanishi. “Data also suggests that the passive presence of orang asli seems to be a deterrent to illegal activities.” Besides data on wildlife, Kawanishi was also documenting human activities to assess human impact on wildlife in Taman Negara. Future plans Kawanishi completed her thesis on the tiger project last year, and is now serving as a technical advisor to Perhilitan & #8217;s tiger unit. Armed with a vision for the survival of the species, Kawanishi will be helping the unit to develop a comprehensive conservation plan and set up a good communication network among the tiger states. “We need to put more people on the ground not only to patrol but also to collect data in a scientific manner. This year, we are trying to update the conservation status of tigers in the whole of the Peninsula. “In the long run, a tiger conservation framework that encompasses research strategies, a sustainable eco-tourism plan, the promotion of Taman Negara for its conservation significance, and the involvement of local communities should be in place,” Kawanishi enthuses. Notwithstanding the tiger-human conflict among displaced tiger populations in the country, Kawanishi concludes that tigers face a lesser threat in Malaysia. “The problems encountered in wildlife conservation are high human density, a large population of rural poor who depend on forest products for subsistence, low level of education, poor forestry practices, lack of law enforcement, corruption and a weak economy. “These are not big issues in Malaysia as they are in some countries. I am happy working in Malaysia for tiger conservation,” adds Kawanishi. That being the case, Malaysia is well placed to protect its existing tiger population and make significant contribution to the conservation of the big cat in the international arena.<p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2002 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Star Publications is prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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