Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Websites/Multiple Documents
Description:
"Despite the discovery of a large population in Myanmar, the situation for this pitta remains precarious since it occupies a very small range in which its habitat of flat, low-lying forest, which is targeted for the development of oil-palm plantations, is already severely fragmented. A very rapid population reduction is anticipated to occur in the near future as a result of land clearance. For these reasons it is listed as Endangered..."
Source/publisher:
Birdlife International
Date of entry/update:
2012-06-22
Grouping:
Websites/Multiple Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
more
Individual Documents
Description:
"Conservationists have warned a sudden change in Myanmar's law allowing the commercial farming of tigers, pangolins and other endangered species risks further fuelling demand in China for rare wildlife products.
The Southeast Asian nation is already a hub for the illegal trafficking of wildlife.
The trade is driven by demand from neighbouring China and worth an estimated US$20 billion worldwide.
In June, Myanmar's Forest Department quietly gave the green light to private zoos to apply for licences to breed 90 species, more than 20 of which are endangered or critically endangered.
It was an unexpected move that caught conservation groups off-guard. The Forest Department explained it was a way to help reduce poaching of wild species and illegal breeding.
Tigers - thought to number just 22 in Myanmar - pangolins, elephants and various vulture species as well as the critically endangered Ayeyarwady dolphin and Siamese crocodile can now alsBut conservationists say commercial farming in the long-term legitimises the use of endangered species and fuels market demand.
"Commercial trade has been shown to increase illegal trade in wildlife by creating a parallel market and boosting overall demand for wild animal products," conservation groups WWF and Fauna & Flora International (FFI) said in a joint statement.o be bred for their meat and skin..."
Source/publisher:
"CNA" ( Singapore)
Date of publication:
2020-07-11
Date of entry/update:
2020-07-11
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Description:
"Local authorities found a wild elephant poached and disemboweled with its tusks cut off in Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park in Sagaing Region, Myanmar’s largest and oldest wildlife sanctuary.
The park covers over 160,500 hectares of intact tropical forests and wildlife habitats. It is a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site for both its natural and cultural value, as it is the only national park in Myanmar with a Buddhist religious heritage site within the park. It’s also one of Myanmar’s most popular ecotourism sites.
U Tun Tun Win, a lawmaker from Kani Township, which is part of the sanctuary, said a villager found the body of the elephant in the jungle on Wednesday and called him.
The lawmaker said he then called the Forest Department in the town and made the trip to the jungle along with other authorities to look into the death of the elephant.
“When we arrived there, we found that it was a wild elephant from the national park,” he said, adding that the elephant was shot four times, including in the head, and had been dead for nearly two weeks.
The authorities from the Forest Department estimated that the elephant was 20 years old, 3.4 m long and 3 m tall..."
Source/publisher:
"The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication:
2020-05-15
Date of entry/update:
2020-05-15
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma's forests, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
more
Sub-title:
The outbreak may be the push needed to help prevent zoonotic diseases.
Description:
"Ebola. Anthrax. Bubonic plague. HIV. SARS. Coronavirus. You may not be familiar with the term “zoonotic,” but these nightmarish examples fall into that category. Zoonotic diseases are the kinds that can jump the species barrier, and can be particularly dangerous to humans because our immune systems don’t yet know how to fight them.
The COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, for example, probably originates from wild bats, but it’s not yet clear which creature was the intermediary between them and humans. Confiscated samples of pangolin, a critically endangered mammal hunted for use in traditional Chinese medicine, have tested positive for similar strains. Whether or not the intermediary turns out to be a rare, exotic species or a more mundane one such as pigs, one thing is clear: The greater the variety of animals in the same small space, the more pathways there are for diseases to spread and mutate.
This is alarming because the risk of zoonotic disease is rising exponentially. Three-quarters of new diseases in humans are transmitted from animals. The past century has seen ever-expanding human encroachment into natural habitats, exposing people and livestock to more varieties of wild animal than ever before—and with this contact, any bacteria and viruses they carry.
“The more we hunt wildlife, the more we come in contact with new environments and the more we increase the likelihood of us being exposed to these viruses,” explained Peter Ben Embarek of the World Health Organization’s International Food Safety Authorities Network. “It’s clear that poaching and hunting endangered species has to stop. It’s totally unacceptable. I think everybody in all authorities of the world are in agreement with that.”..."
Source/publisher:
"Foreign Policy" (USA)
Date of publication:
2020-02-25
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-29
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
COVID-19 (Coronavirus), Illegal Economy - general, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Sub-title:
At the Tochoji temple in Fukuoka, Japan, there’s a narrow passage where a giant statue of the Buddha sits. On one side of the walls depictions of hell, the many demons, destruction and cauldrons of death, are depicted. On the other side, pilgrims can find a passageway out of the darkness to heaven.
Description:
"The same kind of purgatory exists at the foot of mount Kyaiktiyo, also known as the Golden Rock. The vision of heaven sits on the top of Paung Laung Mountain, precariously poised on the edge of an outcrop in Mon State, some 3,615 feet above sea level.
For many Myanmar (and increasingly Thai) pilgrims, Kyaiktiyo is one of the holiest Pagodas in the country. The pagoda gets overcrowded during the full moon days and public holiday
On the north side of the pagoda lies Kyeekan Pasat (Crow’s Mouth) Cave. The cave looks like the mouth of a crow, and is also frequented by the pilgrims.
