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KDN No: PP 10311/9/2005 • VOL.3 ISSUE 1 (Jan-March), 2006

Focus on Palm Oil

Conference Market Analysis India and the Oils Market Moving into Higher Gear

Environment Regional Review Sanctuary in Overview of the Malaysian RSPO Reaches Milestone Oil Palm Industry 2005

Nutrition

Secret Ingredient Official Event Publication Frying Up Healthy Food 9273 contents&editor 3-5_(3) 4/4/06 11:30 AM Page 3

CONTENTSCONTENTS

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Cover Story Sabah to forego RM1 bil revenue 20 Oils for Energy 6 to save orangutan

Bio-fuels Orangutan Population in Sabah 21 Toward Energy Independence 12 RSPO Reaches Milestone 21 High US Soybean Oil Stocks 12 After a year in the making, criteria for sustainable palm oil production have Conference been adopted India and the Oils Market 13 Nutrition Environment Secret Ingredient 22 Sanctuary in Sarawak 16 Moves to preserve the orangutan population Frying Up Healthy Food 24 and its habitat are in full swing in this Malaysian state, where the primate is totally protected

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Environment

Moves to preserve the orangutan population and its habitat are in full swing in this Malaysian state, where the primate is totally protected

n the still of the night, the headhunters sneaked up to the longhouse and prepared to attack its occupants. Suddenly, a Itroop of massive primates came out of the forests, heading for the invaders.

Instead of standing their ground, the warriors fled – mistaking the lumbering creatures for ‘bearded soldiers’ – and the village was saved.

This story has been retold many times by the Iban of Banting, the sworn friends of Sarawak’s orangutan (Pygmaeus pygmaeus).

But not all of was sympathetic in the past. The orangutan learnt in earlier days that humankind was more often foe than friend.

For example, excited by the discovery of an ‘Ape Man’ species a century ago, anthropologists and scientists had flocked to Borneo to study the primate. Of the Photo: Sarawak Forests Department estimated population of several thousand orangutan at the time, thousands were captured or shot in the name of science.

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However, the process of making amends However, this did not include oil palm has since begun under a new breed of estates, which are a more recent rescuers and researchers who are focusing enterprise. Plantations have utilised their efforts on protecting and preserving native land – already cleared for the species. agricultural purposes for several generations – where orangutan were no Original habitat longer found. Sarawak’s orangutan once roamed the forests and foraged in the lowlands. But Pledge made man began to intrude into their habitat The orangutan population in the wilds is and clear large tracts of primary forest for being given greater attention by state subsistence cultivation of rice and other authorities. crops. In 2002, Wilfred Landong, a descendant Over the last 100 years, about a quarter of the people of Banting, was appointed of Sarawak’s 12 million hectares of forest general manager of Protected Areas and have been cleared, pushing the orangutan Biodiversity Conservation in the to regions with alternative sources of Sarawak Forestry. food. Upon taking up the job, he was appalled Italian naturalist Odoardo Beccari to find out that the orangutan describes a typical scenario in Wanderings population in Sarawak had fallen to in the Great Forests of Borneo: “Usually about 2,000. arboreal, they descend at such times to the ground, and, on reaching the padi “I was three months on the job fields, collect a big sheaf of rice with and on assignment in Batang Ai heavy ripe ears, and holding it under the when I came across the carcass arm, get back to their trees, up which of a female orangutan on the they climb, and enjoy their plunder in river bank. I was shocked. peace and comfort in their nests. “It had apparently been shot by

“They do much injury to the fruit trees poachers. Some said it was killed for Photo: Sarawak Forestry and are especially fond of , its meat and liver, which some committing great ravages among them individuals believe have aphrodisiacal even when unripe. The Dyaks were, properties. In my view, they are therefore, much delighted when we demented. killed them...” “That beautiful animal Beccari’s studies found that, even in the had managed to get Forests at Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary late 1800s, the majority of the orangutan away from its Photo: Sarawak Forests Department in Sarawak inhabited the areas around assailant but only the Sadong (Ulu Sebuyau) and Batang managed to crawl to Lupar (Sri Aman Division) Rivers. These the river bank, where remain their main habitat today. They it died.” were also found along the Sarawak River, Bengoh hills (in the Penrissen Wilfred promised mountains) and even in Limbang. himself that he would do everything in his Over the last 50 years, logging, power to protect the agricultural activity and other forms of orangutan and to save its development have expanded. habitat from destruction.

