1. Project Information

Transcription

1 Form SOS14 1. Project Information SOS PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT Project Title: Organization: Citizen Conservation: public engagement and empowerment to save Malaysia's threatened wildlife Malaysian Nature Society Grant code: 2011A-014 Report Author: Project Dates: SOS Grant Type: Ashleigh Seow, Kae Kawanishi and Wong Pui May 1 March March 2013 (with one month extension) Threatened Species Grant Amount: $65,359 SOS Strategic Direction: Focal Threatened Species: Threatened Asian and African Mammals Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) Table of contents: No Content Page 1. Project Information 1 2. Project Components 2 3. Species Conservation Impacts 5 4. Lessons Learned Additional Funding Sustainability/Replicability Safeguard Policy Assessment Additional Comments/Recommendations Information Sharing and SOS Policy 18 1

2 2. Project Components Project Components 2A. Report on results by project component. Reporting should reference specific products/deliverables from the approved project design and other relevant information. Component 1: Deter poaching Product /Deliverable Planned Actual CAT* WALK to walk in the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor CAT* TRAILBLAZER to maintain the Taman Negara National Park boundary with wildlife rangers CAT* BORDER WALK (NEW) to walk border areas along the western side abutting the Corridor 180 man-days, 36 trips 280 man-days, 8 trips (amended midterm to 140 man-days, 4 trips) 140 man-days, 4 trips (added mid-term) TOTAL: 460 man-days, 44 trips 415 man-days, 26 trips 78 man-days, 3 trips 85 man-days, 7 trips TOTAL: 578 man-days, 36 trips Component 2: Elicit reliable information on crimes against wildlife from the public to aid law enforcement Product /Deliverable Planned Actual Wildlife criminals arrested based on reports made by the public to the hotline. No. of reports to the hotline/action taken by the authorities, nationwide and during CAT* activities, respectively >1 50 reports/40 actions taken nationwide 10 reports/8 actions taken during CAT* 0 88 reports/ 63 actions taken nationwide 18 incidences reported during CAT*/ 18 actions taken Component 3: Cultivate wildlife stewardship among the Malaysian public Product / Deliverable Planned Actual Increase in the number of volunteer citizen conservationists (particularly CAT* volunteers) and Malaysian public reached through Outreach (accumulated figure) 600 (100) and 40, (188) and 38,482 * CAT = Citizen Action for Tigers 2

3 2B. Were any components unrealized? If so, how has this affected the overall impact of the project? Component 1 CAT Trailblazer targets were not met. The reasons were mentioned in the interim Performance Tracking Report and are recapitulated below, with approval from SOS in the change of plan. This did not affect the project significantly as the most important component CAT Walks, that take place in the critical Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor, over-achieved its target by 230%. The aim of Trailblazer is to assist the Taman Negara National Park rangers with border maintenance, while the rangers also gather intelligence and conduct law enforcement activities. Dates are set a month in advance but are subject to sudden changes, such as wildlife officers and rangers being called to perform their other duties. This affects recruitment of volunteers who have to take leave from work and make other domestic arrangements. Many volunteers also cannot easily take a week s leave. Recently, in recognition of the poaching menace, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) conducted joint armed patrols with the Malaysian Army in remote areas of Taman Negara. While this is much needed for improved protection of the Park, it further depletes their manpower to conduct border patrols. By way of comparison, the Park has only one 14km-long road but is half the size of Yellowstone National Park. The jungle terrain prevents effective vehicular or air patrols, so DWNP is reliant on foot patrols which places a huge burden on manpower and other resources. Another reason for the fewer Trailblazer trips conducted is operational security. In order to minimize the risk of patrol routes being leaked outside DWNP, the routes are disclosed to us on the day of the patrol itself. Even the rangers on duty only learn the route a day before the trip. Since the patrol area and evacuation routes are not known in advance, it is important to select only experienced volunteers because there is no turning back once the trip is underway. Accordingly, our criteria for Trailblazer volunteers are stringent, requiring fitness and considerable prior jungle experience, but these qualities are not readily available among the public. It is no exaggeration that parts of the border are difficult and trackless terrain which are not normally encountered even by experienced hikers. Risk assessment suggests an unacceptable level of risk unless we could establish evacuation routes in advance. MYCAT RESPONSE: We introduced Border Walks, which involves trail clearing and eyes and ears walks along the western border of the Park, north of the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor. Walks were extended to the area based on a request by the previous Superintendent of Taman Negara. In the area, oil palm plantations and state land forests flank the The pink lines mark trails walked by CAT volunteers. 3