Sellers congregate along the path leading up to the cave, with a variety of wares – toys, souvenirs, medicinal ointment, herbs, and the body parts of animals. The path to the cave is marred by a couple of shops, exposing heads of mountain goats soaked in oil, skins of a bear and a wild cat and the skull of a tiger.
The Thein Than Shwe shop sells a variety of ointments in glass bottles. The bottles are partially wrapped with paper instructions; on the top of on label, the words read: “Mountain Goat Ointment”. It is supposed to heal muscle strains and arthritis. Other analgesic ointment bottles sit in a row. Nearby the bottles lies the head of mountain goat with horns, proving that the ointment contains extract of the herbivore.
Two young men guarded the shop, insisting a male passer-by try a message. They grab his hand and sat him on a chair, then started messaging his shoulders with the ointment. It was a scam. They asked him to buy the bottle, costing K2000..."
Source/publisher:
"Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2020-02-28
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-28
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description:
"An international team of researchers has identified two new ancient species of cockroach found in a cave in Myanmar. In their paper published in the journal Gondwana Research, the group describes their analyses of the two specimens, which were preserved in amber. The two specimens were given the names Crenocticola svadba and Mulleriblattina bowangi and were placed in the Nocticolidae family—and both have been dated back to approximately 99 million years ago. The time frame puts them in the Cretaceous period—a time when dinosaurs were still alive. They were discovered among amber deposits that had been removed from a mine in the Hukawng Valley, in Myanmar. The mine and its amber have been the subject of numerous studies. In this new effort, the researchers were provided with 110 tons of amber to study. Prior researchers had already dated the amber by dating volcanic rocks in the same location. The researchers report that the cockroach specimens represent the only known dinosaur-age cave survivors and that they are were "exquisitely preserved." Study of the specimens using microscope photography revealed that they have many features common to modern cockroaches who live in caves. They have small eyes, for example, and small wings attached to small bodies They also have abnormally long antenna and shorter leg spines—all features that would make living in a dark cave easier..."
Source/publisher:
Phys.org
Date of publication:
2020-02-26
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-27
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Sub-title:
Myanmar is an important trade and transit route for wildlife products of China. It has also suffered from the loss of its own wildlife to the trade.
Description:
"The capture and killing of wild animals in the country to help satisfy the appetite across the border in China threaten many species that are under threat or facing extinction, including pangolins and elephants, according to reports.
The situation for Asian elephants living in Myanmar has worsened.
According to the NGO Rainforest Rescue, until recently only male Asian elephants were in danger of being poached for ivory, as the females do not have tusks.
Now, the poachers are killing every animal they can find – including females and calves.
After the elephants slowly succumb to poisoned arrows, the poachers skin their prey on the spot.
The NGO claims the survival of the species is at stake if the killing continues.
More than 100 elephants are known to have been poached in Myanmar since 2013 to meet Chinese demand for elephant skin – a market that didn’t exist six years ago that is driven entirely by the criminal energy of southeast Asian elephant poachers. According to a new study, the business is spreading to other countries via Myanmar and China..."
Source/publisher:
"Northeast Now" (India)
Date of publication:
2020-02-22
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-22
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Title: Myanmar conduit for wildlife trade with China as questions swirl over its role in virus panic
Description:
"China’s deadly illicit trade in wildlife has been thrown into stark relief as Beijing recently announced a temporary ban on the sale of wildlife in the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus in Wuhan that is suspected to have originated in the city’s wet market.
While the focus is on demand in China for live and dead animals for consumption for questionable health reasons, Myanmar is caught in the cross-hairs as an important transit route in the illicit trade.
The underlying problem is the high demand amongst Chinese consumers for wild animals, from elephant skin to pangolin scales to tiger parts to shark fins. The result? Many wild animals are under threat from this deadly trade worldwide, some threatened with extinction.
And there is a serious health risk for humans. China’s deadly coronavirus is being linked to animals caged in one of Wuhan’s wet markets though as yet there has been no confirmation.
TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT BAN
With people dropping dead in China from the virus and with a number of cases cropping up abroad, Chinese people and foreign environmentalists have been quick to call for a permanent ban on the sale of wildlife in China..."
Source/publisher:
"Mizzima" (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2020-02-21
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-21
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description:
"During Lunar New Year week, a golden tiger, an elephant and a pangolin (with baby in tow) greeted visitors to the Mandalay Palace in Myanmar, shining regally in the midday sun and reflecting the spotlights around the palace at night. These animals are all species that are endemic to Myanmar, but are threatened by a pernicious illegal trade for their parts. The difference this time was that the animals on display were replicas.
Tiger bone, pangolin scales and elephant skin are falsely believed to have medicinal properties, while other products, such as tiger pelts and teeth, are purchased for the supposed prestige or protection they bring. And it isn’t only endemic species that are being poached for their parts. Illegal wildlife products from other parts of the world, including ivory from African elephants and pangolin scales and rhino horns from African species, find their way into national and regional markets, or transit through Myanmar on their way to destinations further afield, including China and the rest of Southeast Asia.
With the recent coronavirus thought to have spread from a market that traded in wildlife, ending this trade is critical, both to help preserve biodiversity and in the interest of public health..."
Source/publisher:
"Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of publication:
2020-02-18
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-20
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description:
"Myanmar has appealed to Sri Lanka to stop the alleged abuse of an elephant it donated to a Buddhist temple six years ago.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said it had urged the Sri Lankan authorities to punish those who harmed the animal as seen in videos in social media.
According to the Myanmar Times, the elephant, Myan Kumara, was donated by the Myanmar government to the Bellwanwila Temple near Colombo in 2013.
