PBF Research Brief #03

ISSUE 3: JULY 2015 | ISSN No: PP 18680/08/2014(033983) PULAU BANDING FOUNDATION IS FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY

Greetings MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDATION DESK Respected readers, this is the third Research Briefs the Foundation is publishing to highlight the Research Activities and other scientific information of interest relating to the Belum Temengor Rain forest Complex.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

DATE OF PUBLICATION 1 JULY 2015 EDITORS • Dr. Daniel Baskaran Krishnapillay • Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rashid Ab. Malik • Zainon Kasim CONTRIBUTORS • Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rashid Ab. Malik • Zulfadhlan Ahmad Khushairi • Ahmad Najmi Nik Hassan • Mohd Syaiful Mohammad • Hamiazrim Baharim • Amir Shah Rudin Md Sah DESIGN & COMPILATION DESIGN218 www.design218.asia

In this issue, we introduce the new CEO of the Pulau Banding Foundation who has taken charge effective from 1st May, 2015.

This third issue contains four interesting articles. One in general on tigers, one on the fishes found within the rivers and the lake in Temengor Forest Reserve and two articles on the endangered Karas and Merbau tree species.

We take this opportunity, once again, to offer our sincere thanks to Setia Haruman Sdn Bhd for their continued financial support towards the day to day running of the Foundation. In addition, we wish to thank our valued sponsors, Sime Darby Foundation and the Prime Minister’s Department, for the one off grants provided by them to construct the Interpretative Centre and the Dormitory respectively.

We hope you will enjoy reading these interesting articles and should you have any comments or wish to share your thoughts, please feel free to write to us or e-mail us on the address as shown on this cover page. The next issue of this Research Briefs will be published in December, 2015.

ANNOUNCEMENT

COLOUR SEPARATION & PRINTING Percetakan Skyline Sdn. Bhd. No 35 & 37, Jalan 12/32B, TSI Business Industrial Park, Kepong, 52000 Kuala Lumpur.

4th Royal Belum Scientific Expedition Sungai Tiang-Sungai Kejar 8 -17th September, 2015 Objective The expedition is to update the inventory of the biodiversity found within Royal Belum State Park in line with the National Biodiversity Policy.

PUBLISHED BY

PULAU BANDING FOUNDATION Unit 3A-3, Level 4, Perdana The Place, Jalan PJU 8/5G, Bandar Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

T: (603) 7710 7066 F: (603) 7710 5066 E: info@pbf.org.my W: www.pbf.org.my

Please contact Pulau Banding Foundation to register your interest.

T: (603) 7710 7066 F: (603) 7710 5066 E: info@pbf.org.my W: www.pbf.org.my

Who Should Participate • Scientists from the various local Research Institutions and Universities • Forestry Department of Perak, Department of Wildlife Perak, • Perak State Park and other related NGOs. Logistics All local cost including food, lodging boat transport during the expedition will be borne by the Pulau Banding Foundation.

GENERAL

PULAU BANDING FOUNDATION WELCOMES ITS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO) Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rashid Ab. Malik

Pulau Banding Foundation is glad to announce the appointment of Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rashid Ab. Malik as its new CEO. He has joined the Foundation effective from 1st May, 2015. His last posting before joining Pulau Banding Foundation, was as a Project Consultant with the Technology Park Malaysia Corporation Sdn. Bhd (TPM), Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur for one year from July 2012 to 1 July 2013. He is basically a retired Government servant from the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM). He joined FRIM as a research officer in 1979 and rose up to the position of the Deputy Director General in charge of Research and Development in 2007. He held this position until his retirement in September, 2011. He was born in Pekan, Pahang and now permanently resides in Shah Alam in Selangor. He did his first degree at the Agricultural University of Malaysia (UPM), his MSc at the Imperial College in London and his PhD from the University of London. He has to his credit many technical publications and scientific paper that were published during his career with FRIM. He joins the Foundation with the vast experience he has gained in Forestry issues over the years. The Foundation welcomes Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rashid Ab. Malik with open arms. With his joining the Foundation, we are hoping that he will take the Pulau Banding Foundation to the next level in terms of addressing issues on awareness, conservation and the protection of the Belum Temengor Tropical Rainforest.

WELCOME ON BOARD DATO’!

