Recognising that the race is on to save the flying fox, the Malaysian wildlife authority said it would consider recommendations put forth by wildlife groups on the preservation of the species — even that of a temporary hunting ban.
This was the response from the Malaysian Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) deputy directorgeneral 1, Misliah Mohamad Basir, when contacted by Malay Mail on claims the world’s largest fruit bat could very well be extinct by 2015 in Peninsular Malaysia.
She said: “We will take into consideration all recommendations made especially that which will benefit the wildlife.” However, she was unable to furnish details on a hunting ban, explaining that the wildlife act was currently being ammended.
A BBC News article on Aug 25 reported the extinction could occur if urgent steps are not taken to curb or reduce the current level of hunting being carried out. The article ‘Extinction threat to flying fox’ on news.bbc.co.uk reported scientists writing in the Journal of Applied Ecology stating that some 22,000 large flying foxes, or 'Pteropus vampyrus’, are legally hunted each year — and more illegally.
The article said that researchers have estimated the extinction of this species, vital in their role as seed dispersal and pollination agents, could arrive between six to 81 years time if current hunting rates continue — following a study conducted on the animal and government data on hunting licenses. Apart from a hunting ban, BBC News quoted the journal's lead author — Dr Jonathan Epstein of Wildlife Trust — that a “co-ordinated protection management” is needed between the countries where the bats live such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.
The article also suggested a temporary hunting ban be considered by the Malaysian wildlife department, a partner to the study, to allow the flying foxes’ population to recover and provide time for a complete assessment of the species’ survival.
Wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic Southeast Asia senior programme officer, Noorainie Awang Anak, agreed that a temporary ban on the hunting of flying foxes would allow the government to identify if hunting alone is the cause of this animal's population decline.
“These animals are also hunted for medicinal reasons or sometimes killed by fruit farmers as they eat their crops. There is a need to study if hunting is indeed the cause of its population decline.”
Noorainie suggested that Perhilitan beef up enforcement and monitoring on the ground. While a license is required to hunt the flying fox, she felt more intensive monitoring was needed to ensure hunters do not abuse the license by killing more animals than necessary or by straying out of the allocated locality.
Keluang: World's largest fruit bat
Wildlife Conservation Society Malaysia country programme director, Dr Melvin Gumal, noted that the number of flying foxes is lower in Peninsular Malaysia in comparison to areas such as Sarawak, where there are some 200,000 flying foxes. Gumal said this was because of the higher human population on the peninsula and the “landscape conversion” problem which reduces the number of trees, fruits and nectar available for the bats.
He explained that flying foxes only reach sexual maturity after 15 to 18 months and the young’s gestation period can last up to six months. A flying fox would on average only have one young a year.
Gumal said: “They are not like rats which give birth to multiple young. When the hunting or harvesting rate of the animal exceeds its breeding capacity, a decline in the animal population will occur, such as what we are observing now.”
World's largest fruit bat
THE large flying fox, 'Pteropus vampyrus', is the world's largest fruit bat.
Known as 'Kluang' or 'Keluang Besar' locally, the flying fox survives on a diet of fruits and nectar.
Thus these species, found in Myanmar, Thailand, Sumatera, Malaysia Borneo and Philippines, play a vital role as seed dispersal and pollination agents, essential in ensuring the continued growth of plants in the rainforest they inhabit and feed in.
A large flying fox can have a wingspan of 1.5 metres and travel in large groups. Radio tracking carried out by scientists has recorded that flying foxes in Malaysia are capable of travelling hundreds of metres.
They are hunted not only for food, but for medicine and they are also hunted for sport. Currently there is an estimated 500,000 large flying fox population in Peninsular Malaysia,where they are at risk of extinction as early as in six years time — if current hunting levels persists.
They are protected from hunting in Thailand. In Peninsular Malaysia, a license is required before the animal can be hunted.
Source : The Malay Mail
Date : Wednesday September 2, 2009
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