山打根的故事

山打根的故事

http://sandakantours.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post.html

太阳熊的救星

栖息在婆罗洲，全世界最小的太阳熊有得救了！

黄博士终于回到了山打根，继续为婆罗洲太阳熊庇护中心（Borneon Sun Bear Conservation Centre）做出更多有意义的救太阳熊行动。

黄博士与小太阳熊Natalie

早在1994年，黄博士在美国的蒙大拿大学与太阳熊结下不解之缘。多年来对太阳熊的研究，让他成为世界上数一数二保育太阳熊的专家。

从最初去深入了解野外的太阳熊，黄博士也到动物园，人们的住家等等去观察被关在笼子里的太阳熊。

他发现人们没有好好地对待这些被饲养或被当成宠物的太阳熊。

这使他萌起了设立婆罗洲太阳熊庇护中心的念头。他要让那些遭受遗弃的太阳熊有个安全的场所，重新去学习如何在野外生存。

黄博士向人们解释婆罗洲太阳熊庇护中心

保育太阳熊的工作都是不简单的。

既然有了这么一位热心的先锋，我们呼吁更多的人们及各团体参与这项有意义的活动。

欲了解更多有关婆罗洲太阳熊庇护中心，请游览http://sunbears.wildlifedirect.org/

山打根的故事: 救救太阳熊 (Sun Bear)

山打根的故事: 救救太阳熊 (Sun Bear)

救救太阳熊 (Sun Bear)

从很多的纪录片，大家都知道北极熊，黑熊，灰熊等等，但却不知道全世界最小的太阳熊竟然在婆罗洲内。

太阳熊也被称为马来熊或狗熊，它们主要栖息在东南亚的热带雨林中，是熊家族中最小的类型。

它的头部短圆，身子胖嘟嘟的，加上乌黑光滑的全身短毛，样貌十分可爱。

众多的动物之中，太阳熊是被忽略的动物，有关方面的研究工作非常少。至2008年，全世界才有3个太阳熊的生态研究。

人类不断开伐森林，这使到太阳熊的生命受到威胁。

它们失去栖居的地方，食物等生活环境。另外，偷猎活动也使它们的数量减少，面临濒危。

为了保育太阳熊，爱熊的黄博士已经在山打根的西必洛，成立了一个保育太阳熊的中心。

每个人都可以为太阳熊作出一点贡献。最简单的做法就是告诉其他的人有关太阳熊的保育工作。

当然，大家可以多了解太阳熊，有钱出钱，有力出力地去挽救这个动物。

欲知更多有关太阳熊，请游览http://sunbears.wildlifedirect.org/

照片取自http://sunbears.wildlifedirect.org/

Finally home! – Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Finally home! – Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Last week on Feb 13th, I finally landed at Kota Kinabalu International Airport at the capital of Sabah. This was the day that I have been long waiting for; the day when I can return to and serve to my home country. I am glad and relieved that I finally finished the prolonged education process in the US at the age of 42. This joy is not only cherished by myself and my family, but also by many friends, colleagues and supporters across the world.

Over the following few days my schedule was packed with meeting officials from Sabah Wildlife Department, NGOs and the LEAP team, accompanied by their handshakes. “Wong is back!” However, these warm welcomes were also accompanied by the bad news of more baby sun bears having been confiscated by the Wildlife Department or being kept as pets by villagers. Even worse, was the sad news of the death of Ah Chong on the morning of Feb 15th. Ah Chong was a sweet but old male sun bear who came to us 10 years ago. The necropsy of Ah Chong performed by Dr. Diana Ramirez on the next day indicated that his death was due to Congestive Heart Failure caused by an abnormal heart that associated with genetic abnormality. May you rest in peace Ah Chong! You will be missed in our life always!

On Feb 18th, I finally travelled from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan where the BSBCC is based. Wai Pak picked me up from the Sandakan airport. We went straight from the airport to the BSBCC to see the sun bears. It was really good to be back again to see that both the facility and the bears are growing. The sun bears greeted me with their curious sniff on my hand, which I think they still recognized my smell except for a few newcomers whom I had never meet who had no idea who I was.

My first meeting with Natalie the baby sun bear was an unforgotten one. Her loveliness and adorableness is something beyond anything human language can possibly describe. Her condition is much more stable now with increased appetite and she is slowly gaining weight. Her diarrhea problem, which was a concern during the first few weeks after her arrival also seem to be under control. She has passed the most vulnerable stage as an infant and starting to eat solid food and growing stronger. Her relatively big eyes, small ears, short but soft hairs really caught my eyes and my heart. Beside the cuteness of her little black hairy body, I really hope that we all can understand the reason she is here because of poaching, illegal logging, pet trade, with high likelihood that her mother had been killed.

During the first few days I am at the centre everyone on the ground was working really hard: Wai Pak the project manager had overseen all of the operations on the ground and was working around the clock; David and Daniel the animal keepers keep busy with their daily routine taking care of the bears with the helps from volunteers Marianne Sim, Paul Clenton, Janine Pickwick, and John Lane; A group of 15 volunteers from Raleigh International working tirelessly to build the perimeter fencing of the outdoor enclosure. Thank you all for all your help!

