FWD: Logging and hunting killing bats

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This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/6/5/nation/11037057 & sec=nation

 

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Sunday June 5, 2005

Logging and hunting killing bats

<b>BY TEOH TEIK HOONG</b>

 

PETALING JAYA: The number of flying foxes in the country is now at a critical

level due to over hunting and loss of habitat, which could affect the fruit

industry.

 

Virtually unprotected, except in Sarawak, the Pteropus hypomelanus - the island

species such as that found on Tioman Island, and the Pteropus vampyrus have

disappeared from 40% of known nesting sites in the country.

 

The decline in their numbers, if left unchecked, would severely affect cash

crops such as the durian, petai, rambutan and even langsat, as flying foxes are

one of the main pollinators for these trees.

 

Flying foxes are both seed dispersers and pollinators of various species of

tropical plants as they are known to travel up to 50km each night and can carry

200g of seeds – making them excellent seed dispersers.

 

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Professor Dr Zubaid Akbar Mukhtar Ahmad

said uncontrolled hunting and logging has caused the population of these species

of bats to dwindle to a very critical level.

 

“The major threat is from loss of mangrove swamps and lowland forests, which

are the main habitats for these bats,” he added.

 

 

 

“Unregulated hunting, especially with modern firearms and improved access to

their roosts, is also taking its toll.”

 

Dr Zubaid said between 1990 and 1996 alone, an unrestricted number of hunting

licences was issued, resulting in the culling of 56,000 flying foxes.

 

“This figure could be higher as people were likely to have caught more bats

than their licences allowed for,” he said.

 

In Sarawak, the Pteropus vampyrus is protected under the Wildlife Protection

Ordinance, 1998, which prohibits any hunting. Those caught doing so face a

maximum fine of RM 10,000 or one year in prison.

 

However, in peninsular Malaysia, licences to hunt these bats are issued under

the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, at only RM25 per licence.

 

Each licence allows the holder to hunt 25 bats.

 

In Muar, Johor, these are sold in the market at RM25 a piece.

 

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak bat researcher Mohd Azlan Jayasilan, who carried

out extensive work on flying foxes, said before they had access to shotguns, the

orang asli used to fell trees near the bats' roost to hit the roosting tree,

killing at least 10 to 15 bats at one time.

 

“These bats have a low reproduction rate, having only one offspring a year. The

death of a single female may create a chain reaction leading to the demise of

the species,” he said.

 

 

 

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