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Workshop on Challenges of Enforcement in Combating Corruption in Wildlife Crimes concluded last week

Workshop on Challenges of Enforcement in Combating Corruption in Wildlife Crimes concluded last week

A joint press release from Sabah Wildlife Department, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and Danau Girang Field Centre

21 July 2020, Kota Kinabalu: Sabah and Sarawak representatives of law enforcement agencies met in Kota Kinabalu on the 13 and 14 of July to increase awareness on anti-corruption laws, including witness and whistleblower protection. This workshop was part of the training available for the inter-agency Working Group on Wildlife Crime Intelligence.

The workshop, organised by Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC), was a platform for the different agencies to share the difficulties when witnessing and denouncing corruption related to wildlife crimes.

According to the Director of the MACC, Mr Karunanithy A/L Y. Subbiah: “Worldwide, bribery in crimes involving wildlife smuggling is increasingly spreading at a worrying pace and has become one of the driving forces for illicit trade that is still hard to curb at national and international level.” He also emphasized that “bribery is no longer seen as only a local problem but has evolved into trans-boundary crime phenomena which coincides with the main topic of the workshop that focuses on trade and smuggling of wildlife internationally that usually involves bribery, smuggling, money laundering and others”.

“We must be aware that corruption is multifaceted and can occur at every stage of the wildlife, forestry and fisheries value chain. It can include bribes for information on the movement of animals or patrols, or to obtain rights and quotas, or grease the wheels of shipments, to ensure that they are not inspected or seized”, said Mr Augustine Tuuga, Director of the SWD, during the opening ceremony.

“This is the first time an anti-corruption workshop with emphasis on wildlife crimes takes place in Sabah”, remarked Tuuga. He also mentioned that the SWD must work with all possible partners to build understanding and ensure that wildlife, forest and fisheries agencies are trained and equipped to respond to corruption. The department is also looking forward to extend the collaboration with the MACC. “We will work towards the creation of an Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan”, said Tuuga.

DGFC’s Director, Prof Benoit Goossens, said he hopes the workshop will be an opportunity to increase inter-agency collaboration and to work towards the objectives of the Wildlife State Action Plans adopted last year by the State Cabinet.

“During the 2017 international workshops on proboscis monkey, Sunda clouded leopard and Bornean banteng, jointly organised by SWD and DGFC, it was recognised that poaching, hunting, and illegal killing and trade, were real threats to these and other species in Sabah. The information compiled at the workshops was included in the State Action Plans for each species, specifically to increase the capacities of wildlife law enforcement government agencies and of key partners in conservation. In particular, to train crime analysts, investigators and intelligence gatherers, and a certified forensic technician at the Sabah Wildlife Health, Genetic and Forensic Laboratory (WHGFL)”, Goossens added. “We have been working continuously with Sabah Forestry Department and with SWD towards the implementation of the action plans,” Goossens concluded.

This training is part of the program “Boosting enforcement and forensic capacity to deter wildlife crimes in Sabah”. Almost RM4 million have been funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the US Department of State through DGFC. The enforcement and forensic program will support a number of specialised training sessions, not only for the units of SWD, but also for the members of the Working Group on Wildlife Crime Intelligence. This week this group is following a training on Crime Scene Management and Advanced Investigative Techniques.

_______________________________________________

For more information on this press release, please contact:

Dr. Benoit Goossens
Danau Girang Field Centre

contact@dgfc.life

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Health at the Edge Project

As part of the outreach strategy for the H@EP, we are excited to announce the formal launching of our social media accounts where you will find news and information related to the health and conservation of the Bornean wildlife. We will also post interesting stories about the H@EP and other projects related in Sabah and the South East Asia Region. Follow us in:
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July Art Contest!