A few days ago, videos of the animal being abused by its keeper appeared on social media, triggering a public uproar.
One of the monks, who is taking responsibility for the temple’s affairs, expressed his sorrow over the incident, according to the Foreign Ministry’s statement.
It said Myan Kumara has been trained by elephant keepers and used in religious festivals.
In February 2018, a 77-year-old Buddhist monk died a day after he was attacked by Myan Kumara at the temple, police said.
Investigators said the monk was pushed to the ground by the elephant, but the mahout prevented him from being gored.
Elephants are considered sacred animals and protected by law in Sri Lanka..."
Source/publisher:
"New Straits Times" (Malaysia)
Date of publication:
2020-02-03
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-03
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Sub-title:
Poachers killed and skinned a female elephant in Ayeyarwady Region, the first such case in the country this year, an official of the regional Forest Department said.
Description:
"Local residents found the carcass of the 28-year-old wild elephant lying on its left side on Friday at Sin-Ma reserve in Ngaputaw township, and immediately informed local officials.
"She was killed with poisoned arrows," the official, U Pyae Phyo Aung, said.
Local police and forest rangers are investigating. The dead elephant was 7 feet, 6 inches high, and 7 feet long, the department said.
Poachers killed six wild elephants in Ayeyarwady last year, eight in 2018, and 16 in 2017.
There is a high demand for elephant skin in China because of the belief that it has medicinal value.
According to the Ministry of Forestry and the Environment, Myanmar has only about 2000 wild elephants.
The killing of elephants in Ayeyarwady has been reduced, but not stopped, through intensified patrols and anti-trafficking operations.
In May 2018, parliament passed the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Law, one of the strongest wildlife protection laws in the region. However, due to weak enforcement, the activity continues, and Myanmar remains a major hub of the illegal wildlife trade in Asia, according to conservationists..."
Source/publisher:
"Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2020-01-26
Date of entry/update:
2020-02-02
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Topic:
Animal Trade, Ayeyarwady Region, Conservation, Elephants, forest reserves, Myanmar Forest Department, Ngapudaw, Poaching, Sinma Forest Reserve
Topic:
Animal Trade, Ayeyarwady Region, Conservation, Elephants, forest reserves, Myanmar Forest Department, Ngapudaw, Poaching, Sinma Forest Reserve
Description:
"Local authorities in Ngapudaw Township, Ayeyarwady Region found a wild elephant poached and skinned with its trunk cut off in Sinma Forest Reserve on Friday.
Officials with the forest department, police and administrative authorities were investigating a report by local residents that wild elephants were running in the forest reserve when they found the dead elephant near the Pathein-Mawtin road. “It was killed by elephant poachers. They fled from the scene and police are pursuing them,” Police Lieutenant Colonel Tun Shwe, spokesperson for the Ayeyarwady Region Police Force, told The Irrawaddy.
The female pachyderm was around 2.5 m tall, over 2 m long and estimated to be 28 years old. According to the elephant veterinarian of the Forest Department, the elephant was killed by a poisoned arrow.
“Elephant poachers had skinned the elephant and were preparing to take it away,” said U Kyaw Myint Tun, administrator for Ngapudaw’s Tin Chaung Village-Tract. “When they saw us, they left their equipment and ran away. We feel sorry that elephants are being poached despite the fact that we are doing our best to prevent elephant poaching.” U Kyaw Myint Tun has won an award from State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for his elephant conservation efforts..."
Source/publisher:
"The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication:
2020-01-27
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-31
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Topic:
Conservation, Economy, Environment, Fishing, illegal fishing, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Madaya Township, Mandalay Region, Unesco, Wildlife Conservation Society
Topic:
Conservation, Economy, Environment, Fishing, illegal fishing, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Madaya Township, Mandalay Region, Unesco, Wildlife Conservation Society
Description:
"An Irrawaddy dolphin was found dead on Tuesday in Madaya Township, Mandalay Region, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
The male dolphin died of old age and was 220cm long and 132cm in circumference, the NGO said. U Hkyaw Hla Thein, who is responsible for dolphin conservation at the WCS, said it was about 6cm longer than the next biggest dolphin they had found.
“Its teeth show it was quite old and, to confirm it, we examined its stomach and found it was empty. We do not know how long it had been since it ate. So we concluded it died of old age,” he added.
The Fisheries Department and WCS said it was the biggest dolphin ever found dead between Mandalay and Bhamo.
Some residents and civil society organizations suggested the dolphin died because of electrofishing. “Fish are abundant where the dolphin was found dead, which attracts electrofishers. And there are also fishing lakes in the area. Those working at the fishing lakes downstream said the dolphin died due to electrofishing,” said U Maung Maung Oo, leader of the Sein Yaung So environmental group.
Fisherman U Maung Lay of Sin Kyun Village also suggested that the dolphin died of electrofishing..."
Source/publisher:
"The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication:
2020-01-09
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-21
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests, Environmentalists of Burma/Myanmar, Society and Culture, Burma/Myanmar - general studies
Language:
more
Description:
"Conservationists here believe they have found a method to breed the critically endangered Burmese star tortoise, found only in the forests of Myanmar.
According to the Myanmar Times, the hatching rate for the Burmese star tortoise was very low in the wild, while the rate was much better using the new method.
Nyaung Oo Lawkanada Wildlife Sanctuary’s Burmese Star Tortoise Farm warden U Shwe Htay Aung said the hatching rate at the farm was 68 per cent compared with only five to 10 per cent in the wild.