4 park border, making it prone to encroachment by local villagers. The Border Walks do not involve rangers and are shorter in duration, providing us with the flexibility to conduct walks of varying lengths according to need or conditions, and allowing for employed volunteers to participate. The criteria for participation is not as stringent as we go into a known area, where a route has already been plotted and evacuation routes identified and checked beforehand. This enabled us to achieve similar results as the Trailblazer. Accordingly, half of the Trailblazer targets were allocated to Border Walk. However as six months had already passed and as each Border Walk is of a shorter duration than Trailblazer, only 85 man-days of the 140 targeted were achieved (61%). Component 2 The number of reports made to the 24-hour MYCAT Wildlife Crime Hotline and the subsequent action taken by the authorities exceeded the targeted figures. Component 3 The targets for the increase in the number of volunteer citizen conservationists were exceeded. For the number of people reached via outreach programs, only 96% of the target was achieved. This was partly because two major community outreach programs were conducted within the project period in rural areas Gua Musang (located 30 minutes away from Sungai Yu) and Hulu Langat (in the state of Selangor), where the population densities are much lower compared to urban cities. We targeted these communities because they are the key stakeholders in efforts to reduce the poaching and illegal trade of wildlife. These intensive programs, lasting up to four days, encompassed Tiger Roadshows at the local markets, house-to-house or shop-to-shop visits and school education components (see Section 2C). The overall impact of the project was not compromised. 2C. Please describe and submit (electronically if possible) any tools, products, or methodologies that resulted from this project or contributed to the results. CAT Walk Manual* Trailblazer Manual* MYCAT Safety and Emergency Procedures Manual* (to be ed, not for circulation) Pictorial report on Gua Musang Outreach Program Pictorial report on Hulu Langat Outreach Program Pictorial report on Sungai Yu Outreach Program (Appendix 1) this program was conducted just after the end of the project period but is a continuation of our ongoing efforts to engage local communities in Sungai Yu in tiger conservation Video on CAT Walks Article in New Straits Times, a national English daily newspaper Two feature articles in The Star, a national English daily newspaper (Mar 12, Jan 13) Article in Nanyang Siang Pau, a national Chinese daily newspaper Feature article in Let s Travel, a Chinese-language travel magazine (to be ed) Radio interview on BFM, an English radio station, that mentions the CAT Walks Radio interview on Ai FM, a Chinese radio station, on CAT Walks (not available) Webpage showing trails and routes for the public to use for recreational hiking (in the pipelines) * These manuals are living documents which will be constantly improved based on feedback by volunteers, MYCAT partners, government partners etc. 4

5 3. Species Conservation Impacts 3A. Planned Impacts: The goal of this project is to reduce poaching, trade and consumption of threatened wildlife species. Objectives in furtherance of this are to: 1. Deter poaching and encroachment in and around the most important conservation area in Malaysia 2. Elicit reliable information on crimes against wildlife from the public to aid law enforcement 3. Cultivate wildlife stewardship among the Malaysian public 3B. Actual Progress towards Impacts at Completion: Component 1 Poaching at the project site had been suppressed as indicated by the fewer number of snares found. In the last six months, no recently set snares have been discovered. The tiger population inside Taman Negara will continue to be monitored at selected sites. With the increased level of protection resulting from this project, in addition to patrols and enforcement by the authorities, we anticipate the tiger numbers to recover in the next three years (see Section 3.1.b). We also encountered poachers at Park border areas outside the Corridor and they ran off upon seeing CAT volunteers. The vigilance of the CAT Walkers and the raised awareness among the locals of MYCAT s presence were likely causes of the apparent decline in poaching. No known poaching was detected at the project site during the project period, although in the second half of the period we found skeletal remains of a juvenile elephant, sun bear, wild pig and a porcupine, all of which had perished at least a year or two before. These findings coincided with journalists accompanying CAT trips and resulted in good media coverage (see Section 2C) that prompted more people to join the program. Component 2 Before each CAT Walk begins, volunteers are briefed by either MYCAT staff or trained volunteer leaders. The content of the briefing includes the objectives of CAT, safety measures and also the Wildlife Crime Hotline. All volunteers store the hotline number in their mobile phones so they can instantly report any signs of illegal activities detected during the CAT Walks. The hotline is publicized at all Tiger Roadshows and through various efforts by MYCAT partners, for example setting up billboards at wildlife trade hotspots, promoting the hotline in radio interviews etc. Around the Sungai Yu area, the hotline was publicized during community outreach programs conducted in 2009, 2010 and Reports to the hotline came in from all over Malaysia and also included reports of illegal activities discovered during CAT trips. Between May 2012 and March 2013, we received reports from CAT Walkers almost every month. These included information on snares, illegal logging or animal carcasses discovered, possible gun shots heard, suspicious men and vehicles seen near the forest, etc. The reports were channeled to DWNP or other relevant enforcement authorities. Among others, the reports resulted in the removal of snares in the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor, as well as the confiscation of illegal wildlife products. Traders who were reported selling illegal wildlife products are being investigated and the cases are ongoing, and MYCAT will continue to follow up on the outcomes of the reports. 5

