Begonias, along with orangutans and many other rainforest inhabitants are in danger now. Will these precious jewels of the jungle be located by scientists, described, eventually named and shared, so that people can love and marvel at their incredible beauty? Or will the bulldozer get there first, destroying where they live, making way to plant oil palm plantations for cheap palm oil? Retired horticulturalist and animal advocate Mel Lumby will keep fighting for as long as she lives.
Tag Archives: Malaysia
Celebrate #WorldRhinoDay by leaving the forests alone and #Boycottpalmoil to save imperilled Sumatran & Javan Rhinos
Indonesia manage to conserve two of the world’s five rhinoceros species. Both the Javan rhino Rhinoceros sondaicus and the Sumatran rhino Dicerorhinus sumatrensis still exist today, uniquely only in the country. Extractive industries and large-scale palm oil plantations have transformed the landscape of Sumatra. As a result, the Sumatran rhino’s populations were driven to theContinue reading “Celebrate #WorldRhinoDay by leaving the forests alone and #Boycottpalmoil to save imperilled Sumatran & Javan Rhinos”
A ‘mystery monkey’ in Borneo may be a rare hybrid between a Proboscis Monkey and Silvery Lutung
By Anne Pinto-Rodrigues Originally published by Science News. A new study has found that fragmentation of forests in Malaysian Borneo due to palm oil and mining has pressured two species of monkey (the Proboscis Monkey and Silvered Leaf Monkey/Silvery Lutung) to mate causing an unusual hybrid offspring. This has scientists worried as it indicates the animalsContinue reading “A ‘mystery monkey’ in Borneo may be a rare hybrid between a Proboscis Monkey and Silvery Lutung”
PepsiCo
Despite decades of promises to end deforestation for palm oil PepsiCo (owner of crisp brands Frito-Lay and Doritos amongst hundreds of other snack food brands) have continued sourcing palm oil that causes ecocide, indigenous landgrabbing, and the habitat destruction of the rarest animals on earth. All of these animals are on a knife-edge of survival.Continue reading “PepsiCo”
Procter & Gamble
Despite decades of promises to end deforestation for palm oil Procter & Gamble or (P&G as they are also known) have continued sourcing palm oil that causes ecocide, indigenous landgrabbing, and the habitat destruction of the rarest animals on earth. All of these animals are on a knife-edge of survival. It is for this reason,Continue reading “Procter & Gamble”
Zoologist and TV Presenter Dr George McGavin: In His Own Words
Bio: Dr George McGavin Dr George McGavin FLS FRGS Hon. FSB Hon. FRES studied Zoology at Edinburgh University, followed by a PhD in entomology at Imperial College and the Natural History Museum in London. After 25 years as an academic at Oxford University he became an award-winning television presenter. George is an Honorary Research AssociateContinue reading “Zoologist and TV Presenter Dr George McGavin: In His Own Words”
Binturong Arctictis binturong
Binturong Arctictis binturong Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China; India; Indonesia (Kalimantan, Jawa, Sumatera); Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Malaysia (Sarawak, Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia); Myanmar; Nepal; Philippines; Thailand; Vietnam Presence Uncertain: Brunei Darussalam Vulnerable Habitat loss has been the predominant driver of decline of the Binturong’s southern (Sundaic) portion of the range, where a significant proportion of lowlandContinue reading “Binturong Arctictis binturong”
Dusky Langur Trachypithecus obscurus
Dusky Langur Trachypithecus obscurus Endangered Malaysia; Myanmar; Thailand Hunting for food is a major threat, as is fragmentation, habitat loss and degradation due to expanding oil palm plantations, agriculture, urbanization, and touristic development (Groves et al. 2013). In Peninsular Malaysia the langurs are frequent victims of road-kill (Boonratana 2003). IUCN Red list Playful, gregarious andContinue reading “Dusky Langur Trachypithecus obscurus”
King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah
King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah Vulnerable Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India The King Cobra lives in a variety of habitats, primarily in pristine forests, but they can also be found in degraded forest, mangrove swamps and even agricultural areas with remnants of woodland. They have also been found swimming in rivers in non-forested landContinue reading “King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah”
Bearded Pig Sus barbatus
Bearded Pig Sus barbatus Vulnerable Extant (resident): Brunei Darussalam; Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sumatera); Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, Sabah) Possibly Extinct: Philippines Extinct: Singapore The Bearded Pig has hair which grows along its lower jaw that resembles a beard – giving the animal its name as well as a defining characteristic which differentiates it from other wildContinue reading “Bearded Pig Sus barbatus”
