Logging and deforestation

I'm posting this here as it is important news.

Nasa: Malaysia sees 115% jump in deforestation

BY TASHNY SUKUMARAN

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia saw a 115% increase in deforestation during the first three months of 2013, according to a forest tracking tool developed by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) researchers.

Malaysia's figure was the highest among five countries where deforestation was detected, followed by Nepal (114%), Mexico (92%), Argentina (72%), and Madagascar (51%).

Nasa's Quarterly Indicator of Cover Change, a satellite-based tool that underpins environment watchdog Mongabay.com's Global Forest Disturbance Alert System, noted the jump earlier this month.

Christopher Potter, a senior research scientist at the Nasa Ames Research Center, told the environment watchdog that Malaysia has a deforestation hotspot on the western coastal area of Perak.

"Many areas in Sarawak have been detected with forest cover change over the past two years," Potter, told The Star Online.

Perak DAP head Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham revealed that there had been many complaints of logging in the Manjong district of Perak, including Segari and his own Parliamentary constituency of Beruas.

"The logging is carried out at odd hours in the middle of the night, which is very suspicious. However, we don't know if it's illegal. I cannot verify the legality of this timber logging, so I cannot lodge a police report," he told The Star Online.

Ngeh, who is also Sitiawan assemblyman, said that he had tried to raise the issue during the state assembly sitting, but he and other Opposition assemblymen had "hardly been given time" to ask their questions.

He said he would bring it up in Parliament.

"However, (Perak Mentri Besar) Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir has to answer this question. Is this logging legal or not?" he said.

Zambry and Perak state government exco member Dr Muhammad Amin Zakaria could not be reached for comment.

The World Bank had previously estimated that trees in Malaysia are being cut down at roughly four times the sustainable rate.

The Malaysian Nature Society expressed concern over the statistics, and promised to review the information.

"We will cross-reference with our sources on the ground... We are and remain opposed to the clearing of any natural forests in Malaysia," said MNS communications head Andrew Sebastian.

 

Read:

http://beta.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/06/21/This-is-the-default-headline.aspx

Lost Tapes, "Cave Demons"‏

Just watched (Aug 2009) one of the most ridiculous TV programmes, made by Animal Planet 2008, called Lost Tapes, "Cave Demons"

I've googled it , cos it was so bad. Found out it's based on cryptozoological creatures.

Wikipedia explains it well,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Tapes

Lost Tapes is a half-hour thriller mockumentary/docufiction television series which airs on Animal Planet. The program depicts fictitious footage of traumatic stories that are "inspired by the possibility that hidden creatures exist" and is centered on cryptozoological creatures (cryptids), including the Chupacabra and Bigfoot.

A pilot/a sneak preview aired on Animal Planet October 30, 2008 for Halloween, but the series officially premiered on January 6, 2009. Two episodes, each thirty minutes long, are aired back-to-back for a total running time of one hour. Animal Planet has commissioned a second season which will premiere in late 2009.

Overview

The series depicts fictional, traumatic scenarios in which cryptids attack people. Although the series is shot in a mock documentary style, it does not state that the footage is real, only that it is "inspired by the possibility that hidden creatures exist." Each episode usually ends with a character being killed by the creature in a cliffhanger ending, with the cliffhanger resolved during an epilogue.

The creatures are often only partially revealed to the audience in brief glimpses. To give a mysterious atmosphere to the show, the makers do not let the viewers see the creature in full form, analogous to the shark from Jaws. The exception is "Hellhound," in which the creature is in fact fully visible each time it appears because they use an actual Rottweiler to represent the Hellhound.

A recurring situation in the show is that the characters are usually left alone or are in a small group, in a remote area of the world. They soon encounter the creature and several stressful things occur. One of the characters is killed or injured or captured by the creature. Interrupting the action, a factoid series called "Lost Tapes: Revelations" reveals facts behind some legends. Finally, it ends on a cliffhanger with this resolved at the epilogue.