6 A standard operating procedure (SOP) has been developed between DWNP and MYCAT for the hotline. The SOP outlines MYCAT s role as a third party between informants and the authorities. As MYCAT notifies informants on the actions taken by DWNP, this provides for transparency and accountability in enforcement actions resulting from the reports. Component 3 At the start of the project, the number of MYCAT volunteers was 525 (30 CAT volunteers) and the number of people reached through outreach programs was 31,651. The response to the CAT program has been phenomenal and there has also been a crossover effect where volunteers acquainted with us through CAT also facilitated outreach programs and vice versa. Some were repeat volunteers, which showed that they find fulfillment or simply have fun on MYCAT programs, and are returning to share their time and energy with us. 3C. Describe the success or challenges of the project toward achieving its short-term and long-term impact objectives. How could it have been improved? Component 1 The public response to CAT Walks at the beginning of the project period showed that there is a strong level of interest in participating in conservation. We got off to a good start with CAT Walks being conducted almost every week, and have sustained a high frequency throughout the year including the Muslim fasting month (Ramadan) and subsequent festivities. During such periods, it is crucial to increase on-the-ground protection, particularly for tiger prey species that are often targeted by local hunters as a delicacy to be served during the celebrations. Despite often walking in degraded state land forests instead of the lush greenery of the Park nearby, volunteers have expressed satisfaction in participating in CAT Walks as it provides them with the opportunity to protect wildlife on the ground. Very often when concerned members of the public read about threats to wildlife, they feel helpless and detached from the issues, but CAT empowers them to become part of the solution. We have produced a number of manuals for volunteer leaders to refer to, covering procedures to participate, emergency action plans, safety while moving and living in forests, evacuation procedures, minimal impact camping and hygiene (see Section 2C). More information about the Tiger Trail can be found here. We have also sought active involvement from the public and private sectors, civil society, private companies and nature-oriented groups. We have leveraged on congruent interests with other organizations such as gap year or overseas community service organizations like Ecoteer Responsible Travel to encourage participation in CAT Walks while volunteers are in the Corridor area to conduct community-based improvement programs. 6

7 Their participation serves to advance our agenda while providing alternative income streams (rather than poaching) for local inhabitants as well. Communities near the project area were also reached directly through outreach programs sponsored by a leading local bank (Appendix 1). We extended an invitation to local residents to join us on conservation walks, and discovered that many did not know how important the Sungai Yu forests were and were keen to participate. Some have already joined, and we intend to conduct more walks with members of the immediate local community this year. In the case of the aboriginal community living near the Corridor (outside the Park), we found that the CAT program was well received. While engaging with them through an anthropologist who spoke their language, we learnt that the tiger and several other large mammals played an important part in their religious mythology and they are very much against the killing of these species. Poaching is a matter of concern to them and they saw the act of poaching these species and destroying their habitat as bringing calamity upon the world. We are working with them to better identify poaching areas and learn poacher behavior through their tracking skills and knowledge of the forests. Batek aboriginal (in pink and green) and volunteer tracking tiger pugmarks on a streambed during a Border Walk. Component 2 Urgent reports to the Wildlife Crime Hotline, for example those involving sightings of possible poachers, need to be channeled to DWNP as soon as possible. It is sometimes difficult to contact the authorities immediately as the closest DWNP office to the project area is located at the western entrance to Taman Negara (Sungai Relau, Merapoh), where the mobile phone signals are not strong and even fixed phone lines are occasionally unstable. In addressing this issue, Park officials advised us that the current best option is to contact the DWNP office during working hours, even on weekends. This generally coincides with the time when the CAT volunteers are on the move. Additionally, DWNP has informed us that a telecommunications transmission substation is being erected in the area, which will improve the mobile phone coverage substantially. Component 3 Volunteers learn much about the wildlife conservation efforts and poaching threats in Malaysia by participating in MYCAT programs. They then serve as ambassadors of wildlife to their friends and family, where word-of-mouth serves as a powerful tool to increase awareness on CAT and conservation in general, thus increasing the number of volunteer sign-ups. One volunteer has produced two videos, one on CAT Trailblazer in 2011 and one on CAT Walks in 2012, so that potential volunteers will know what each of the programs entails. Another provided a cash contribution to MYCAT to sponsor financially challenged volunteers to participate in CAT. 7