The Burmese star tortoise, scientifically known as Geochelone platynota, is a critically endangered species endemic to the dry zone in central Myanmar’s Mandalay, Magwe and Sagaing regions.
“A total of 1,060 tortoises hatched from 2,289 eggs laid by 115 female tortoises in 2018 at the farm.”
Aside from being a favourite prey of illegal wildlife traders because of their meat and shell, which is said to have medicinal value, the depletion of the species is also due to the destruction of its habitat by illegal logging and the conversion of forests to farmland.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified Burmese star tortoises as an endangered species and the government prohibits the hunting, transport and trading of the tortoise, favoured for its meat and shell.
Burmese star tortoises can live up to 100 years and typically inhabit empty fields and bushes.
Female adults generally get bigger than males, reaching 35cm in carapace length and start laying eggs at 6 years old in September and February..."
Source/publisher:
"New Straits Times" (Malaysia)
Date of publication:
2020-01-03
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-21
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests, Basic information on the geography and environment of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
more
Sub-title:
KATHMANDU (The Kathmandu Post/ANN) – Most inmates currently serving jail terms for wildlife trade knew that the activity was illegal but were unaware of the severity of the consequences, according to the study.
Description:
"Poverty and ignorance of the law are not the driving factors behind wildlife crimes in the country, according to a new study.
The study, published recently in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, attempts to provide insight into the motivations of people who have taken part in poaching and the illegal trade in animal parts. While Nepal has been internationally lauded for its conservation model, there have been consistent concerns about the effects of this model on indigenous populations that once lived in symbiotic relationships with the forests and wildlife.
Based on a sample of 384 individuals jailed across the country for wildlife infractions, and interviews with 116 of them, the study concludes that “despite common assumptions about the links between IWT [illegal wildlife trade], poverty and organised crime, most respondents were motivated by the desire to earn extra income and by the ease of IWT compared to other employment.” “I always wanted to learn why people pursue the illegal trade in wildlife parts and what their motives are, given that there are deterrence mechanisms like strict laws and penalties in place,” Kumar Paudel, the lead researcher of the study, told the Post over the phone from the University of Cambridge..."
Source/publisher:
Eleven Media Group (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2020-01-18
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Description:
"Just last month leopards were declared extinct in Laos. They have disappeared from Vietnam and are likely to go extinct in Cambodia. Tigers also have vanished from Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Other cat species are not faring much better, falling victim to poachers’ snares and developers’ roads, often ending up in illegal wildlife trade markets in the notorious Golden Triangle where Laos, Thailand and Myanmar meet.
However, within the Greater Mekong Region, there is one area that is something of a haven for cat species – a landscape the size of Cambodia straddling Thailand and Myanmar with a name that is something of a mouthful – Dawna Tenasserim. Here in the mountains and jungles of a not widely known landscape, one-fifth of the world’s cat species are hanging on while the world outside (and inside at times) does everything it can to ensure their demise. Some of the stars of this show are familiar, such as tigers and leopards, celebrated far and wide in poetry, literature and Disney films. The others are not so well known, such as Asiatic golden cats, marbled cats, clouded leopards, jungle cats and leopard cats. That’s seven of the 36 known cat species. And it’s quite possible that the highly elusive fishing cat lives in this landscape, bringing the number to eight..."
Source/publisher:
"Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of publication:
2020-01-15
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-17
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description:
"Wildlife trafficking, like drug and human trafficking, is often a trans-boundary crime. Animal parts and products, non-timber forest products, and living creatures heading to the pet trade find their way across borders every day, passing fluidly between jurisdictions and human societies.
Given legal and language barriers, it can be challenging to catch criminals, follow leads, or even keep up to date on the policies and legislation that govern wildlife. These are very real concerns for the participants in a recent cross-border cooperation workshop in which members of the Provincial Wildlife Enforcement Networks (P-WENs) from five provinces in the Golden Triangle area of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar met in Tachileik, Shan state, Myanmar. The workshop, which was organized by WWF, was attended by a range of wildlife authorities and law-enforcement officials, including representatives from the national and provincial forest departments, forest police, customs, prosecution, and police, to name a few..."
Source/publisher:
"Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of publication:
2020-01-08
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-11
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Topic:
Photography
Topic:
Photography
Description:
"A six-day-old plains zebra is seen at the Zoological Gardens in Yangon, Myanmar, Jan. 8, 2020...Two plains zebras are seen at the Zoological Gardens in Yangon, Myanmar, Jan. 8, 2020..."
Source/publisher:
"Xinhua" (China)
Date of publication:
2020-01-08
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-09
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Description:
"A team of scientists from China and Myanmar recently finished a joint field biodiversity survey in northern Myanmar, making new discoveries including potentially six new plant species and three new amphibian species along with capturing rare footage of endangered wild animals.
During the survey, the team comprising of researchers from the Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS-SEABRI) and the Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation of Myanmar, collected more than 3,300 specimens of plants and animals during the month-long project in the Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar's Sagaing Region.
The team captured footage of Bengal tigers for the first time since the joint scientific endeavor began five years ago. The scientists also took pictures of large predators like black bears and sun bears, as well as large-and medium-sized mammals including Asian elephants, red deer, and Indian bisons..."
Source/publisher:
"China Global Television Network (CGTN)" (China)
Date of publication:
2020-01-04
Date of entry/update:
2020-01-05
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Biodiversity - global and regional, Forests, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Sub-title:
Dolphins that work with fishermen on the Irrawaddy River are threatened by overfishing. An ecologist and a tour group are working to assure the survival of the critically endangered mammals and the fishermen’s livelihoods.