FAUNA

Queen Danio Devario regina

Malayan Leaf Fish Pristolepis fasciata

Umbu-umbu Labiobarbus leptocheilus

THE SCALY INHABITANTS OF TEMENGOR LAKE AND ITS SURROUNDING RIVERS Temengor Lake is the second largest lake in Peninsular Malaysia.

This man-made lake is located in the Hulu Perak district and came into being after the construction of the Temengor Dam. This dam was built on purpose to generate electric power for the nation.

Covering more than 15,200 hectares of land, this lake is also surrounded with a wide variety of flora and fauna and the many rivers draining into the lake.

Previous reports from before the year 2010, showed that 42 fish species from a total of 12 families were identified living in rivers flowing into the lake and also in the Temengor Lake. Sungai Enam which is one of the river, located to the north east of Banding Island in particular, is one of the important rivers that continuously channel water into this lake. This river also forms an ideal habitat for a diverse number of fish species which number about 29 in this river alone. Recent studies have added another 3 more species into the list which now show about 32 native species that live in this habitat. The three new fish species added in the 2012 survey were Labiobarbus leptocheilus, Mystus castaneus and Pristolepis fasciatus. Among all the fish species identified, Devario regina, Poropuntius smedleyi and Osteochilus vittatus were classified as common fishes and they act as good indicator species for stream health as they only live in pristine and good water quality sites along the entire stream. Table one shows the 32 species found in this habitat

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Ray-finned Carp Poropuntius smedleyi

Greater Scissor Tail Rasbora caudimaculata

Lalang Oxygaster anomalura

Beardless Barb Cyclocheilichthys apogon

Pearl Cat Fish Mystus castaneus THE SCALY INHABITANTS OF TEMENGOR LAKE AND ITS SURROUNDING RIVERS

Temengor Lake is the second largest lake in Peninsular Malaysia. This man-­‐ made lake is located in the Hulu Perak district and was Spotted created Barb after the construction of the Temengor Dam. This dam was built on pPuntius urpose binotatus to generate Common electric pBarb ower for the nation. Covering more than 15,200 hectares of land, this Puntius lake is binotatus also surrounded with a wide variety of flora and fauna and the many rivers draining into the lake.

Previous reports from before 2010 showed that 42 fish species from a total of 12 families were identified living in rivers flowing into the lake and also in the Temengor Lake. Sungai Enam which is one of the river, located to the north east of Banding Island in particular, is one of the important rivers that continuously channel water into this lake. This river also forms an ideal habitat for a diverse number of fish species which number about 29 in this river alone.

Recent studies have added another 3 more species into the list which now show about 32 native species that live in this habitat. The three new fish species added in 2012 were Labiobarbus leptocheilus, Mystus castaneus and Pristolepis fasciatus.

Among all the fish species identified, Devario regina, Twospot Cat Fish Poropuntius smedleyi and Osteochilus vittatus were classified as common Mystus nigriceps Long Pectoral-fin fishes and they act as good indicator species for Minnow stream health as they only live Macrochirichthys macrochirus in pristine and good water quality sites along the entire stream. Table one shows the 32 species found in this habitat

Table 1: Species checklist of fishes found in Sungai Enam, Perak, Malaysia.

Table 1: Species checklist of fishes found in Sungai Enam, Perak, Malaysia.

1. Devario regina (Fowler, 1934)

2. Puntius binotatus (Valenciennes, 1842) 3. Puntius lateristriga ( Valenciennes, 1842) 4. Mystacoleucus marginatus (Valenciennes, 1842) 5. Poropuntius smedleyi (de Beaufort, 1933) 6. Rasbora caudimaculata (Volz, 1903) 7. Rasbora sumatrana (Bleeker, 1852) 8. Hampala macrolepidota (Kuhl & Hasselt, 1823) 9. Barbonymus schwanenfeldii (Bleeker, 1853) 10. Osteochilus microcephalus (Valenciennes, 1842) 11. Osteochilus vittatus (Valenciennes, 1842) 12. Anematichthys apogon (Valenciennes, 1842) 13. Labiobarbus leptocheilus (Valenciennes, 1842) 14. Neolissochilus soroides (Duncker, 1904) 15. Tor tambroides (Bleeker, 1854) 16. Oxygaster anomalura (Van Hasselt, 1823)