8 At the end of September 2012, we trained 20 volunteers to lead CAT Walks. As expected, there was attrition but we have retained five over the project term. Two of them, the most eager to learn (Maimunah Mohd Noor) and the youngest (Harrison Ooi Zhi Jun, aged 19), were jointly awarded MYCAT Volunteers of the Year 2012 as they were the most active volunteers for the year. Two volunteers (Maimunah Mohd Noor and Helen Johnny) have emerged as strong CAT Walk leaders. Below are brief profiles of both women: Helen Johnny Helen is from the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. As a child she followed her policeman father into the Borneo forests, often spending the night there. Later, her thirst for adventure led her to qualify as a Combat Medic in the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army, one of very few women to do so. She is full of ethno-botanical knowledge and is very comfortable in the forest, so she is a reassuring influence on the young university students she often leads. After five years as a soldier, she joined the Education Ministry s videography department and works on educational videos. She is also a canoe instructor and amateur caver. Maimunah Mohd Noor Maimunah, usually known as Muna, is the Corporate Communications Director of a listed media conglomerate. Once or twice a month, she leaves her cat and husband and drives her 4x4 to the Corridor to lead CAT Walks. When she is in the city all she can think about is the jungle. In her words: I just keep thinking that every week, if I don t do it, there could be poachers out there. Every time we go into the forest, we make a difference. What we do, it really counts. As a limiting factor for increasing CAT Walks is the number of trained leaders, another workshop will be held in the second half of 2013 to train local guides and potential volunteer leaders in MYCAT protocols, methodology and safety. 3D. Were there any unexpected impacts (positive or negative)? A pleasant and unplanned positive impact was the recruitment of a freshly graduated biology student and CAT volunteer by one of our partner organizations, Ecoteer Responsible Travel (see Section 3C). Her family lives in one of the villages once known for poaching activity. She will facilitate their program, which will enable international volunteers to participate in CAT Walks as well as conduct conversational English classes for local residents. As a result of this project, the profile of MYCAT and specifically our programs, have increased among the local community. Support for the programs is hence more forthcoming, for example, in assisting with transport services. There were no unexpected negative impacts Did you stabilize or improve the conservation status of a species or important species population (state whether global or target population)? a. Global or target population: Our targets are the most threatened species, confirmed present locally: Tiger (Panthera tigris), clouded 8

9 leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), dhole (Cuon alpinus), sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), sambar deer (Rusa unicolor), gaur (Bos gaurus), serow (Capricornis sumtraensis), and tapir (Tapirus indicus). As all target species are large mammals and MYCAT research ended in 2011, it is unrealistic to determine the population change within the project period. This project was a follow-up action to the research project. b. Indicate type and level of improvement or decline within the context of the following parameters: (i) numbers of individuals (use quantitative assessments, if available, otherwise state increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same over project period, with justification and methods); The population size has been estimated for tigers only in the year 1999 and 2011, using camera traps in the markrecapture framework. Over the 12 years, the estimated population of 7 adults (Kawanishi and Sunquist 2004) had declined to only one animal in a 200km 2 study area in the western part of the Park (MYCAT 2012). We named this tiger in the area Bujang (meaning bachelor in Malay). In the past few months, we have not captured Bujang s image at the three camera-traps locations along the only road in Taman Negara, where he had been captured in the past. However, as we are utilizing camera traps that are 5-6 years old from the previous research project, a number of cameras malfunctioned during the monsoon rains at the end of 2012 and this could have caused Bujang to elude capture. In addition, the construction of a banteng (Bos javanicus) enclosure and the presence of earth moving machinery from January-April 2013 in the lowland section of the road, where all the cameras are installed, could have caused him to avoid the area for the time being. In March, a Park ranger reported tiger tracks in the forest north of the construction site. We are seeking funds to purchase new cameras to extend the camera-trap coverage to forested areas that were part of his home-range as shown in the previous research. Recently, we detected tracks of a tiger in the north western border of the Park where Bujang had never been camera-trapped. Although the identity of this individual tiger is undetermined, any evidence of tigers in a new area is encouraging. At a few kilometers south of that site, CAT Walkers also detected sambar deer pellets on two separate occasions. This area is now regularly covered by CAT volunteers and monitored by DWNP. (ii) population trajectory over a 5 year period from monitoring date as increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same (with natural ranges of variation taken into consideration; give quantitative estimates, if available). See above for the past trend. We envision that the local tiger population size will recover as the protection increases. Coinciding with the CAT project, since mid-2012, DWNP has increased the patrol efforts inside the Park and is currently in the process of acquiring more law enforcement staff for the Park. Furthermore, starting May 2013, the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor will be regularly patrolled by DWNP. 9

10 MYCAT research in 2011 monitored the tiger population in only 200km 2 of the western Park where one tiger was documented. This area is the most threatened site in the entire Park due to easy access to the Park via the highway and the absence of aboriginal population (Kawanishi et al. 2006). But in other parts of the 4,343km 2 Park, DWNP has documented tiger presence at higher densities. Much of the remaining area is remote, far away from a major highway and lack road access. In terms of the prey populations, although the large prey species such as sambar, serow and gaur continue to be rare, the data indicate that medium-sized prey such as barking deer and wild boar are relatively abundant and remained stable at 100% occupancy over the past 12 years (MYCAT unpublished data) After project implementation, can the species globally be considered for a change of Red List status, either positive or negative? If shifts of status within a category are applicable, describe relevant Red List metrics used to support assertion. Provide quantitative data, if available. The tiger is a highly conservation-dependent species and will continue to be endangered everywhere in its range as long as the demand and protection remain at present levels. The tapir is classified as Endangered in the Red List. At the project site, it is one of the most frequently camera-trapped large ungulate species and the occupancy estimate (Psi+Standard Error) remained high: in 1999 and in 2011, compared to the sambar deer, and , respectively. A meta-analysis of 23 cameratrapping studies conducted between 1997 and 2008 in Peninsular Malaysia shows a similar result and concludes that among large tiger prey species (>100kg body size), the tapir was the least threatened species and the sambar requires much greater conservation intervention (Kawanishi et al. in press). Red List classifies the sambar deer as Vulnerable Did your project improve the quality or condition of a threatened species critical habitat within the project target area? Present in terms of the following parameters, where relevant: (a) the total area (that is, the suitable habitat available to the target or global population); The total area remains largely unchanged. A road-widening project threatened the East-West access across the Corridor but MYCAT research and advocacy resulted in the construction of elevated viaducts (Kawanishi et al. 2012). We anticipate that these viaducts will be used by wildlife based on observation of target species behavior in other areas where viaducts have been built. The construction will soon be completed and we are working to secure the adjacent forests against poaching and other threats. The Malaysian government invested MYR80 million (USD27 million) on the construction of three viaducts for the benefit of wildlife, and this Corridor continues to be a high priority in national policies and conservation agendas. In addition to CAT Walks, the viaduct design permits the placement of CCTV/camera traps to monitor the area. 10