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Environment

“Fortunately, the incident in Batang “We are developing a centre of “We don’t know what to expect. We Ai was a rare case of illegal hunting. excellence for orangutan research at could find a few orangutan or a few From our investigations, the local Nanga Delok (Batang Ai) and we’re dozen. We’ll be happy if there are people (Iban) revere the orangutan propagating a holistic approach more. After all they are one of and would not have been involved in towards this end. We work closely ’s important mascots,” he the killing. We suspect the with global NGOs and scientists and said. perpetrators came from elsewhere,” he experts to exchange notes.” said. Primate expert Sundai anak Silang, an He said the Iban from Lanjak- Iban from Simunjan, said locating Conservations and protectives Entimau and Batang Ai are protectors orangutan that roam the vast forests is measures of the orangutan, deeming it taboo to a continuing quest. The Sarawak government is doing its part capture or kill the animal. With the to set aside and conserve forests. One such degree of protection accorded, the “Protection is a huge challenge area is the 30,000 ha Batang Ai National Batang Ai population of orangutan is because they are highly mobile Park and adjoining Lanjak-Entimau on the verge of increase. animals,” said Sundai who pointed Wildlife Reserve (193,000 ha). out that each animal can forage for Wilfred’s deputy, Dick Cotter, said food over an area of 5 sq km in a day. This, together with the proposed Ulu the Sarawak Forestry is in the process Sebuyau National Park of 27,275 ha, of recording the number of orangutan Safe sites will jointly provide the orangutan with in Ulu Sebuyau. Sarawak Forestry officials also take a total area of almost 250,000 ha in pride in their two wildlife sanctuaries which to forage. at Semenggoh and Matang, not far from Kuching. “Sarawak has established a legal framework for wildlife protection Semenggoh, with a current with the introduction of the population of 32, has been Wildlife and Protection rehabilitating and relocating Ordinance. Highly-viable the primates for many areas for orangutan are years. totally protected,” said Wilfred.

The Nanga Delok ranger station

Ritchie, the main attraction at the Semenggok wildlife centre near Kuching Photo: Sarawak Forestry

Photo: Sarawak Forestry

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The star attraction is Ritchie, now a 90kg male. It was rescued in 1989 as a six-month-old, possibly while on its way to an animal collector. It was found in Batang Ai, squeezed into a cage where it had barely room to move.

The Matang centre now has seven orangutan rescued from captivity or found injured. They are being rehabilitated for release into the adjoining Kubah National Park, Sarawak Forestry in partnership with Way Out Experience (WOX), a travel design company with offices in London and Kuala Lumpur is providing a unique experience for volunteers to work with orangutan conservation in Matang Widlife Centre. Projects range from feeding animals and cleaning out cages to enrichment and research programmes. The partnership creates a win –win situation for all those involved and a brighter future for the orangutan.

On Dec 27 last year, Sarawak Forestry employees were thrilled to locate a huge male orangutan and its pregnant partner in a nest, barely 90m from the Nanga Delok ranger station.

At the time, they were companying an Australian assessor, Geoff Vincent, who was on a field trip to the area. Photo: Wayne Tarman

He was conducting a final assessment into a nomination made in 2002 to accord the status of ‘Transborder Rainforest Heritage Borneo. (/Malaysia)’ to the Batang Ai-Lanjak Entimau preserve and Indonesia’s Betung Karihun National Park of 800,000 ha.

“It was timely because he was able to see for himself that we are slowly gaining ground in the battle to save these primates, at least in Sarawak,” said Wilfred.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed. If (Batang Ai-)

Lanjak Entimau and Betung Karihun are recognised as a Geoff Vincent and Sarawak Forestry staff at Nanga Delok world heritage site, the orangutan will have a place where Photo: Sarawak Forestry they will be safe from harm.” James Ritchie

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