While in most episodes the cryptid is the antagonist, in others it acts as a hero or anti-hero. [not copied this section here]

Episode 7 "Cave Demons" January 27, 2009 Olitiau

On January 25, 2002, United States Marine Forces in Afghanistan experience sonar interference coming from a cave near Tora Bora, which screws up their sonar cave-mapping system. Believing it to be a jamming device built by the Taliban or Al-Queda, three U.S marines, corporals Sawyer and Wade, and sergeant Carlos Ramos, investigate the cave, using helmet cameras to record their mission, which is to find the source of the interference and destroy it. As they venture deeper into the cave they discover large amounts of bats and guano all over the cave. Corporal Wade falls into a booby trap and falls into a lower section of the cave, breaking his back. As he lies there, he spots something flying past. The others find him and he seems delirious, and mutters that what he saw looked "like a lady" (possibly a reference to how most batlike cryptids are known to have eerily feminine features). One of the remaining Marines shouts excitedly that a woman might be down there and can help them, but the other dismisses it as a hallucination. The remaining Marines quickly reach his position and decide to investigate the signal first which was close to their position. As they reach the signal, the signal disappears and reappears at Wade's position. Wade is then heard firing off his M4 carbine and screams of pain. The two Marines rush to his position only to find him dead. The two Marines leave Wade's body to find the interference. They come across "a whole nest of them", as described by one of the Marines and are attacked by an entire swarm of the creatures. It destroys their flashlights as they fire their weapons at the creatures. A rescue party is sent in after the booby trap causes the team to lose radio contact with the outside, and the rescue party only finds Ramos limping away from the cave and with a rare case of rabies. He is sent home and reunited with his wife and kids. It is theorized that the Marines' gunfire somehow killed or wounded the creatures as they left the sergeant to leave the cave alive. The bodies of Wade and Sawyer were never recovered.

Glimpse of the cryptid: There are louder than average bat screams when the Marines are attacked. Wade's helmet camera also shows him from behind, held down by a giant brownish winged creature. The cryptid appears attacking the Marines again; this time, it seemed to be hanging from the ceiling.

Fatalities caused: Two. Wade is attacked, killed, and even partially decapitated by an unknown flying creature. Sawyer's death is unknown. It's possible that the creatures themselves were killed as well.

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Official website
http://animal.discovery.com/fantasy-creatures/cave-demon/

Giant Bat People:
Sightings of mysterious human-sized bats have been reported in all corners of the world. They are described as having black or gray fur, a monkey-like face, clawed feet and a 10-15 foot wingspan. In Brazil they are called "bat people." In Mexico, an ancient Mayan cult worshiped the "death bat." The rainforests of Java echo the cries of a bat creature called the "Athol" because of its distinct "a-hool" vocalization. In Vietnam they are known as "night flyers." These winged humanoids are generally 5 feet tall with eerie feminine features. They are known to swoop down on their victims and attack several times.

African Cave Demons:
The continent of Africa has reported many sightings of bat-like beasts. In Cameroon, it is called the "Olitiau," an immense bat creature that was seen by famed naturalist Ivan T. Sanderson in 1932 while on expedition. In Senegal, the creature is called "Guiafairo." In Ghana, the bat-like creature is called "Sasabonsam." A similar creature exists in Madagascar and is called the "Fangalabolo," and in Indonesia, tales of the "Organ-Bati" abound where the creature is said to roost in an extinct volcano and snatch children.

Cheddar Gorge

Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Go deep into the holes of Cheddar
Liz Price
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN


Sunday, March 8, 2009


MENTION the word cheddar, and most people will think of cheese.

Wherever in the world you find cheese, you will find a variety of cheddar. It has been copied the world over, but the original variety comes from an English village called Cheddar.

This village lies at the bottom of the famous Cheddar Gorge, in Somerset in southwest England. The nearest cities are Bath, Bristol and Wells. Cheddar Gorge is a well known tourist attraction and is one of the greatest natural wonders in Britain. Its towering limestone cliffs soar almost 150m above the gorge which is 4.5km long. The gorge is situated at the southern end of the Mendip Hills, which are a range of limestone hills noted for their caves; and caves are also found within Cheddar Gorge. There are underground cathedrals of stalactites and stalagmites and some are open to the public.

Cheddar Gorge is the largest gorge in the United Kingdom. A gorge is simply a canyon, thus a deep valley between cliffs often carved out by a river. A road runs through the bottom of Cheddar Gorge. On one side the cliffs are near vertical in places, on the other side there are steep grassy slopes. In winter, the sun doesn't reach the bottom of the gorge even at midday. The gorge was formed by melting floodwater during the post glacial periods over the last 1.2 million years. Water carved out the gorge, and flowed underground through the permeable limestone, creating the caves. This left the gorge dry. However, today water flows through Gough's Cave and emerges at the bottom of the gorge.