11 The Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor with the foot hills of the Main Range on the left and the lowland forest abutting Taman Negara on the right side of the road. The cleared land is for the realignment and widening of the highway. The image on the right shows a section of the 1km elevated highway under construction. (b) condition (note, this must be defined for suitability for each target species; for example, degree of fragmentation, edge effects, impact of invasive species, etc.); and Fragmentation remains a continual threat in the Corridor but the greatest threat from the highway development has been reduced by the construction of wildlife viaducts, as stated above. (c) estimated trajectory (that is, increasing, stable, decreasing) of critical habitat required by the population of the target species within the area addressed by the project. The trajectory remains stable for the medium term as long as the state land surrounding the new road remain forested as planned in the National Physical Plan and Central Forest Spine Master Plan for Peninsular Malaysia. Both plans include proposals to connect and maintain linkages between Environmentally Sensitive Areas or forests to form a long green spine from northern to southern Peninsular Malaysia Did your project stop or reduce important direct threats to a threatened species within the target area? Please state if the direct threats are for: (i) the target species; (ii) its critical habitat, or both. Present in terms of the threats : (a) intensity (that is, high, moderate, low with criteria tailored to threat); HIGH to MODERATE With the habitat fragmentation threat from the highway mitigated, poaching remains the greatest threat to the target taxa in the project area particularly to the tiger and sambar deer. The project has increased the presence of conservation-minded people alert to poaching and encroachment during weekends when Park rangers do not conduct patrols. This scarcity of active wire snares remained the case over the 2012 Ramadan period when historically the poaching of deer increased in anticipation of demand for wild meat at the end of the fasting month. Discreet inquiries at local outlets known for selling wild meat indicated that it was not available on the menu in The trend announced in the Performance Tracking Report at the mid-way point of the project has 11

12 continued to the end of the period and beyond. CAT teams do not find active wire snares and only abandoned/disused snares in the project areas adjoining the Park border. At the mid-point, it was not clear if the scarcity of the new snares was due to increased volunteer presence or a temporary shift in poachers target area or a mixture of both. From our recent 4-day outreach program (Appendix 1), we found that more and more locals are aware of MYCAT s presence in the area and some signed up to walk the Corridor with us. On the other hand, from conversations with local adults at the night market and children during school programs, it was also apparent that the poaching and consumption of wildlife is still a way of life for many. There is much to be done in terms of changing the mindsets of the locals, which is a long-term process. But effects from the previous MYCAT school programs held in 2010 can be felt as students who participated previously came up to us, and they could remember the gist of the messages we imparted three years ago. Most encouraging is the news that a major wildlife poacher/trader who resided in the area for some years has now moved to another town south of the Park. This points to the Corridor no longer being a source of wildlife supply to him, and suggests that the project was relatively successful in reducing the poaching threat temporarily. (b) distribution (that is, widespread, common, localized); and Poaching activity historically was widespread and took place in most areas of the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor and border areas of the Park. However, there seems to have been a reduction in poaching on weekends as stated above. (c) area affected over time (that is, expanding, decreasing, stable using defined boundary) of 1-3 major, direct threats to the target species within the projects target areas. It appears to be decreasing Did your project contribute to improving, no impact on, or worsening enabling conditions that facilitate successful conservation for threatened species? Present in terms of the degree (that is, favorable, neutral, unfavorable) to which local socio-economic, political, and cultural conditions (that is, enabling conditions ) contribute to the probability of success for conservation of the target species with the project area. Protected area tracking protocols are required, where applicable (consult with the SOS Secretariat on the appropriate PA tracking tool to use). Applicable metrics include: (a) legislative tools associated with species protection (poor, fair, good, very good); GOOD MYCAT had already contributed significantly towards the declaration of a 6-year hunting moratorium of the sambar and barking deer in 2009 and the new and much stronger wildlife legislation (Wildlife Conservation Act) that came into effect in 2010 (Kawanishi et al. in press). Although this project does not make any direct contribution to legislative tools, we are using our data from research to push for the highest protective status for the sambar deer under the Wildlife Conservation Act, which would not allow any hunting or trade whatsoever of the species. 12