17. Glyptothorax platypogonides (Bleeker, 1855) 18. Mystus castaneus (Ng, 2002) 19. Hemibagrus nemurus (Valenciennes, 1840) 20. Hemibagrus planiceps (Valenciennes, 1840) 21. Clarias macrocephalus (Günther, 1864) 22. Clarias teijsmanni (Bleeker, 1857) 23. Ompok bimaculatus (Bloch, 1974) 24. Xenentodon canciloides (Bleeker, 1853) 25. Channa striata (Bloch, 1793) 26. Channa micropeltes (Cuvier, 1831) 27. Osphronemus goramy (Lacepède, 1801) 28. Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) 29. Pristolepis fasciatus (Bleeker, 1851) 30. Pseudogobiopsis oligactis (Bleeker, 1875) 31. Oxyeleotris marmoratus (Bleeker, 1852) 32. Poropuntius smedle (de Beaufort, 1933)

Source: Mohd Shafiq et al., 2013 To continue to preserve these native species, more efforts should be made to ensure that conservation of this important natural river habitat is ensured, failing which we risk the chances of losing some of these species in the course of time. Shown in this article are the pictures of some of the species that are resident in this environment.

Poissons of Java Hampala macrolepidota Bonylip Barb Osteochilus vittatus

Marbled Sand Goby Oxyeleotris marmoratus

References: 1. Ambak, M. A., Isa, M. M., Zakaria, M. Z. and Ghaffar, M. A. (2010). Fishes of Malaysia. Penerbit Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. 334 pp.

2. Chong, V.C., Lee, P.K.Y. and Lau, C.M. (2010). Diversity, extinction risk and conservation of Malaysian fishes.

Journal of Fish Biology 76: 2009-2066.

3. Hashim, Z. H., Shah, A. S. R. M., Mohammad, M. S., Mansor, M. (2012).

Fishes of Sungai Enam and Sungai Telang in Temengor Reservoir, Perak, Malaysia. Check List 8(1): 027-031.

4. Mohd Shafiq, Amir Shah Ruddin, Khaled Puteh Puteh, Mohd Syaiful and Mohd Najmi Hassan. (2013).

Fishes of Sungai Enam in Temengor In Proceeding of the 2nd Temengor Scientific Expedition 2012. 22nd-25th August, 2013, Pulau Banding Foundation. Pp 303-312 Contributors: Amir Shah Ruddin Md. Sah Syaiful Mohammad

FAUNA

The Malayan tiger is a highly adaptable species and exhibit tolerance to a wide range of forest types, climatic regimes, altered landscape and prey bases. Peninsular Malaysia is the southern limit of the distribution of mainland tiger populations. In the early 1950s it was estimated that there were about 3,000 adult tigers in Peninsular Malaysia and by 1980s the number had dwindled to about 250 only. Following this alarming loss, the tiger became a totally protected species under the Protection of Wildlife Act in Peninsular Malaysia. According to the Wild Life Department, following this protection efforts the population number had climbed up to around 600 in the early 1990’s. The decline of this mammal population in Malaysia has been due to a number of reasons. Main among these is; since the Independence of the country in 1957, large areas of lowland forest were cleared for commercial scale agricultural schemes which included the planting of rubber and oil palm. Over the 50 years following independence, the country lost almost half of its lowland forest cover. Today, the forest areas are confined to the hill slopes and steep terrains of the country. This to a large extend resulted in the habitat loss of this species. The other sad reason is the illegal hunting/poaching of these animals for sale of their body parts for both bush meat and for use in traditional medicine.

THE KING OF THE TROPICAL RAINFORESTS

Some of the remaining large contiguous forests where a sustainable tiger population can be found are the Taman Negara National Park, Belum Temengor Rainforest Complex and the Endau Rompin forest area which encompass the states of Pahang, Perak, Kelantan, Trengganu and Johore of the Peninsular Malaysia. It is critical that this remaining forest spine will have to be protected to ensure that the population of the tiger remains intact. In a study conducted in 2009 within the Temengor Forest Reserve, the authors have reported also that selectively logged forest can still support the population of tigers and hence every effort should be taken to ensure such logged over forest are kept for regrowth and should not be converted for other land uses.

A female tiger with her cub

Commonly, the lion is adored as the King of the Jungle and it also has its own Disney movie depicting this beast as the hero; while the tiger, most often is portrayed as a dangerous villain that must be obliterated. The strange truth is that the tiger without doubts is the most powerful cat in the world and reigns as the king of the tropical forest belt where they are found. The tiger outweighs the lion, is a stronger hunter, and has many incredible qualities.