DGFC is pleased to announce another Eco-Art Contest. To participate, please read carefully the important following info: ABOUT THE THEME The contest’s theme for this month is Environmental Awareness. The main purpose is to encourage the public to think seriously about conservation of the environment around them and the earth's future, as well as raising environmental awareness and move others to take action. GENERAL CONDITIONS:
  1. Contestants’ artwork must be original and must relate to the theme of the contest. It is critical that submitted artwork not be overly derivative of images found on the internet, in print media, or elsewhere. To avoid copyright infringement, works thought to be copies will be disqualified.
  2. Each contestant can send a maximum of three entries but only the best one will be chosen.
  3. Art type: Paintings, Drawings, Illustration.
  4. Art medium: No restrictions.
  5. A caption must be given for the art work and must be accompanied by a corresponding description (no more than 200 words) explaining any designs ideas and concepts.
  6. Contestants will retain copyright of their submitted entries. However, by entering, all contestants licence DGFC a royalty-free perpetual licence to edit, publish and use each entry in any and all media (including print and online) for publicity and news purposes.
  7. Open for Malaysians only.
IMPORTANT DATES: 1st July 2020                  - Contest is open 23rd July 2020      - Closing date. Latest by 5:00pm 31st July 2020      - Announcement of winner JUDGING CRITERIA: The art will be judged based on these criteria:-
  1. Concept (25%) : How well does the work relate to the topic/theme?
  2. Creativity & originality (25%) : How original and creative does the quality of the artwork?
  3. Colour (25%): How does colour enhance the artwork?
  4. Expressions (25%): How imaginatively does the work convey an idea?
SUBMISSION OF ARTWORK
  1. Create a digital image (soft copy) of your artwork by either of these methods:-
  • Scan
  • Photograph
* Make sure to save and submit them in high resolution. You can save your artwork either in JPEG or PDF format.
  1. Please provide these info in an ordered manner when submitting your artwork:
  • Full name
  • IC number
  • Contact number
  • Address
  • Artwork caption
  1. Should be submitted electronically to education@dgfc.life
PRIZES
  • Only ONE winner per contest.
  • Winner will receive DGFC’s t-shirts, books, and merchandise combo.
ENQUIRY For more info, please email us at education@dgfc.life.
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And the winner is…..!

Wong Poh Yoke! Her digital piece on Malaysian endangered wildlife species received the highest mark from our judges. This was a very difficult decision since we received beautiful creations from great artists! Congratulations to Wong and to all the participants. We hope their art inspires you to create your own and also to learn more about our endangered species. Here are the three runner ups from Alfred Beliku, Nurul Faziana Kamal and Quincy Shia Kang.  
Alfred Beliku
 
Nurul Faziana Kamal
 
Quincy Shia Kang Kit
  Thanks to everyone who participated and helped make this contest a success! Stay tuned for our July art contest.
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Happy World Environment Day 2020

If you want to do something good for the environment and celebrate this year's World Environment Day, you can donate to Regrow Borneo and support the planting of trees in the Lower Kinabatangan Floodplain (eastern Sabah, Borneo), one of the last places on Earth where you can encounter elephants, orangutans, proboscis monkeys, clouded leopards, sun bears, 8 species of hornbills and much more. Support Regrow Borneo and donate to plant trees and make this planet a better place for us and our future generations! Enjoy the following video from our friend Dame Judi Dench!
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Online Art Contest

CALLING FOR ENTRIES!! Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) is pleased to announce our June ART CONTEST, open to anyone residing in Malaysia. This month’s theme is MALAYSIA’S ENDANGERED WILDLIFE SPECIES, chosen to encourage people to learn more about the endangered wildlife species in Malaysia. To identify these species, contestants may check these websites : 8 Endangered Animals in Malaysia Earth’s Endangered Creatures   To participate, please read carefully the important info stated as follows:   GENERAL CONDITIONS:
  • Artwork must be original and not overly derivative of images found in the internet, print media, or elsewhere. To avoid copyright infringement, works considered to be copies will be disqualified.
  • Only Malaysia’s wildlife species will be contemplated.
  • Contestants will retain copyright of their submitted entries. However, by entering, all contestants grant DGFC a royalty-free perpetual licence to edit, publish and use each entry in any and all media (including print and online) for education, publicity and news purposes.
  IMPORTANT DATES: 3rd June 2020      - Contest is open. 23rd June 2020    - Closing date. Latest by 5:00pm. 30th June 2020    - Announcement of winner.   JUDGING CRITERIA: Concept (25%)                               - How well does the work relate to the topic/theme? Creativity & originality (25%)    - How original and creative is the quality of the artwork? Colour (25%)                                 - How does colour enhance the artwork? Expressions (25%)                       - How imaginatively does the work convey an idea?   SUBMISSION OF ARTWORK
  • Create a digital image (scan or photograph), and save and submit your artwork in high resolution (300 dpi). You can save it either in JPEG or PDF format.
  • Provide a SHORT CAPTION to describe your artwork
  • Provide the following information: full name, IC/passport number, contact number, address, and artwork caption
  • Artwork should be submitted to education@dgfc.life
  PRIZES
  • Only ONE winner per contest. Winner will receive a combo of DGFC’s t-shirt, books, and merchandise.
  • Top ten artworks will be posted on DGFC’s official pages.
  ENQUIRY For more information, email us at education@dgfc.life or WhatsApp 017-8310204 (Maz)
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Leopard cat satellite tagged in the Kinabatangan