The gorge is the site of several caves; some open to the public. Goughs was discovered in 1890 and is where Britain's oldest complete human skeleton, Cheddar Man, was found in 1903. It is estimated to be 9,000 years old. In 2007 a carving of a mammoth, estimated to be 13,000 years old, was found in the cave. Cox's Cave is smaller but was discovered earlier in 1837. Gough's Cave is Britain's first authenticated cannibal site. It is estimated that human ancestors have lived here for 40,000 years, and the new Museum of Prehistory gives information about life and death in the Stone Age.

In summer, the gorge is packed with tourists, and there are traffic jams as buses and cars make their way through the narrow gorge. An open-top bus tour operates during the summer. Visitors who flock to the show caves, can enjoy a traditional cream tea in one of the many tea rooms afters. And of course there are shops selling Cheddar cheese, which is made in the lower part of the gorge. Cheddar cheese has been made since at least 1170 as there are records of King Henry II having purchased some.

Visitors can also go adventure caving in Gough's Cave. The gorge is also a mecca for rock climbers; there are about 350 officially graded climbing routes on the 27 cliffs that make up Cheddar Gorge. At the top of the gorge is Black Rock Nature Reserve, which is very popular with walkers and nature enthusiasts.

Cheddar Gorge is such a stunning place and it is easy to see why it is one of Britain's most visited tourist attractions.

The Brunei Times

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Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/travel/2009/03/08/go_deep_into_the_holes_of_cheddar

Cave paintings France

From The Malayan Naturalist

Klang Gates

Klang Gates quartz ridge, The Expat, July 2005

Klang Gates ridge, KL

Hiking up to see the beauty of KL's Klang Gate Ridge
Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)
Sunday, August 10, 2008


Captivating: Klang Gate Ridge is one of Malaysia's most valuable geological monuments built almost entirely of quartz, measuring 16km long and 200 metres wide. Picture: Liz Price

Liz Price
KUALA LUMPUR

THE spectacular Klang Gates quartz ridge forms the backdrop to the Ampang side of Kuala Lumpur (or fondly called "KL" for short by the locals here), extending to the Karak highway where it almost touches the toll booths.

It is an impressive site, almost resembling the backbone of some prehistoric creature, guarding the Kuala Lumpur valley. Although often mistaken for limestone, it is the longest quartz ridge in the country at about 16 km. Quartz is a common mineral, a silicate used for making glass.

The ridge has ragged cliffs up to 120m high, and its length is broken into sections by river valleys. Its top is a jagged knife-edge, in some places only a few metres wide, with precipitous drops on either side. It is a popular place for walkers, climbers and nature lovers. From the ridge top there are stunning views over KL and also the Klang Gates dam. Certain areas of the ridge are on private land. Unfortunately developments encroach closer and closer to the ridge and in some parts houses almost touch the cliffs.

The most spectacular part of the ridge is its mid-section, Bukit Batu Tabur, which stretches 4km to 5km from Taman Melawati to the National Zoo. The access point is from the Puncak Niaga waterworks. The initial climb up to the ridge is hot and sweaty work as you follow a steep narrow path. But it is worth the effort as the first view is over the dam. The dam was the first reservoir in Malaysia and it was opened in 1958. It is one of the water catchment areas for KL and Selangor. Beyond the dam are the mountains of the main range, still covered with thick rainforest. If you are lucky to get good weather, you can see for miles.

On one occasion I went to the ridge with a friend who is agoraphobic. This was a mistake as his fear of open spaces meant that as soon as we emerged from the narrow, sheltered path onto the main ridge, he started to worry. And as we went higher and the pathway got narrow and the drops steeper, he was not at all happy. Once up on the ridge you can follow the trail as it winds slowly upwards. After millions of years of erosion, the ridge is now just a narrow spine. It is relatively easy going, although there are a couple of sections where you have to do some simple rock climbing.

However it is not the place to be if you suffer from a fear of heights. And you need to take great care if it has been raining. My friend left me at the first climb, when he saw that we had to scale a small rock face. He found a tree to sit under and let me carry on alone. I realised then he suffered from aeroacrophobia, which is a fear of high open spaces. It's preferable to start your ascent early morning, to avoid the full heat of the sun. However there are wooded areas which provide welcome shade. Some of the trees and shrubs are very hardy, climbing precociously onto sheer rock walls. It gets very windy up here sometimes. The part of the ridge surrounding the dam and forest reserve is rich with vegetation. Surveys indicate at least 265 plant species thrive here, with five of them endemic to the area. There are a lot of mosses in the shaded areas. Because of the endemic fauna and flora, the ridge has been made into a wildlife reserve. The serow or wild mountain goat inhabits this type of terrain although is probably not in the areas frequented by human visitors.