There are a total of 9 sub-species of tigers. They are the Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), the Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti), the Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni), the South-China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis), the Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), the Bali tiger (Panthera tigris balica), the Caspian tiger (Panthera tigris virgate) and the Javan tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica). According to IUCN Conservation Status report, of all these sub species, the Bali tiger, the Caspian tiger and the Javan tiger are now totally extinct. The South-China tiger and the Sumatran tiger are classfied as critically endangered while the Siberian tiger, Bengal tiger, Indochinese tiger and the Malayan tiger are cited as endangered.

References: 1. Kawanishi, K. & M.E. Sunquist (2004). Conservation Status of tigers in primary rainforest of Peninsular Malaysia. Biological Conservation 120:329-344 2. Mark Rayan D. & Shariff Wan Mohamad (2009).

The importance of selectively logged forest for tiger Panthera tigris conservation: a population density estimate in Peninsular Malaysia. Flora and Fauna International, Oryx 43(1):48-51 Contributor: Zulfadhlan Khushairi

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GENERAL FACTS ABOUT TIGERS 1

Tigers are the biggest cats in the Feline family, weighing up to 300 kg (700 pounds) particularly among the Bengal and Siberian tigers.

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If you stare at a tiger in the eyes, there is less of a chance it will attack you. Tigers prefer to hunt by ambushing their prey. Therefore looking at a tiger in the eyes, you send out the message that you know it is there.

Now he has lost the element of surprise and will go look for something else to feast on. This is the main reason why people in India often wear a mask on the back of their head with a second face, when they are roaming in areas where tigers are present. The chances that a tiger may still attack its victims is if it is very old (aged) or if it is injured.

In both cases the animal finds it difficult to hunt for its natural prey.

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Similar to all species in the Feline family, the tiger cubs are born totally blind during the first week of their lives.

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All tigers have a white spot on the back of their ears called an ocelli.

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Tigers use their saliva to disinfect wounds, as their saliva contains antiseptic properties. So through licking they heal their wounds.

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Tigers have powerful tongues that do a lot of work for them. They are covered with numerous small, sharp and rear-facing projections (papillae). This is what gives their tongue that rough texture and helps them strip the skin, feathers or fur off their prey.

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Tigers are solitary animals, each of them usually taking a large territory for itself for its hunting. The exception to this is when the tiger is mating or a female tiger is with her cubs.

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Tigers are nicer to each other when compared to lions. Lions would fight to the death over a kill, but when a tiger crosses path with another tiger while hunting, they often share the kill together. Also, when several tigers are present at a kill, the males will wait for the females and the cubs to eat first, again unlike the lions which do the opposite. Tigers rarely fight over a kill and simply wait for their turn.

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They have a diverse diet that includes many different animals. Generally their preference is deer, antelopes, wild boar and buffalo. In times when their preferred prey are not available, they also eat a variety of birds, fish, rodents, baby elephants, crocodile and even leopards.

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Despite what some may think, tigers do not usually view humans as a source of food unless they are very old, injured or threatened.

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The tiger brain weighs over 300 grams. It is the 2nd largest among all the carnivores. The first being the polar bear.

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Tigers can leap 6 meters in length and jump up to 5 meters vertically.

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Tigers are excellent swimmers, and actually love the water. Unlike the other cats, tigers enjoy bathing and playing in the water.

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Source: http://www.ba-bamail.com/content_15791/22 Fascinating_facts_about_the_tiger. aspx?memberid=937910

FLORA

THE TROPICAL PERFUME TREE A. malaccensis growing in a tropical forest

Aquilaria malaccensis is one of 15 tree species in the Indomalesian genus Aquilaria, and they belong to the family Thymelaeaceae. In Malaysia this species (A. malaccensis) is one of at least four Aquilaria species. The others being A. hirta, A. beccariana and A. rostrata. The visual details of the species A. malaccensis is as illustrated on the right.