Leopard cat satellite tagged in the Kinabatangan A joint press release from Sabah Wildlife Department and Danau Girang Field Centre Kinabatangan: A wild female leopard cat was caught and fitted with a satellite collar in the Kinabatangan, as part of Danau Girang Field Centre’s (DGFC) Carnivore Programme, a collaborative project with the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD). The animal was caught and satellite-collared during a night survey in Pendirosa estate (Felda Global Venture Co.). “The procedure was very successful. The team worked well together and we collected samples and fitted a satellite collar on a young female leopard cat. We called her “Ratu”, meaning “Queen” in Malay,” said Dr. Macarena Gonzalez, wildlife veterinarian at DGFC. “Ratu is the first leopard cat collared as part of this project. Hopefully we will be able to catch and collar more leopard cats to study their movement through this fragmented landscape, and to understand how they use it. Movement data will assist us in understanding how such a resilient species utilizes both landscapes: forest and oil palm plantation,” said Dr. Miriam Kunde, project leader and carnivore conservation officer at DGFC. The Carnivore Programme goes in tandem with DGFC’s Health at the Edge Project (H@EP), led by Dr. Sergio Guerrero-Sanchez and Dr. Liesbeth Frias, Research Associates at DGFC. “Our project aims to tackle health-related problems from an integrated ecological, veterinary and human health approach. For this particular component of the project, we are targeting leopard cats as sentinels to assess the potential effects of anthropogenic disturbance on the health of Bornean cat populations,” explained Dr. Frias. “Leopard cats can be found inhabiting a broad range of habitat types, including oil palm plantations. By using them as a model species, we aim to assess cross-species transmission at the wildlife-human interface, as their home ranges can potentially overlap those of domestic carnivores in plantations, and those of more vulnerable cats in adjacent forests,” added Dr. Guerrero-Sanchez. Both projects are supervised by Dr. Benoit Goossens, DGFC’s Director and Professor at Cardiff University. “A better understanding of the movements of this wild felid will help us evaluating the impacts of habitat fragmentation and quality in ranging patterns of this species in the Kinabatangan landscape. Leopard cats, and the potential for disease transmission between them and domestic animals, provide a relevant model to evaluate the potential health risks threatening other species, such as flat-headed cats and marbled cats”, said Dr. Goossens. “We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Pendirosa estat management for their continuous collaboration on this project and the main sponsors of ou Carnivore Programme and H@EP: Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong, Sime Darby Foundation, Houston Zoo and Panthera,” concluded Dr. Goossens. _______________________________________________ For more information on this press release, please contact: Dr Benoit Goossens Danau Girang Field Centre goossensbr@cardiff.ac.uk / 012-836 4005
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DGFC’s education team goes to Kudat!

From 23rd to 25th April, our education team travelled to Kudat for its first Wildlife Awareness and Education Outreach Programme 2019 at three schools in the district, namely SK Matunggong, SK Sikuati and SMK Sikuati II. We planned this programme with the main objective of raising awareness and understanding of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, as well as to inspire school students to become future leaders in the conservation of wildlife in Sabah. The education teams from the Sabah Wildlife Department and HUTAN also joined us in this programme to share their knowledge and experience in wildlife conservation. Altogether, the teams received a very warm welcome and an enthusiastic response from over 950 students from the 7 - 17 years old age groups. The younger kids participated in the making and colouring of elephant masks, guessing animal sounds and acting out wildlife behaviours, while the older ones were involved in wildlife talk sessions and interactive activities. We also screened the Borneo Jungle Diaries Season 2, focusing on the pangolin, elephant, clouded leopard and hornbill episodes. We would like to thank Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Sabah and Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah Kudat for allowing and entrusting us to carry out this programme. We greatly appreciate the excellent cooperation and continued support from Sabah Wildlife Department and our friends at HUTAN. Our biggest thanks and appreciation go out to the schools’ students and teachers for making our programme a rousing success. Thank you, Kudat! Next, our team will be going to schools in Kota Marudu in May, Kota Belud in June and Penampang in July.
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