From the ridge you can hear the gibbons in the zoo calling, although there may also be some wild ones living in the rainforest. You can walk along until you reach the area that overlooks the Karak highway. However most people don't get that far, as it can be quite a strenuous walk. The ridge is worth a visit, as it is unique, and could be a valuable geological monument.

However very little has been done to protect it.

A native of England, now living in Malaysia and specialising in cave and karst research. A freelance writer who is a nature lover and traveller, who prefers off the beaten track tourism.

The Brunei Times
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Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/travel/2008/08/10/hiking_up_to_see_the_beauty_of_kls_klang_gate_ridge

Chillagoe

Published on The Brunei Times (http://www.bt.com.bn/en)

Chill in Chillagoe for a taste of the real Australian Outback
Liz Price
CHILLAGOE, AUSTRALIA

Sunday, May 18, 2008


KANGAROOs were bouncing across the road and a flash of bright colours in the trees ahead indicated the presence of cockatoos. The blue sky contrasted sharply against the brown earth. This was bush country, the real northeast Australian outback.

In the dry season here in Chillagoe, everything is brown. There is no other colour except for the cloudless blue sky. The creeks are bone dry, the cattle painfully thin, and there is not a drop of water to be seen. But the harshness of the landscape is somehow fascinating, especially knowing that everything is lying dormant, waiting for the rains.

And when they come it is a different world. The wet season is from November to March and the whole landscape is transformed. Everywhere is green. The bushes and trees all develop leaves, there is grass where previously there had just been dusty earth, and even flowers are blooming. The creeks are all running and often the roads get washed out. The rivers overflow their banks and flood huge areas, and you realise why the locals warn visitors never to camp near a riverbed. Flash floods are so common.

Chillagoe lies about 200km from Cairns at the southern end of the Cape York peninsula in a landscape totally different climatically and geographically from Cairns. The limestone area of Chillagoe comes as a great surprise. I first saw the towers jutting out from between the trees. As we got closer the rocks appeared to rise vertically from a jumble of cracked and broken boulders to end in enormous jagged ramparts standing clearly out against the tropical blue sky. It is like a scene from a film set, and is similar to the limestone area of Guilin in China.

The Chillagoe limestone is noted for its sharpness, and this is an understatement. Razor sharp edges cover every surface, and I can see why the area has been likened to the Mountains of Mordar in Tolkein's Lord of the Rings. House sized boulders are jammed in crevices and every- where there are holes, some leading into caves, others just into impenetrable fissures.

Chillagoe is now an area of National Parks, divided into nine separate areas within a 16km radius. The two largest parks are Royal Arch and Donna Cave. They consist of limestone bluffs which are honeycombed with caves, rising from an undulating plain.

The plain is open woodland and grassland with trees such as ironbarks, bloodwoods, and ghostgums. On the bluffs are fig trees and helicopter trees. The leaves of the latter give a nasty sting. Many trees have roots which extend deep into the caves in an attempt to search for water.

Various caves are open to the public, and the more intrepid can go adventure caving. But apart from the caves, Chillagoe is noted for its aboriginal paintings, its smelters and its marble. As recently as one hundred years ago, the area was inhabited by aborigine tribes who made use of the relatively reliable water supply (the climate is drier today) and hunted the wallabies and other small mammals. They drew rock paintings of spirit figures and animals and they made hand stencils. The spirit figures were thought to represent deities inhabiting the caves. Thus people themselves stayed away from the caves.

The first white settlers encountered fierce resistance from the aborigines in the 1880s and many bloody battles were fought. The first settler, William Atherton, built his homestead at Chillagoe Creek. He and his family explored the caves. An aborigine girl was murdered by one of his stockmen and her body was thrown down a cave — her spirit is said to haunt the area, now known as Haunted Tower. Atherton sold his cattle to the miners who were beginning to flock to the area, prospecting for gold, silver and copper.

The mining boom lasted fifty years, and Chillagoe grew into one of the biggest mining centres of Queensland and at its peak in 1917 it had thirteen hotels, two newspapers and a hospital to cater to the population of 10,000. Today there are about 200 people. The workings were closed after WWI, and the smelters fell into ruin. Today, marble quarrying is the main industry. The Parliament House in Canberra contains genuine Chillagoe marble, which was sent to the marble area in Italy for finishing before being shipped back to Australia.

Tourism is also a thriving industry as people come for the cave tours, and also to experience the beauty of this stark landscape.The Brunei Times

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Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/travel/2008/05/18/chill_in_chillagoe_for_a_taste_of_the_real_australian_outback