Description:
"Dolphin whisperer U Aung Thinn taps a hand-carved stick on the side of his slender boat and patiently waits. As he spots the dolphins’ grey arches gracefully moving towards him, he gathers his fishing equipment.
One of the dolphins flicks its tail out of the water, sending the signal for Thinn to cast his net. The mammals corral fish towards the boat. As the fish swarm into the net, the dolphins devour the inevitable overspill.
However, like the dolphins, the future of Myanmar’s cooperative fishing is under threat.
“The big difference is the fish population,” says 51-year-old Thinn. When he started fishing at the age of 12, his hauls were much heavier. “It’s difficult to compete with electrofishing now, and some people have to work in other jobs to make a living.” Thinn is one of about 60 remaining cooperative fishermen who work alongside the small pocket of Irrawaddy dolphins along this stretch of the Irrawaddy River close to Mandalay. The latest WWF count in February recorded 76 dolphins in Myanmar, where they are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN. Worldwide, they are also classified as endangered, with only about 3,000 of the species estimated to remain.
Thinn’s father taught him how fishermen and dolphins can work together. Featuring in folktales that date back centuries, the method has seen generations of Burmese build a mutually beneficial relationship with the majestic water mammals..."
Source/publisher:
"South China Morning Post" (Hong Kong)
Date of publication:
2019-11-14
Date of entry/update:
2019-11-14
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fisheries (including aquaculture and fishing), Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Description:
"Bokpyin Township Forest Department says that a wild elephant was killed by poisoned arrows on October 31 near Wardin village, Htaung Nga Thaing village-tracts, Pyigyi Mannaing town, Bokpyin Township, Tanintharyi Region.
The elephant was found dead near the west of Wardin creek’s foot bridge, five miles from Yuzana palm oil factory in Wardin village. The elephant reportedly stood 10 feet tall.
Local people informed the forest department of the death of wild elephant and then officials from various departments visited the site and they found that it was killed by poisoned arrows and had four injury marks.
Staff Officer Soe Tint of Bokpyin Township Forest Department said, “The wild elephant was likely killed by an elephant hunter because we found it was killed by poisoned arrows and the hide of the wild elephant was removed.”
A case has been registered at Pyigyi Mannaing Town (Beat) police station with case number (Pa) 22/2019 under section 41(a) of Law for Conservation of Biodiversity and Environment with the aim to arrest the culprit..."
Source/publisher:
"Mizzima" (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2019-11-02
Date of entry/update:
2019-11-11
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Description:
"SKELETAL remains of an elephant, believed to have died at least 200 years ago, was unearthed within the compound of a monastery in the Mandalay region.
Sayadaw U Thizzana, the head monk at the monastery at Shan Kalay Kyun in Amarapura, told The Myanmar Times that the discovery was made by workers who were digging the ground to build a new dining hall.
Amarapura was once the capital of Myanmar during the reign of King Bodawpaya, the sixth king of the Konbaung Dynasty, from 1782 to 1823.
"We first found the bones five days ago and will continue digging to recover the whole body,” the head monk said.
U Thizzana said according to local history there was once an elephant shed at the entrance of the village.
There was an elephant shed in the village during the reign of King Bodawpaya at about the time of the establishment of Amarapura, so I guess the bones are over 200 years old.”
Some officials from the Archaeological Department came to inspect the bones, which have been put on display at the monastery,” the monk added..."
Source/publisher:
"New Straits Times" (Malaysia)
Date of publication:
2019-11-08
Date of entry/update:
2019-11-09
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Description:
"TRADERS and buyers in the illegal wildlife trade in Myanmar have turned away from traditional markets and towards social media platforms, as the government intensifies its crackdown on the illicit activity.
Nevertheless, there are still wildlife markets flourishing on the Chinese border, which are beyond the government’s control.
U Aung Kyaw, anti-wildlife trafficking manager at the Wildlife Conservation Society of Myanmar (WCS-Myanmar), said the online wildlife trade seems to be on the rise in the country.
“Various wildlife species are for sale online. It is hard to detect the culprits if the trend continues,” he said, according to the Myanmar Times.
WCS Myanmar, the Forestry Department, and other agencies, including the police, are cooperating to eliminate the illegal wildlife trade, despite the odds.
“The department and WCS Myanmar are unable to handle this alone,” U Aung Kyaw said.
“We need the help of cybercrime experts. We plan to eliminate the online trade, but it cannot be implemented yet. We need technicians and experts, but we are trying our best.”
In the past nine years, the department has prosecuted 12 suspected illegal online wildlife traders. Not all were successful..."
Source/publisher:
"New Straits Times" (Malaysia)
Date of publication:
2019-10-25
Date of entry/update:
2019-10-25
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Sub-title:
Name it and you can have it: monkey, bear, snake, turtle, birds, bear bile, and wildlife parts.
Description:
"It is a huge thriving market, but buyers and sellers no longer have to congregate in one place, haggling in the sweltering heat of the sun or squeezed under a humid plastic roof to escape a pounding rain.
Instead, today’s illegal wildlife market is right there in the comfort of your living room or bedroom. It goes wherever you go, because the illegal wildlife trade is now part of the booming e-commerce scene in Myanmar, on your laptop, tablet or smartphone.
A page advertising the sale of protected and endangered species recently cropped up on the social media giant Facebook.
Two months ago, a check of the site showed pangolins for sale, different sizes of leopards, monkeys, bears, and birds of prey.
