Burning Up Suai

These shots were taken April 18th 2009. Burning up of Suai to clear the lots of tree roots and what not to make way for young palm oil seedlings. The entire landscape from the side of the coastal highway to the coast are destined to be planted with green gold.

Green Turtle Skeleton in Kuala Nyalau

We stumbled upon a skeleton of a juvenile Green Turtle (as indentified by Ali) just before Nyalau River on our way from Suai 25th April. Only the carapace and a few pieces of bones were found in the beach.

We are not so sure who's bone this belongs to, it was lying next to the bones of the the turtle.

Baby Owl in Kampung Kuala Nyalau

Walking around in Kampung Kuala Nyalau last weekend we stumbled upon a baby owl holed up in a large wiremeshed box under a shed, we think it was for sale. It could've been a nestling "saved" by a villager in the hope of either keeping it as a pet or to be sold as one.

What do you do when encountered with such a situation? Release the bird to the wild to certain death. A juvenile who has yet to be trained for a life in the jungle will find it difficult to find food. Its survival in the wild is extremely chancy at best, death by predator or death by starvation.

The other option isn't too hot either. To be kept in captivity till adulthood, kept as a pet and regularly fed what humans think is appropriate. If it's lucky, it'll survive till adulthood in a caged environment. And what happens after that? Who will be teaching it the skills to survive on it's own as nature intended it to.

This is only one example, there are others.

A leopard cat saved from forest clearing kept till adulthood spends his entire life in a cage under a longhouse. A beautiful specimen not meant to live the life it's living. It doesn't deserve to die either.

A Malayan civet cat kept as a pet temporarily surviving on fruits and bananas.

A young tarsier who got lost and found itself scrambling the gates of a bungalow in a dense residential area.

A juvenile crocodile kept as pet after it was found trapped in fishing net.

The list goes on ...

Miri Branch AGM in July

MNS Branches play an integral part in ensuring the success of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS).

The success of the branch depends on how well the Branch EXCO execute their duties and responsibilities. During your term in office, you have an exciting opportunity to increase your leadership as well as depth of knowledge pertaining to the environmental issues surrounding Malaysia.

The EXCO position is not only an opportunity, it is a challenge. As Branch EXCO, you must stimulate enthusiasm and accomplish goals by motivating MNS members as well as public.The Branch EXCO serves as a liaison between Council, MNS Secretariat and MNS members in your state.

The Council delegates certain responsibility to you. Some of these responsibilities will be overseeing the programming and administrative needs of members such as organizing talks and field trips, promoting environmental education outreach and organising social events.

Branch EXCO Objectives
Branch ensures MNS members get the service they need at the local level. The following objectives assist the Branch EXCO to clearly understand their roles so that they can better serve MNS members.

1. Advocate for conservation of key habitats and species at the branch level as well as in Malaysia. Your top priority is to ensure conservation issues at the local level is made known to MNS members.

2. Build a future generation of environmentally-conscious Malaysians by integrating public awareness-raising processes into all planning and development programmes and events at the branch level.

3. Motivate civil society participation in planning and decision-making processes at the branch level where everyone can learn, grow and appreciate the natural heritage of Malaysia.

4. Focus on membership growth and achieve a solid voice at the branch level.

Branch EXCO’s Commitment
1. Growth
Ensure no loss in the finance of each branch. When a branch ceases operations, we have lost an invaluable opportunity to deliver the benefits of MNS membership.
Enlist the assistance of Secretariat Office to do whatever it takes to make sure every branch has at least 50 members.

2. Improved Branch Communication
Hold at least 4 branch meetings and 1 Branch Annual General Meeting each year. Use these meetings strategically to ensure the success of the branch.

3. Active Branch Representation in Council

Branch is an important component of MNS Council. Attending and participating in Council Meeting, normally 4 times in a year ensures branch involvement in MNS policy decision making process. It also gives an opportunity to branch to share their development plans at the branch level.

MNS Miri Branch will be voting for the following key positions for the branch at our upcoming Branch AGM in July (exact date, venue and agenda to be announced separately by Branch Secretary):

Chairperson
Elected position, presently position held by Nazeri Abghani.

Roles:
Responsible to Council and undertakes responsibilities determined by Council.
Responsible for Branch supervision and operations.
Upholds and represent MNS Society at the branch level in promoting MNS to members as well as public.
Leads Branch Exco in developing annual strategy and programmes.
Chairs the Branch EXCO meetings as well as Branch AGM.

Vice Chairperson
Elected position, presently vacant.

Roles:
Upholds and represent MNS Society at the branch level in the absence of Branch Chairperson.
Assist in developing annual strategy and programmes.

Honorary Secretary
Elected position, presently vacant. Grace Len acting.

Roles:
Responsible for Branch records and correspondence.
Custodian of MNS Rules and Regulations and other official branch documents.
Submits annual return to Registrar of Society.
Records and read minutes of branch meetings and Branch AGM.

Honorary Treasurer
Elected position, presently held by Sim Yuh Thin.

Roles:
Responsible for development and execution of financial policies, procedures, audits
and controls at branch level.
Receives and disburses funds in payment of all obligations.
Develop and recommend annual budget to Branch EXCO.

Ordinary Committee Members
Elected position, presently Amer Matridi Abu Mansur Matridi is acting.

Roles:
Specific role to assist Branch EXCO in areas of membership, public relations, succession planning, establishing conservation and environmental education programmes and initiation of new project initiatives.

Co-opted Committee Members
Coopted by EXCO at the Branch AGM
Presently Charlie Lee, Amer Matridi Abu Mansur, Amelia Bertha Sipporo

Roles:
To assist with the organising and running of specific activities of the branch.

The Branch AGM requires that the total number in attendance should be twice the total number of Branch EXCO members. Your support to ensure the success of our AGM and future branch activities is crucial. Come join us and help shape the future direction of MNS Miri Branch.

Please email mnsmiri@yahoo.com if you'd like to be involved and serve on the EXCO. Your branch needs you!

Malaysian Plover at Tanjung Payung 26-April!

It was worth it! The 22kms of hot sun ... the mom and dad Malaysian Plover are somewhere nearby. Two juveniles spotted, only one photographed.

1st Photo by Nazeri Abghani

2nd Photo by Sara Wong.