[Feature image: This newly-bought Red-whiskered Bulbul is placed in a paper bag to be taken home by its future owner | Photo by Mukhriz Hazim]
Counting how many times birds sing in 13 seconds is fun for bird owners, but these ‘marathon’ competitions are endangering the Red-whiskered Bulbul.
OUTSIDE a birdcage repair shop in Kota Bharu, Kelantan is an open space with several metal stands. During the day, these metal stands are used to hang bird cages, dozens of them. They belong to different owners, who leave them at this shop while they are at work.
It turns out that this is a ‘songbird daycare’, not just for any bird but the Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus). Popularly known as Merbah Jambul, the birds are beloved pets and need regular sunlight, so their cages must be hung outdoors.
Growing songbird ownership, enabled by weak laws, is pushing Oriental Magpie-robins into cages – with growing concern over wild populations. A co-publication with Dialogue Earth.
THE ORIENTAL Magpie-robin’s melodious song, once a staple of Malaysia’s forests, is being silenced by the weight of a booming songbird trade. Demand is both domestic and from Indonesia, and enabled by gaps in Malaysian laws.
Known in Bahasa Malaysia as Murai kampung, the Oriental Magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) is listed as being of Least Concern in terms of its conservation status.
But thousands have been seized by authorities in Malaysia since 2020, due in part to missing documentation required for exports, and to curb the spread of disease, among other things.
(Feature image: Everyone wants to own a Murai kampung but are there enough wild birds to feed this demand? | Illustration: Kabini Amin/Dialogue Earth & Macaranga)
(Feature image: Sun bears Sunbearo and Loki being released into the forest in 2021. The two were among the 12 bears released by the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) between 2015–2022. (Tee Thye Lim/BSBCC))
Returning rescued sun bears to their wild homes is tough and too many die in the process. While conservationists labour to help these bears, they say it is better that the bears never left the forests.
INSIDE SABAH’S Tabin Wildlife reserve, just over an hour’s drive from the seaside town of Lahad Datu, 4 men trudge into a natural clearing in the forest, their footing sure despite the muddy terrain. They are carefully hauling the disassembled parts of a wild bear trap.
One man empties a packet of bait into a small cage made of wire mesh. He hoists and suspends the small cage into the air. His 2 other teammates rapidly assemble the bear trap.
Petting zoos are gaining in popularity and host local and exotic animals. In Part 2, we ask how petting zoos are sourcing their wildlife, especially animals that are legally protected.
PALM COCKATOOS (Probosciger aterrimus) are handsome birds. Smoky black feathers, tomato-red cheeks, and a high mohawk crest. This bird – one of the few known to make tools for music – originates from New Guinea and northern Australia.
But in Malaysia, you might find them in petting zoos and zoos. Some have even been trained to perch on human arms for photos.
Wild individuals cannot be imported into Malaysia for commercial purposes, but captive-bred ones may. However, conservationists point to the murkiness surrounding sourcing these rare parrots.
(Feature image: Insta-worthy, but how much does providing such interaction help conserve wild parrots? | Photo by Lee Kwai Han)
Petting zoos with their wildlife and exotic species, are becoming increasingly popular. In Part 1 of 2, we look at the impact of these facilities on the welfare of both wildlife and humans.
AS SOON as they entered the petting zoo, schoolchildren excitedly rushed towards the pygmy horse behind a wooden fence. Quickly, they grabbed carrot sticks from their plastic tub feeding kits. The next instant, they were waving more than a dozen carrots at the horse.
Each child was hoping the horse would pick the one in his hand. But that was just a starter for the children at Farm in the City, one of the largest petting zoos in Malaysia.
(Feature image: The boom in petting zoos has pros and cons, as they feature wildlife, including exotic creatures such as the Aldabra giant tortoise, endemic to Seychelles | Photo by Lee Kwai Han)
The Klang Valley’s rapid development threatens not only our local biodiversity but also the delicate balance required for harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife, writes wildlife conservation advocate Ashwiini Paranjothi.
WILDLIFE IS NOT limited to distant forests; it is present in our cities, adapting to urban life as green spaces shrink. Urban forests like Bukit Kiara and Bukit Gasing in the Klang Valley are home to a variety of species that now share their habitat with humans. The increased proximity has led to more frequent interactions and, unfortunately, more conflicts.
(Feature pic: When monkeys create chaos in neighbourhoods, human patience can run thin. | photo by Animal Neighbours Project)
As regulators tighten international trade of the White-rumped shama, local hunting and captive breeding continue.
“THIS ONE, nine-inch, a Kuala Lumpur champion for more than 5 times,” says Soo Hoo Kok Weng as he points to a bluish-black bird in a cage. The White-rumped shama is popular in bird-singing competitions and Soo Hoo breeds them for this purpose.
But this bird has not sired any chicks after more than a year of pairing. Soo Hoo reckons its previous owner had been feeding it stimulants to win the highly-competitive bird singing competitions. “Its sperm is spoilt,” he says. “That’s the price it has been made to pay.”
But for the species, the price is far higher than that: extinction.
(Photo: Birdkeepers enter their songbirds into competitions for prizes and prestige. Winning competitions also increases the selling price of the bird | Pic by Lee Kwai Han)
What does it take to speak up for tigers? Conservationist Wong Pui May pays tribute to her mentor and a great Malayan tiger defender, Kae Kawanishi.
IT WAS IN 1998, the Year of the Tiger, that Dr Kae Kawanishi started her journey in Malayan tiger conservation. She was Malaysia’s first tiger biologist. This year marks her third Tiger Year in Malaysia.
As it draws to a close, I thought it was time that we who are following in her footsteps, thanked Kae for leading the way.
(Photo: Kae Kawanishi in Taman Negara with PERHILITAN wildlife rangers)
Bringing poachers and illegal wildlife traders to court is complex and needs serious attention, says conservationist Nor Arlina Amirah Ahmad Ghani.
MANY Malaysians want to see people behind bars for committing wildlife crimes. But very rarely do they pay attention to the ornate pathway after the arrest and what it takes to convict offenders.
We celebrate arrests and seizures made by our enforcement officers, but the news often ends there, whereas an arrest is almost always only the first step towards reclaiming justice for wildlife in Malaysia.
(Photo: Prosecution and sentencing need to be strengthened when offenders reach the court, such as this Environmental Court in the Temerloh High, Session, and Magistrate Court | Pic by Nor Arlina Amirah for Justice for Wildlife Malaysia)