The Facebook page lists the names of the species of wild animals and animal parts along with prices and contact numbers. Those who want to buy these animals or parts could call a number, join a chat, or post comments.
Leopards were available for K150,000 (US$100) in the online market, birds of prey cost around K20,000, and turtles and monkeys went for as little as a few thousand..."
Source/publisher:
"Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2019-10-24
Date of entry/update:
2019-10-24
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
more
Description:
"Villagers have been alerted to the threat posed by crocodiles in Myanmar's Ayeyarwady delta region following attack by a crocodile on a young man, according to Wildlife Conservation Group Thursday.
The young man, aged 22, was bitten by the crocodile while he was emptying water out of his boat near the edge of a river at a village in Bogale township in Ayeyarwady region Tuesday.
He underwent treatment at a local station hospital and was reported stable so far.
Crocodile attacks are common in Myanmar's delta region.
Meanwhile, a wildlife sanctuary, named the Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary, lying at the mouth of the Ayeyarwady River, attracts visitors keen on viewing crocodile hatching camps and conservation projects in the region's mangrove forests which have been reportedly declining due to deforestation in the area..."
Source/publisher:
"Xinhua" (China)
Date of publication:
2019-10-10
Date of entry/update:
2019-10-21
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma's forests
Language:
more
Sub-title:
Nine orphaned elephants are now living comfortably in their new home in Winkabaw Elephant Conservation Camp in Bago Region, which used to be a logging area operated by state-run Myanmar Timber Enterprise.
Description:
"When the new government took over in 2016 and stopped timber production in the Bago Mountain Range, the area was converted into an elephant camp to take care of injured and ageing elephants from state-owned enterprises.
Soon it has become a haven for orphaned elephants and now has nine. The latest addition is named Moe Moe Lwin, which arrived on Tuesday.
Moe Moe Lwin’s mother died when she was 10 months old and she was sent to be cared for by the Myanmar Timber Enterprise in Bago Region.
“With the arrival of the new orphaned elephant on Tuesday, we now have a total of nine orphaned elephants in our care,” said U Sein Lwin, the officer in charge of the sanctuary.
Moe Moe Lwin and four other orphaned elephants in the sanctuary are the offspring of domesticated elephants owned by the Myanma Timber Enterprise while the remaining four others were wild elephants that were orphaned after poachers killed their mothers..."
Source/publisher:
"Myanmar Times" (Myanmar)
Date of publication:
2019-10-17
Date of entry/update:
2019-10-17
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma's forests, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
more
Topic:
SOUTHEAST ASIA, WILDLIFE, IVORY, CITES, ELEPHANTS, TRADE IN IVORY
Topic:
SOUTHEAST ASIA, WILDLIFE, IVORY, CITES, ELEPHANTS, TRADE IN IVORY
Description:
"It’s Golden Week again, which means the cities of Southeast Asia are seeing an influx of tourists from China visiting iconic sites, buying souvenirs and tasting local delicacies.
They are traveling from a country that has had success recently in tackling the illegal trade in ivory. This trade has caused a serious decline in elephant populations across Asia and Africa, but a ban in China two years ago resulted in a significant drop in ivory purchased within the country. And it seems to be sticking. A new WWF survey of 2,000 Chinese nationals found that overall demand for ivory among Chinese consumers remains down two years after the ban. Simply put, bans work. Nearly 80% of respondents in the survey said the ban would prevent them from buying in the future.
That’s the good news. But Golden Week is not so golden for conservationists and elephants as China’s neighbors are increasingly feeling the pressure from the ivory ban. Like a balloon that’s squeezed in one place and simply bulges in another, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia are seeing an impact from the ban in China..."
Source/publisher:
"Asia Times" (Hong Kong)
Date of publication:
2019-10-04
Date of entry/update:
2019-10-08
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Illegal Economy - general, Forests and forest peoples - programmes for rights and preservation, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
more
Description:
"Rangers in Myanmar relocate two wild elephants to a protected nature reserve after they strayed too close to villages just outside the country's commercial capital Yangon..."
Source/publisher:
"AFP news agency"
Date of publication:
2019-08-06
Date of entry/update:
2019-09-03
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
more
Description:
"ကျွန်ုပ်တို့ရဲ့ သက်ရှိဇီဝမျိုးစိတ်တွေကို ဘယ်လိုကာကွယ်ထိန်းသိမ်းကြမလဲ"
ဆိုသည့် ခေါင်းစဉ်ဖြင့် ၁၀.၅.၂၀၁၅ ရက်နေ့တွင် ဒီဗီဘီ ရုပ်သံသတင်းဌာန
မှ ထုတ်လွှင့်ပြသသွားခဲ့သည့် ဒီဗီဘီ ဒီဘိတ် (ပထမပိုင်း)။..."
Source/publisher:
"DVB Debate"
Date of publication:
2015-05-10
Date of entry/update:
2019-08-16
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Biodiversity - Burma/Myanmar-related, The forests of Burma/Myanmar - General, The impact of natural disasters on the environment and people of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
more
Description:
"ကျွန်ုပ်တို့ရဲ့ သက်ရှိဇီဝမျိုးစိတ်တွေကို ဘယ်လိုကာကွယ်ထိန်းသိမ်းကြမလဲ"
ဆိုသည့် ခေါင်းစဉ်ဖြင့် ၁၀.၅.၂၀၁၅ ရက်နေ့တွင် ဒီဗီဘီ ရုပ်သံသတင်းဌာန
မှ ထုတ်လွှင့်ပြသသွားခဲ့သည့် ဒီဗီဘီ ဒီဘိတ် (ဒုတိယပိုင်း)။..."
