Malaysia's last known Sumatran rhino dies

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The last surviving Sumatran rhino in Malaysia has died, wildlife officials said Sunday.

Once found as far away as eastern India and throughout Malaysia, the Sumatran rhino has been almost wiped out, with fewer than 80 left anywhere, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Only a handful of the creatures remain in the wilds of Indonesia.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga told AFP the 25-year-old female named Iman died on the island of Borneo from cancer.

"She was starting to suffer significant pain from the growing pressure of the tumors," Tuuga said.

"I think we can confirm that the Sumatran rhino is now extinct in Malaysia," he added.

Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino died in May this year. Tam also had lived in the same nature reserve with Iman on Borneo island in Malaysia's Sabah state.

John Payne, executive director of Borneo Rhino Alliance said the Sumatran rhinos have been hard hit by factors including changes in climate, vegetation and hunting for traditional Chinese medicine. 

source: philstar.com

More than half of world's wildlife population lost: WWF

MOSCOW -- The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released a statement Saturday following the 12th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity, highlighting that the world has lost more than half of the planet's wildlife population.

"At a time when the world has seen the loss of more than half of the planet's wildlife populations, countries are neither moving fast enough nor doing enough to prevent further decline," the statement reads.

Species populations worldwide have declined 52 percent since 1970, with a 76 percent decline in freshwater species and a 39 and 40 percent decline in marine and terrestrial species decline respectively, according to findings revealed at the convention that was concluded on Friday in South Korea.

The findings compiled in the WWF Living Planet 2014 report also states that global freshwater demand is projected to exceed current supply by more than 40 percent by 2030.

While urging governments to "supercharge" their efforts in conserving the environment, the WWF statement noted that forest ecosystems alone contribute $720 billion to the global economy.

"The COP [convention] urges Parties to take comprehensive and urgent measures necessary to ensure the full implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and corresponding national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs)," the statement says, adding that it urges the relevant parties to do so by October 2015.

The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, also known as the Aichi targets, and a main theme at the convention, is a 10-year framework for action by all countries and stakeholders to save biodiversity and enhance its benefits for people, as explained on the Convention on Biological Diversity website.

Among the strategies are getting the governments and society more involved, promoting sustainable use, safeguarding ecosystems and promoting the benefits of conserving biodiversity.

The WWF, formerly the World Wildlife Fund, was founded in 1961 in Switzerland and has been active in issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment. It is the world's largest independent conservation organization with over 5 million supporters worldwide, working in more than 100 countries.

source: interaksyon.com