13 (b) financing for conservation (poor, fair, good, very good based on available resources for conservation, sustainable financing mechanisms are developed and in place, public-private partnerships, positive benefits for community livelihoods, etc.); GOOD The Malaysian Government was recently awarded USD10.6 million from the Global Environment Facility for the implementation of the Central Forest Spine Master Plan. With the Sungai Yu Corridor being Primary Linkage 1 identified in the master plan, we anticipate the financial prospect for future conservation at the Corridor to be good. But that project is still in the inception stage, and it will take some time for actual implementation. We are engaging with corporations, public organizations and citizen groups with an interest in Corporate Social Responsibility programs to send their staff or members to support a continued presence in the corridor and the Park border areas. We anticipate that involvement in active conservation on their part will lead in some cases to a longer commitment to the project goals in financial terms. There is a demand for active boots-on-the-ground conservation projects and for adventure eco-tourism at the site. Capitalizing on both, MYCAT seeks to secure sustainability through the inclusion of new partners while continuing to work with existing stakeholders. We aim to build an inclusive and enduring framework for wildlife conservation by generating economic opportunities for local communities in outdoor and conservation activities through homestay programs, nature guiding and local tourism. We engaged an experienced Canadian canoeist / author and a New Zealander kayaker who carried out a pro bono feasibility and risk assessment of the jungle rivers with a view to increase water-borne recreational activities. MYCAT will seek to interest conservationminded organizations and companies in the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor and western Taman Negara area s potential. Such activities may boost the local economy through the need for certified guides and transport services. CAT has attracted participation from international volunteers from Australia, Canada, France, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States and seeks long-term collaboration with conservation volunteer organizations to set up volunteering opportunities for international travelers. We are pursuing Earth Watch-type volunteer programs where international volunteers support themselves financially for the opportunity to participate in this citizen conservation program. Communities in our project areas include settlers and smallholders relocated to oil palm plantation development projects in the 1980s, conservative rural communities and aboriginal people from a recent nomadic past. Each presents unique challenges and ethical considerations for engagement. On the advice of Prof. Luigi Boitani, Chair of the SOS Working Group, we have sought to engage them in dialog through our outreach program but progress in stakeholder involvement has been incremental. Cultural factors need to be addressed and too direct an approach may be counter-productive. We will continue to build relationships with the local community and plan to conduct CAT Walk training for local nature guides so that they can begin to take over some of the guiding of CAT Walks. 13

14 (c) wild land or protected area management effectiveness (poor, fair, good, very good based on PA tracking tool indices applied to target area); and N/A (d) existence of robust conservation strategy or Action Plan for the species or critical habitat (poor, fair, good, very good based on important features such as priority areas identified and ranked, representation analysis complete, thresholds of habitat and species population size and condition identified, conceptual model and conservation action plan developed, actions prioritized and results chains elaborated, monitoring program). VERY GOOD This project implements two national policies on biodiversity conservation, namely the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan and Central Forest Spine Master Plan. MYCAT was involved in developing both policies and continues to be involved in their monitoring and implementation. 4. Lessons Learned Describe any lessons learned during the design and implementation of the project, as well as any related to organizational development and capacity building. Consider lessons that would inform projects designed or implemented by your organization or others, as well as lessons that might be considered by the global conservation community. a. Project Design Process: (aspects of the project design that contributed to its success / shortcomings) The critical part of the design was the correct identification of the problem, namely opportunistic poaching principally by local people during weekends when DWNP resources were stretched thin. Our initial assumption that local poachers would be disturbed by the presence of other people in their favorite hunting spots appears to be correct, and this is what makes the CAT program work. Animals, on the other hand, face much less pressure from a passing CAT volunteer rather than a poacher. An important caveat to others who may study this project s success is that this assumption may not apply to professional poachers from Indochina who are likely to have factored the risk of being spotted into their calculations. This is why CAT leaves the Park interior to the Park authorities and military to patrol, not citizen conservationists. b. Project Implementation: (aspects of the project execution that contributed to its success /shortcomings) As far as implementation is concerned, the key to the successful implementation of CAT lay in the appreciation, sometimes contested, that conservation is a political activity in which science mainly plays an informing role. The role of MYCAT has been to facilitate the implementation of this project, as well as provide project leadership and guidance. A potential problem was that the authorities could have branded CAT as a form of vigilantism, or the general public attempting to do work that only the authorities are legally empowered to do. To address this, we altered the initial protocol for CAT Walks with regard to the discovery of snares and traps. 14