Source/publisher:
"DVB Debate"
Date of publication:
2015-05-10
Date of entry/update:
2019-08-16
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Biodiversity - Burma/Myanmar-related, Forest policy in Burma/Myanmar, The impact of natural disasters on the environment and people of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
more
Description:
Describes the mythical birds of Myanmar: the kinnara, kinnari, male and female mythical birds and Myanmar legends
about these myths.....Subject Terms: 1. Mythical Birds (Kinnara and Kinnari)...
2. Kinnara...
3. Kinnari.....
Key Words: 1. Sanda Kinnari...
2. Kinnara...
3. Kinnari
Maung Maung Gyi, Tetkathoe
Source/publisher:
"Nawarat Ko-thwe", 2nd editon, Sabei Oo Sarpay via Univeristy of Washington
Date of publication:
1974-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2014-11-27
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Washington University, Mythology, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ (Metadata: English and Burmese)
Format :
pdf
Size:
246.11 KB
more
Description:
"On the second leg of their journey, wildlife filmmakers Gordon Buchanan and Justine Evans, along with a team of scientists, head deep into the mountains of western Burma. This is where they hope to find the shy sun bear and two of the world?s rarest and most beautiful cats: the Asian golden cat and the clouded leopard. Meanwhile, zoologist Ross Piper and the science team are on a mission to create a wildlife survey to present to the government of Burma to persuade them that these forests are so unique they must be protected. High on the forest ridges, Gordon finds evidence to suggest that Burma?s wildlife might be in danger. Undercover filming in a border town known as the ?Las Vegas of the jungle? leads to a shocking discovery
Gordon Buchanan, Justine Evans
Source/publisher:
BBC
Date of publication:
2013-12-21
Date of entry/update:
2014-03-02
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
more
Description:
Filming elephants in the mountain forests of Arakan
Source/publisher:
BBC 2
Date of publication:
2013-12-30
Date of entry/update:
2014-03-02
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
more
Description:
"Myanmar?s timber elephants and their handlers have survived wars and dictatorships, but will they survive democracy?" ...
Decades of military dictatorship has meant many aspects of Myanmar are frozen in time. One of those traditions dates back thousands of years - the timber elephant.
Connect with 101 East
Myanmar has around 5,000 elephants living in captivity - more than any other Asian country. More than half of them belong to a single government logging agency, the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE). Elephants are chosen over machines because they do the least damage to the forest.
These elephants have survived ancient wars, colonialism and World War II while hard woods extracted by elephants in Myanmar once fed the British naval fleet. Yet today, Myanmar?s timber elephant is under threat.
Once the richest reservoir for biodiversity in Asia, Myanmar?s forest cover is steadily depleting and the government blames it on illegal loggers.
Now, the forest policy is being overhauled.
The Ministry for Environmental Conservation and Forestry has pledged to reduce its logging by more than 80,000 tonnes this fiscal year. Myanmar will ban raw teak and timber exports by April 1, 2014, allowing only export of high-end finished timber products.
MTE says that the private elephant owners contracted by the government will be the first on the chopping block. Saw Moo, a second generation private elephant owner, sees a bleak future for his stable of 20 elephants. He fears the family business will end in his hands and he may have to sell his elephants, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
101 East follows the oozies deep into Myanmar?s forests, gaining unprecedented access to remote elephant logging camps and witnessing the extraordinary communication between elephants and men as they work.
But will the elephants and their handlers, who have survived kingdoms and military dictatorships, survive democracy and the open market? Is there a place for them in a changing modern world?..."
Nirmal Ghosh
Source/publisher:
Aljazeera (101 East)
Date of publication:
2013-10-25
Date of entry/update:
2013-10-27
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English, Burmese/ မြန်မာဘာသာ
more
Description:
"The resurgence of the Gurney?s Pitta (pitta gurneyi) bird species continues. Widely considered extinct until the discovery of a population in Thailand in 1986, new research has shown that there could be as many as 35,000 Gurney?s Pitta territories in Myanmar?s southern Tanintharyi Division.
One territory generally represents a pair of birds, as Gurney?s Pitta is thought to be monogamous.
A paper published online last week in Bird Conservation International estimates there are somewhere between 9300 and 35,000 Gurney?s Pitta territories in Myanmar, although the figure probably lies around a mid-point of 20,000 territories, said a spokesperson from BirdLife International, an association of more than 100 conservation organisations..."
Thomas Kean
Source/publisher:
"Myanmar
Date of publication:
2009-11-01
Date of entry/update:
2012-06-22
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
more
Description:
"...Birds are described species by species; those species that have been illustrated, or are considered to be characteristic of Burma, have been dealt with under a greater number of headings, and printed in larger type, than species that are not often seen, or that are restricted to a small part of Burma. The only object of this arrangement is to save space. The information about each species in the first group is given under the following heads : English name of species, scientific name of species, author of the scientific name, typical locality associated with the name ; next, the subspecies (if any) are listed with the authors? names and typical localities ; next, the local names (if any) ; next, information about the bird under the headings—Identification, Voice, Habits and Food, Nest and Eggs, Status and Distribution. For the second group of birds, i.e. those printed in small type, the information under identification, voice, and habits and food, is telescoped under the heading Identification..."
Bertram E. Smythies
Source/publisher:
OLIVER AND BOYD
Date of publication:
1940-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2012-02-16
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
14.75 MB
Local URL:
more
Description:
Between thick stands of bamboo in an impenetrable forest of Myanmar, the Arakan forest turtle reared its small brown head. The lucky team of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) scientists was the first to find the species in the wild. Previously, the turtle had been known only by a few museum specimens and a few individuals in zoos.
