yutal's Xanga

Sunday, December 31, 2006

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 03:08:56 GMT

Elephant patrol in Sumatra

Introduction

The Indonesian island of Sumatra is home to some unique wildlife, whose natural habitat is shrinking under the increasing threat from illegal logging and oil palm plantations.

Photo journalist Stuart Coles went to Gunung Leuser National Park, where Indonesia's first elephant patrol unit was set up. He tells of the unit's battle to preserve Sumatra's dwindling forests, its rich ecosystem and endangered wildlife.

Ideal transport

Conservationists in Sumatra have found just the heavyweight solution to protect local rainforests - the elephant patrol.

With much of the terrain of the 2.6m hectare rainforest impenetrable to motorbikes and 4x4 vehicles, Sumatran elephants are ideal transport.

The unit's tusked members have been likened to "living armoured personnel carriers". Elephants have been used to trample loggers' huts, rip up illegal oil palm plantations and even chase away wild elephants.

The team

Tanti, Aini, Gion and Rio were themselves rescued by conservationists who saved them from being either shot or destined for a life in a circus. Now they are trusted and loved members of the unit.

Their mahouts [elephant keepers] have claimed success in wrecking numerous logging operations and saving more than 400,000 acres of forest from being turned into oil palm plantations.

'Natural bulldozers'

The lumbering elephants are not fast, walking on average just 15km (10 miles) a day.

But their impact has been widely felt and similar units have popped up across Indonesia. Even the toughest, most heavily-armed loggers fear these gigantic "natural bulldozers".

"They don't fear us but they are scared of the elephants," a mahout said.

Dangerous work

Protecting the world's only natural habitat to Sumatran rhinos, orangutans and tigers is no easy task.

Many of the elephant patrol unit's members work far away from their families in the front line of a sometimes dangerous battle.

The patrol often finds itself confronted by aggressive loggers or charging wild elephants.

Difficult training

The mahouts have built a close bond with the elephants. "They are part of our daily lives. They are our true friends," said one member of the unit.

They steer the elephants by pushing their feet behind their ears, and if necessary by prodding them using a "thotti" stick.

Training can take time and is not easy - one mahout admitted he had been kicked 4m (12ft) away by an elephant with a mind of its own.

Challenges ahead

A decade of fierce fighting between government forces and rebels in Aceh has allowed some of the forest to recover.

But the recent peace agreement has seen the return of illegal logging and a boom in palm oil plantations.

Conservationists say that the success of the elephant patrols is only a small part in the ongoing war to save Indonesia's rapidly vanishing rainforests.

Words and pictures: Stuart Coles

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 01:42:03 GMT

Christmas Tree - as christmas is coming up!

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Sat, 16 Dec 2006 01:14:59 GMT

馬達加斯加

Full name: Republic of Madagascar

Population: 17.2 million (via UN, 2006)

Capital: Antananarivo

Area: 587,041 sq km (226,658 sq miles)

Major languages: Malagasy (official), French

Major religions: Indigenous beliefs, Christianity

Life expectancy: 54 years (men), 57 years (women) (UN)

Monetary unit: Ariary

Main exports: Vanilla, coffee, seafood, cloves, petroleum products, chromium, fabrics

GNI per capita: US $290 (World Bank, 2006)

Internet domain: .mg

International dialling code: +261

President: Marc Ravalomanana

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:31:18 GMT

辣酒人蔘 x cheese @ 9-12-2006

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 18:20:25 GMT

so scary.... all my contact in MSN is offlone now.... what happened to the world.... am i the only person who is still real in this world.... MATRIX??? anyway.... got so much things to do in summer.... but still have to find a job.... 2 abroad hoilday planned.... and want to learn driving.... fayb and sai is going to learn too.... and looking forward to the boat day.... anyway thx fayb for organisation....

PS. Please contact me somehow or leave a msg here to confirm the BOAT DAY on 7/7 if anyone of my mate want to come.... that will be great fun cos i am going to be there....

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Thu, 11 May 2006 00:57:03 GMT

Finally FINISHED.... Just STARTED.... who can help??

good luck to fay's exams....

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:13:20 GMT

§Ú¦³¤Ó¸}³k~

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 20:45:42 GMT

my valentines day is fat,fay and ho fat

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Sat, 11 Feb 2006 01:03:36 GMT

"FUCKING" lost my wallet for the first time in my life....

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Wed, 08 Feb 2006 23:49:37 GMT

slept 3 hrs last nite.... but sleep 6 hrs this afternoon.... so much to do in these weeks and next week will be worse.... so want to start revision.... but dun understand anything.... so need so one to revise me....

my house will get even more clouded next week and dun know what to do....

like my new hair style.... but would need to cut it regularly to keep it cool....

and party.... why dun have party ga.... and always lie.... so bad and naughty.... u know who u are....

P.S. the post before is not my writing