15 Instead of destroying, volunteers deactivated or disarmed them, marked the location with tape, and passed the location coordinates to the authorities. DWNP would then conduct a sweep of the area to remove and destroy snares. Our actions enabled DWNP to perform their enforcement duties in a targeted manner and to a certain extent, allowed them to gather intelligence on poaching hotspots. We also emphasize to volunteers that CAT trips are not patrols in the forest and cannot substitute enforcement patrols by the authorities. c. Other lessons learned relevant to the conservation community: CAT aims to protect the tiger from poaching and human encroachment into its natural habitat. By targeting this umbrella species the project helps conserve tiger prey and other commercially-traded protected species saving one to save all. CAT Walks are a non-confrontational anti-poaching activity to supplement the stretched resources of DWNP. CAT brings together citizen conservationists local and international, large and small businesses, indigenous communities, local communities and city dwellers, in a web to conserve the wildlife and habitats of the primary linkage between the two largest tiger landscapes in Malaysia. The CAT story is that conservation is too important to be left to the authorities only and that local communities, the private sector and civil society need to be included as well. 5. Additional Funding (MYR3=USD1) Provide details of any additional funding that supported this project and any funding secured for the project, organization, or the region, as a result of the SOS investment in this project. Use the following categories: (i) Project co-financing (Other donors or your organization contribute to the direct costs of this project) MYCAT partner NGOs contributed MYR5,000 to support the Wildlife Crime Hotline, Selangor State Government MYR10,000 for the Wildlife Crime Hotline, Maybank Foundation MYR70,000 and the Selangor State Government MYR80,000 for the outreach programs. (ii) Grantee and Partner leveraging (Other donors contribute to your organization or a partner organization as a direct result of successes with this SOS funded project.) As a result of success with this project, we secured additional MYR7,300 from the Malaysian public, GBP10,000 from the 21 st Century Tiger (Zoological Society of London), JPY300,000 from Japan Tiger and Elephant Funds, and MYR50,000 pledged by a Malaysian corporation for the continuation of CAT and the Wildlife Crime Hotline. The unique feature of the project was the building of a web or a conservation community by bringing in corporations, not just as donors, but actively through their participation in CAT Walks. A contribution in deeds and not in dollars is just as valuable, if not more so, in terms of project sustainability because patterns of mutually supportive behaviour continue after the dollars run out. More and more firms are starting to participate in the project as a result of the impetus given by SOS s 2012 grant. The staff of three companies participated in CAT Walks during the project period, and two more have joined trips since the completion of this project. We are currently in talks with more corporations, with three more already signed-up for future trips. 15

16 (iii) Regional/Portfolio leveraging (Other donors make large investments in a region because of SOS investment or successes related to this project.) Through this project, SOS invested in the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor project that initially started in The greatest financial leverage gained so far has been the MYR80,000,000 from the Malaysian Federal Government for the construction of the wildlife-friendly green infrastructure to ensure the connectivity of the Corridor. However, that decision was made before the SOS-funded component of the project started in Sustainability/Replicability Summarize the success or challenge in achieving planned sustainability or replicability of project components or results. Summarize any unplanned sustainability or replicability achieved. We seek to achieve short to medium term sustainability through including as many sectors of Malaysian society as possible. Besides engaging members of the general public, the CAT program builds on this collaborative approach (but at a participatory rather than financial level) with the inclusion of the private sector by companies, such as Royal Selangor, the world s largest pewter manufacturer, that donates their staff regularly to participate in the CAT or Border Walks. This gives them the opportunity to support conservation initiatives and gives their staff a chance to build rapport outside the office. Apart from the already converted conservationists and other NGOs, we are starting to receive more boots on the ground support from the corporate sector. Volunteers obtain a deeper understanding of the conservation problem and challenges while providing DWNP and MYCAT with the vital manpower to boost our capacity to suppress poaching in the Corridor and Taman Negara border areas. Complete sustainability will occur when the Corridor and adjacent areas are seen and used by local people as a natural heritage resource and when the public will come not just for CAT Walks but for recreation and enjoyment and, by so doing, deter illegal activity. Eventually, we intend to outsource the activity to the public and are in the process of sharing our routes, photographs and GPS data with the public through our website. We have named trails and campsites for notable events or people who have contributed significantly to the program. Some examples are: Feather Trail This is the first trail we walked on the eastern side of the Corridor. It was once an old logging road high above a jungle river which you can see from the trail. It is a shady walk over two small hills through some lovely tall timber in a mature secondary forest. The trail is periodically visited by elephants that browse the banana trees and bamboo groves which line part of the trail, and other animals which frequent the area include sun bear and leopard. The wide trail goes on for about 3km and ends at the Tanum River where there is a sandbank suitable for a lunch stop with a picnic and a swim. It gets its name from the feather of the Great Argus pheasant which MYCAT Senior Program Officer Suzalinur Manja Bidin found during a recce here. Later we found that this was part of a dark secret. Read more here Bird Valley. 16