Source/publisher:
Wildlife Conversation Society
Date of publication:
2009-09-03
Date of entry/update:
2010-09-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
more
Description:
* The Arakan forest turtle is discovered in dense bamboo forest in Myanmar
* Species previously known only by museum and captive specimens
Known only by museum specimens and a few captive individuals, one of the world?s rarest turtle species – the Arakan forest turtle – has been observed for the first time in the wild by scientists according to a new report by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
The WCS team discovered five of the critically endangered turtles in a wildlife sanctuary in Myanmar (Burma) in Southeast Asia. The sanctuary, originally established to protect elephants, contains thick stands of impenetrable bamboo forests and is rarely visited by people according to the report.
Source/publisher:
Wildlife Conversation Society
Date of publication:
2009-09-03
Date of entry/update:
2010-09-19
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
more
G.H. Evans
Date of publication:
1901-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2009-03-05
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
51.37 MB
Local URL:
more
Description:
"The bamboo species Melocanna baccifera blossoms approximately every 48 years. This type of bamboo grows throughout a large area of Northeast India (primarily in Mizoram and Manipur States) as well as regions of Burma (mainly Chin State) and Bangladesh (Hill Tracts.) It densely covers valleys and hillsides in the rugged terrain of the region. The blossoming bamboo produces fruit, then dies off. During the fruiting stage of the cycle, forest rats feed on the bamboo fruits/seeds. Once the population of rats has stripped the forest of bamboo fruit/seeds, rat swarms invade farms and villages to devour crops and stored rice. This phenomenon, known as the Mautam, has historically resulted in mass starvation among indigenous peoples of the region where Melocanna baccifera bamboo grows. While the current Mautam bamboo/rat cycle as it affects Northeast India has been covered by journalists, and food aid is being provided there and in the Bangladesh Hill Tracts, the Mautam crisis across the borders in Burma is less well known. In Burma?s Chin State, local groups are attempting to provide aid, but there is not yet a large scale organized relief effort in the Mautam affected areas.
The Project Maje resource report, "Rats and Kyats" is intended for journalists, aid workers and other researchers who may become interested in the bamboo/rat cycle as it affects Burma. News stories and documents are reproduced or linked in it, and there is also a links list of background information on the bamboo/rat cycle as it affects Mizoram, Manipur and Bangladesh."
Source/publisher:
Project Maje
Date of publication:
2008-07-30
Date of entry/update:
2008-07-30
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Description:
"A ZOOLOGIST from Myanmar gave a presentation at the 13th International Bat Research Conference held in Mikolajki, Poland, from August 23-27.
Dr Mar Mar Thi, a professor at the Zoology Department of the University of Distance Education (Yangon), gave a presentation titled Bat Research in the Department of Zoology of Yangon University of Myanmar..."
Ba Saing
Source/publisher:
Myanmar Times
Date of publication:
2004-09-12
Date of entry/update:
2004-10-09
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
Format :
htm
Size:
44.14 KB
Local URL:
more
Description:
"Preserving Burma?s forests and wildlife is a pursuit that goes beyond politics...
On his first expedition into the forests of northern Burma, Alan Rabinowitz and his team traveled 100 miles down the Chindwin River and then hiked for several days into the heart of Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary. There he began to hunt for signs of tigers, elephants, and the rare Sumatran rhino. Like many conservationists, he believed that Burma?s forests contain Southeast Asia?s healthiest wildlife populations. But he found Htamanthi?s forests strangely empty.
The next day his team met two Lisu hunters who admitted that they came each year for wildlife parts—tiger bones, bear gall bladders, even rhino horns before the animal disappeared—to sell to Chinese traders. "That?s indicative of what?s going on across the country," Rabinowitz says, as he sits down for an interview outside a camp shelter in Thailand?s Kaeng Krachan National Park. "Despite the beautiful amounts of forest, the wildlife is getting hammered."..."
Chris Tenove
Source/publisher:
"The Irrawaddy" vol. 11, No. 5
Date of publication:
2003-06-00
Date of entry/update:
2003-09-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
more
Description:
Major Category: Natural Resources Management
Sub Category: biodiversity/protected areas
conservation
sector policies/programmes---BACKGROUND:
Country profile;
Biodiversity---
BIODIVERSITY POLICY---
BIODIVERSITY LEGISLATION:
State law;
International conventions---
CATEGORIES OF PROTECTED AREAS---
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS:
State management;
NGO and donor involvement;
Private sector involvement---
INVENTORY OF PROTECTED AREAS---
CONSERVATION COVER BY PROTECTED AREAS---
AREAS OF MAJOR BIODIVERSITY SIGNIFICANCE---
TOURISM IN PROTECTED AREAS---
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION---
GENDER---
CROSS BOUNDARY ISSUES:
Internal boundaries;
International borders;
Cross border trade---
MAJOR PROBLEMS AND ISSUES
Clarke, J.E.
Source/publisher:
Regional Environmental Technical Assistance 5771 - Poverty Reduction & Environmental Management in Remote Greater Mekong ubregion (GMS) Watersheds Project (Phase I)
Date of publication:
1999-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2003-08-18
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Category:
Basic information on the geography and environment of Burma/Myanmar, Flora of Burma/Myanmar, Fauna of Burma/Myanmar
Language:
English
Format :
pdf
Size:
101.64 KB
more