A. malaccensis is distributed throughout Peninsular Malaysia, except for the States of Kedah and Perlis. Although the species has good geographical coverage, its occurrence is rather rare, with trees often locally scattered. La Frankie (1994) studied the population dynamics of A. malaccensis in Pasoh Forest Reserve in Negeri Sembilan and suggested a typical lowland Malaysian forest has a density of 2.5 trees per hectare and also found that the growth rate varied between 0 to 1.95 cm per year. Aquilaria species in Malaysia have adapted to live in various habitats, including those that are rocky, sandy or calcareous, well-drained slopes and ridges and land near swamps. They typically grow between altitudes of 0 to 850 m, and up to 950 m in some locations like Temengor Forest Reserve in Perak. The species is shade-tolerant when young and may regenerate in almost pure patches underneath mother trees. It is a typical understorey tree in natural forest settings. The species grows to a medium size (20-40 cm) diameter and starts to flower and produce fruit at the age of 7-9 years and are reported to produce about 1.5 kg of seeds during good seed years.

A. malaccensis and other species in the genus Aquilaria produce resin-impregnated heartwood that is fragrant and highly valuable. There are many names for this resinous wood, including agarwood, aloe wood, eaglewood and gaharu. This wood is in high demand for medicine, incense and perfume across Asia and the Middle East. Research into the formation of gaharu continues, but the general understanding is that the fragrant oleoresin that permeates the heartwood of some trees is produced as a response to wounding and/or fungal infection. It has been reported (LaFrankie,1994) that only 10% of mature Aquilaria trees above 20 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) produce gaharu. Other researchers believe that infected trees produce resin from the age of 20 years onwards, and the best yield of gaharu is obtained when trees are about 50 years of age.

Inflorescence

2-3 seeds are found in each fruit

Fruit formation

Germinating seeds

Malaysia has a long history of trading in gaharu, which has long been collected by the indigenous peoples of the interior of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah to supplement their income. In Peninsular Malaysia, the gaharu products in domestic trade are woodchips and powder or sawdust. Some use has been recorded locally for medicinal purposes, but it appears that the majority of A. malaccensis harvested is exported. (Barden et al.

2000).

A. malaccensis is included in The World List of Threatened Trees (Oldfield et al.,1998). It is considered a vulnerable species and therefore can only be traded under legal CITES permit. Illegal harvest and trade continues to be a major threat to the conservation and sustainable use of this species. In Malaysia, illegal harvesters of this species are being tracked down and if caught the penalty is fairly hefty.

and country in which trade is done. The grade (and hence value) of agarwood and a7 garwood derivatives such as oil is determined by a complex set of factors including: country of origin; fragrance strength and longevity; wood density; product purity; resin content; colour; and size of the form traded (Barden et al., 2000). In Malaysia based on the characteristics of the Gaharu is not a uniform product, butfour categories have been established. These are as shown in Table 1 Gaharu, instead possesses different characteristics.

It is classified according to various grading Table 1: Grades of gaharu and their characteristics systems that differ according to the product Grade Characteristics in trade and country in which trade is done.

The grade (and hence value) of gaharu and A Dark dense, concentrated and heavy gaharu derivatives such as oil is determined B Purple, dark, less dense, small fissures by a complex set of factors including: country C Yellow stripes, dark yellow in colour of origin; fragrance strength and longevity; D Whitish yellow wood density; product purity; resin content; : colour; and size of the form traded (Barden et Table 1: Grades of gaharu and their characteristics al., 2000). In Malaysia based on the characteristics of the gaharu, four categories have been established. These are as shown in Table 1

Grade A

Grade A

Grade B

Grade B

Grade C

Grade D

The prices of each kilogram of the extracted the different

resin ofGrade C References:

Grade D 1.

Barden, A., Noorainie Awang Anak, T. Mulliken, and grades sold in the market over a five year period (2004-2008) in from 2004-­‐2008 for the various Grades 2: Estimated Price f Gaharu oinver the p2.eriod M. Song. (2000). Heart of the matter: Agarwood use Malaysia isotabulated Table The prices of each kilogram of the eand xtracted resin of the different grades sold in the market trade and CITES implementation for Aquilaria over a

f ive y ear p eriod ( 2002-­‐2008) i n M alaysia is tabulated in Table 2.

Price (RM) per Kg of each grade of Gaharu malaccensis. TRAFFIC International.

Year 2. La Frankie, J. (1994). Population dynamics of some Grade A Grade B Grade C Grade D tropical trees that yield non-timber forest products.