Bengal Slow Loris Nycticebus bengalensis
Bengal Slow Loris Nycticebus bengalensis Endangered Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh The Bengal Slow Loris are wide-eyed beauties that are arboreal and nocturnal and live in tropical evergreen rainforest, semi-evergreen forest, and mixed deciduous forest. In Vietnam they are found only in secondary forests, and on the edge of primary forests; the species alsoContinue reading “Bengal Slow Loris Nycticebus bengalensis”
Titiwangsa Horned Tree Lizard Acanthosaura titiwangsaensis
Titiwangsa Horned Tree Lizard Acanthosaura titiwangsaensis Endangered Malaysia This upland species of lizard ranges no lower than 1,000 m asl, and is associated with dipterocarp forests. Lizards are occasionally seen during the day on the sides of small trees in dense undergrowth, usually no more than two metres above the forest floor. The Titiwangsa HornedContinue reading “Titiwangsa Horned Tree Lizard Acanthosaura titiwangsaensis”
Abbott’s Gray Gibbon Hylobates abbotti
Abbott’s Gray Gibbon Hylobates abbotti Endangered Indonesia (Kalimantan); Malaysia (Sarawak) The Abbott’s Gray Gibbon belongs to the genus Hylobates. The word Hylobates means ‘Forest Walker’ in Greek. The gibbons in this genus are known for the white circle of fur around their faces. They are known to communicate in species-specific song when defining territory orContinue reading “Abbott’s Gray Gibbon Hylobates abbotti”
Northern Gray Gibbon Hylobates funereus
Northern Gray Gibbons form close familial bonds and monogamous pairs they are #endangered in #Brunei #Indonesia and #Malaysia due to #deforestation illegal hunting and the #pettrade. Support their survival #Boycott4Wildlife
Lar Gibbon Hylobates lar
Lar Gibbon Hylobates lar Endangered Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh The Lar Gibbon is found in evergreen, semi-evergreen, and mixed evergreen-deciduous forest (sometimes known as “dry evergreen” forest, in the northern parts of their range), and is known to utilize regenerating secondary forest and selectively logged forest (Johns 1985). In northwestern Thailand, white-handed gibbonsContinue reading “Lar Gibbon Hylobates lar”
Wrinkled Hornbill Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus
Wrinkled Hornbill Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus Endangered Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei Extinct: Singapore The Wrinkled Hornbill is a magnificent and ancient looking bird that lives in primary evergreen and swamp forests up to 1,000 m. They can live in selectively logged forest if primary forests are adjacent, but they do not occur in secondary forest. Forest firesContinue reading “Wrinkled Hornbill Rhabdotorrhinus corrugatus”
Storm’s Stork Ciconia stormi
Storm’s Stork Ciconia stormi Endangered Malaysia, Borneo, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand The Storm’s Stork occurs at low densities in large, undisturbed blocks of level lowland forest, particularly freshwater and peat-swamp forests, on the floodplains of large rivers. They also frequent disturbed, recently burned and logged areas, and occasionally areas subject to tidal movements, although these mayContinue reading “Storm’s Stork Ciconia stormi”
Wild Water Buffalo Bubalus arnee
Wild Water Buffalo Bubalus arnee Endangered India, Nepal, all South East Asia The Wild Water Buffalo is very dependent on the availability of water and historically their preferred habitats were low-lying alluvial grasslands including bheels (ox-bow lakes and similar pools left by changing river courses) and their surrounds; river banks, and chaporis (small sandy islandsContinue reading “Wild Water Buffalo Bubalus arnee”
Malayan Forest Gecko Cyrtodactylus pulchellus
Malayan Forest Gecko Cyrtodactylus pulchellus Endangered Malaysia (Peninsular) The Malaysian Forest Gecko is a nocturnal and scansorial species that lives in granite rock-forest (Grismer et al. 2012). Occasionally animals will opportunistically utilize nearby vegetation and the outer walls of buildings (L. Grismer and E. Quah pers. comm. 2017). Continued collection of the Malaysian Forest GeckoContinue reading “Malayan Forest Gecko Cyrtodactylus pulchellus”
Masked Finfoot Heliopais personatus
Masked Finfoot Heliopais personatus Endangered Borneo, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Singapore The Masked Finfoot lives principally in rivers in lowland riverine forest including mangroves, but has been recorded in coastal and inland wetlands, such as tidal creeks, flooded forest, swamps and lakes (rarely reservoirs or industrial pools on passage). OneContinue reading “Masked Finfoot Heliopais personatus”
Palm Oil Detectives 