Today marks the first week I am back to Sabah. Over the last seven days, we discussed many plans and events that to be take place in the near future: a fund raising event that will take place in Sepilok that involves local corporate and community; a fund raising event took place on facebook, an ambitious research project using camera trapping data, GIS, and radio-telemetry techniques to study the important of corridors at Kinabatangan River area involving multiple focal wildlife species including sun bears; a phylogenic study on sun bear across SE Asia; and on Feb 24th, I am going to Krau Wildlife Reserve in Peninsula Malaysia to assist a graduate student studying wild sun bears.

A busy schedule lies ahead for sure for sun bears and the development of BSBCC.

I am finally home. It is good to be home!

Goodbye Missoula! Tonight is the last night – Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Goodbye Missoula! Tonight is the last night – Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Sunset in Missoula

Goodbye Missoula! Tonight is the last night It all begun here in Missoula, Montana, USA, 17 years ago when I first came to the University of Montana in the summer of 1994 to pursue my first degree (B.Sc) in wildlife biology. It was here where I met my advisor Dr. Chris Servheen, whom at that time was looking for a Malaysian student to conduct a study on sun bear ecology in Malaysia. The meeting with Chris changed my life thereafter- I conducted the very first ecological study of sun bear for my M.Sc degree and then follow by my PhD study, both under the supervision of Chris. In 2008, because of all the work and love on sun bears, I founded the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo. After 17 years studying, training, and working in the field, I finally finished my prolong higher education, and wrapped up my stay in Missoula tonight.

Winter in Missoula with my family

Goodbye Missoula! Tonight is the last night I spend in this little town of Missoula in a mountain valley of the Rocky Mountain. A heavy snow storm hit this part of the Rockies this morning, pouring half a foot of snow, making my final moving and cleaning of the townhouse apartment where my family and I stayed for the last 2.5 years difficult, but did not deter the moving process. It is here in Missoula that I first learn about how friendly and kind people can be to each other. In Missoula, people greed each others; bus drivers greet all passengers when they hop into the bus, and wish them have a very good day when they take off the bus; friends give each other big bear hugs when saying goodbye. It is here in Missoula, my family and I received tremendous helps and supports from many friends from the university, and local church communities. To me, these friends are not just friends; they are my family, my brothers and sisters, my parents, my grandparents, and my children. My family and I would like to thank John and Barbara, Jolinda and Ben, the late Pat and Dick Taber, Ted and Carol, Sam and Tammy, CK and Hui Ling, Mei Hui and Dr. Hao, Vincent and Wai Fong, Jedediah, Rosa, Mei Hua, Emma, Andrew, Sim, Rita and Tyron, Chris, Rebecca and Kate, Dan, Jeanne, Effie, River, and all our friends from International Student Christian Fellowship and Taiwanese Student Association, teachers and friends from Lewis and Clark School, and many more, for their friendship, kinship, kindness, helps and support to me and my family. We will never forget you all!

Farewell party for me and my family organized by friends, no, family in Missoula.

End of year dinner and farewell dinner by UM Taiwanese Student Association

I had a productive stay in Missoula. In this little town at the foothill of Mt Sentinel, I produced 5 certificates; three certificates from University of Montana- home to the Grizzlies, and two birth certificates of my two lovely daughters Winnie and Evelyn. Missoula is a very special place to me, both my personal life and my professional and academic life. I am considering myself as Missoulian!

University of Montana, home of the Montana Grizzlies

Tonight is the last night my family and I spend in Missoula. Tomorrow we will be flying back to Taiwan to spend the Chinese New Year with my wife’s family, and then I continue my journey to Malaysia on February 13 to start a new career and new life. Chris Morgan left me a message on my facebook regarding my return to Malaysia two days ago: “America’s loss but Borneo’s gain.” Well said Chris! However, I think there is no loss or gain. My return to Asia is the way it should be eventually because I am needed most in my country. I can hear she is calling for me. From the first day I came here to Missoula in 1994, I am mean to return home to serve my country once my study is completed. Now, it is the time for me to return after the completion of my doctorate study. Tonight is the last night.

Goodbye Missoula! My family and I had uncountable joyful moments, sweet memories, and happy stories from the 12.5 years of stay in Missoula.

Thank you Missoula! May you always be happy, joyful, well, & at safety & peace!

Three cheers for SAM | Free Malaysia Today

Three cheers for SAM Free Malaysia Today

Three cheers for SAM

January 21, 2011

FMT LETTER

FroM Sean Whyte, via e-mail

The people of Malaysia have every reason to admire and be proud of Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM). SAM is recognised internationally for its uncompromising and passionate defense of Malaysia’s dwindling wildlife.

All too often SAM is a lone voice within Malaysia. While this, however unintentionally, brings shame on the many who choose to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the many Malaysian wildlife tragedies they are aware of, SAM can always be counted on to speak out.

If you have children or grandchildren one day, you might want, right now, to prepare your answer to the inevitable question, ‘Why did you not do something to help save our country’s wild animals and birds when there was still time to do so?’

If you want to avoid that question, and living in a concrete jungle surrounded by oil palm trees devoid of all wildlife, now would be a good time to give SAM your support.

Malaysia needs many more people who care, and hopefully this includes you, prepared to speak in defense of its wildlife. There’s no reason not to is there? There’s not a lot of time left to take action before the last tiger, the last rhino, etc. are gone, forever.

No matter where you live in Malaysia, you can make a difference, if you choose to. If you need help to get started you can always contact me.

The views I express are written without prior knowledge of SAM. My wish is simply to give credit where it is due (SAM) and to alert the people of Malaysia to the wildlife tragedy unfolding before their eyes every day of the year.

The writer is Chief Executive of Nature Alert