2004 8,600 5,300 116 3.0 In: Barden, A., Noorainie Awang Anak, T. Mulliken,

2005 9,500 5,900 142 3.5

2006 2007 2008

10,500 11,200 14,333

6,460 7,200 8,000

172 198 224

3.8 4.0 4.7

Table 2: Estimated price of gaharu over the period from 2004-2008 for the various Grades Source: Rashid Ab. Malik & Ahmad Zuhaidi, 2011

Contributor: Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rashid Ab. Malik

and M. Song. (2000). Heart of the matter:Agarwood use and trade and CITES implementation for Aquilaria malaccensis. TRAFFIC International.

3. Oldfield, S., Lusty, C. and MacKinven, A. (1998). The Word List of Threatened Trees. In: Barden, A., Noorainie Awang Anak, T. Mulliken, and M. Song. (2000). Heart of the matter: Agarwood use and trade and CITES implementation for Aquilaria malaccensis. TRAFFIC International.

4. A.M. Abdul Rashid & Y. Ahmad Zuhaidi (2011). Tapping the Wealth from Karas (Aquilaria malaccensis) Tree.

Malayan Forest Record No 50. Forest Research Institute of Malaysia. 89 pp.

FLORA

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MERBAU

THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF BELUM TEMENGOR RAINFOREST Merbau in Malaysia is botanically known as Intsia palembanica. Merbau is a majestic emergent tree. It is found growing throughout Southeast Asia and Oceania and in East Africa. This species is a widely distributed genus of about nine species.

The nine species are similar in all aspects except for a few minor differences in the shape and structure of their leaves.

Merbau trees can grow very large, attaining a height of up to 50 metres and a diameter of up to 2.5 metres. Their trunks are branchless for half their height after which it has a spreading canopy. Merbau is in general slow growing, and it takes at least 75-80 years to mature. Due to its slow growth, Merbau has not yet been raised in plantations of commercial size.

This beautiful tropical hardwood species was once abundant throughout the Asia Pacific region, but today is hovering on the brink of commercial extinction due to the increasing demand for luxury hardwood timber products. The IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species 2006 has categorised Merbau as vulnerable because with logging and habitat destruction being the major threats this may result in a high risk of extinction of this species in the wild in the near future.

Trunk of a mature Merbau tree in the forest

Merbau seeds

Merbau seedlings raised in a nursery

Merbau is a heavy and hard wood which is not easy to work on and hence unsuitable for veneer and plywood. It is a very good timber for general-purpose use. Hence, it is used in construction work in house building, especially for high-class exterior joinery, such as windows, solid panel doors, framing, and weatherboarding. The most important use of Merbau commercially is in flooring, such as parquet, but it is also widely used in doors and panels, and in marine environments as it is resistant to marine borers. Merbau is highly resistant to dry wood termites as well as subterranean termites. It is generally free of ship worm, and in the humid tropics under cover, can last for 30-40 years. One of the distinctive characteristics of this beautifully rich reddish-brown timber is that, when finished, it can contain yellow specks in the pores of the wood, making it appear flecked with gold.

In Belum Temengor there are a number of this impressive trees standing majestically within the forest canopy and every effort has to be made to protect them for their conservation and continued survival of the species.

Reference: 1. Tong P.S. et al. (2009). Review of Trade in Merbau from Major Range States.

TRAFFIC Southeast Asia Report. 143pp Contributor: Ahmad Najmi Nik Hassan

UPCOMING SEMINARS/CONFERENCES/RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 2015-2016 September 7-11, 2015 XIV World Forestry Congress, Durban, South Africa Organised by: IUFRO, Vienna

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

September 8-17, 2015 4th Royal Belum Scientific Expedition into Sungei Tiang and Sungei Kejar.

Organised by: Pulau Banding Foundation

PBF extends its sincere thanks to the followings for their generous financial support.

PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT

October 10-15, 2016 International Conference on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Tropical Rainforests 2016 “Research, Cooperation and Networking” Organised by: Pulau Banding Foundation

CONTACT US Headquarters

Pulau Banding Foundation Unit 3A-3, Level 4, Perdana The Place, Jalan PJU 8/5G, Bandar Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

T: (603) 7710 7066 F: (603) 7710 5066 E: info@pbf.org.my W: www.pbf.org.my

Research Centre Pulau Banding Rainforest Research Center Pulau Banding, 33300 Gerik, Perak T: 05-7915843 F: 05-7912763 E: info@pbf.org.my W: www.pbf.org.my