17 Bird Valley This is the valley between the Feather Trail and Lagi Loop. One day some Universiti Malaysia Kelantan students on a CAT Walk went into it, along the stream slopes and found many small snares designed to capture large ground birds like the Great Argus pheasant, Malayan Peacock pheasant, Crested Fireback and Crestless Fireback. We have walked this valley many times since then clearing out scores of snares including wire snares for large mammals, and now we no longer find any new snares. On one of the earlier walks, we came across the remains of a sun bear which had died a tragic death in a wire snare. Read more about this trip in The Star. For more details on project sustainability, see Section 3.5.b. 7. Safeguard Policy Assessment Provide a summary of the implementation of any required action toward the environmental and social safeguard policies within the project. CAT Walks are low impact activities which are not expected to have any significantly adverse effects on wildlife or the environment, as protocols call for minimal disturbance consistent with personal and group safety. In particular, care is taken that CAT Walks limit the creation of new routes into the forest that may be exploited by poachers or others involved in illegal activity. The principal risk revolves around the safety of staff and volunteers in a demanding wilderness or near wilderness environment. We have developed or adopted best practice safety and emergency protocols. Teams receive pre-trip safety briefings. Teams are equipped with a satellite locator beacon and two levels of redundancy for electronic navigation devices on all multi-day trips and one level for day trips. Reconnaissance walks over one or more days have been taken to identify suitable evacuation and extraction sites and routes. Contact has been made with specialist care providers, for instance in case of snake envenomation, to ensure that evacuation to specialist treatment is carried out seamlessly. No new environmental risks have emerged but we intend to constantly improve communications and rescue protocols. We are aware of the social, cultural and health risks of exposing the indigenous community to external cultures and do not bring outside food, toys and electronic artifacts as presents. Outreach and visits to indigenous people are undertaken with a view to informing local communities of the project s aims and to recruiting local support. The Wildlife Crime Hotline we implement do not name individuals to protect them against any possible repercussions. No new risks have been identified that affect staff, volunteers or local inhabitants. Project risk centers on maintaining a close working relationship with the relevant regulatory agencies and departments, therefore project staff regularly meet with senior officials. It is hoped that regular contact will forge a closer relationship between wildlife officers in the field, project staff and volunteers. 17

18 References: Kawanishi, K., C. A. Yeap, E. John, M. Gumal, and S. Sukor Malaysia, a leading country for green infrastructure. Cat News 55: Kawanishi, K., G. R.Clements, M. Gumal, G. Goldthrope, Y. Mohd Nawayai, and D. S. K. Sharma. In press. Using BAD for good: how best available data facilitated a precautionary policy change to better protect tiger prey in Malaysia. Oryx. Kawanishi, K. and M. Sunquist Conservation status of tigers in a primary rainforest of Peninsular Malaysia. Biological Conservation 120 (3): Kawanishi, K., M. E. Sunquist, and A. Jasmi Effects of human activities on the tiger-prey community in Taman Negara National Park, Peninsular Malaysia and their implications for conservation. Chapter 15, pages in Management and Status of Resources in Protected Areas of Peninsular Malaysia. Eds by Sahir O., Siti Hawa Y., Sivanathan E., Shukor M. N., Norhayati A., and Shahrul A. M. S. Department of Wildlife and National Parks. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers MYCAT TRACKS: Malaysia s progress towards 1000 wild tigers. MYCAT, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. 8. Additional Comments/Recommendations We are grateful for the financial support from SOS to this project. Although CAT Walks started in late 2010, this grant brought CAT to a new level, involving not only the Malaysian public but global citizens from over 20 countries, Malaysian corporations, aboriginal people, and local universities in saving wildlife at Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor. As a direct result of this support, the volunteers detected 24 snares and traps in 2012 and all active snares were deactivated, thus saving many wild lives. The road ahead is challenging, but we at MYCAT believe in citizen conservation. We will continue to work with the policy makers and support law enforcement, but citizen conservation remains our hallmark project. The next phase of CAT, to involve the local community as wildlife stewards, has begun. 9. Information Sharing and SOS Policy SOS is committed to transparent operations and to helping Civil society groups share experiences, lessons learned, and results. Final project completion reports are made available on our website, and publicized in our newsletter and other communications. Please include your full contact details below: Name: Kae Kawanishi Organization name: Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers Mailing address: Unit 3, Ground Floor, Jalan SS23/11, Taman SEA, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tel: Fax: mycat.so@malayantiger.net 18

19 Appendix 1 Harimau Untuk Selamanya Working with the local community to protect the Sungai Yu Tiger Corridor, Pahang. MYCAT Tiger Roadshow, 7 to 11 April 2013 Text by Wong Pui May. Layout by Suzalinur Manja Bidin marked MYCAT s third programme with the local community in the Sungai Yu area (Sg. Yu). First in 2009, MYCAT and the Department of Wildlife and Na onal Parks Peninsular Malaysia (DWNP) reached out to the villagers at Sg. Yu and in 2010, we returned to reinforce the conserva on messages and to raise awareness among the school children. This me, both adults and children were targe ed. Loca ons of MYCAT Tiger Roadshows in Peninsular Malaysia since 2005 Tiger Roadshow Counter Number of people reached: - at Sungai Yu - since

20 What s so special about Sungai Yu? At Sg. Yu, an 11km stretch of forest links the forested Main Range (Banjaran Ti wangsa) and Taman Negara to form a huge forest complex the fi h largest ger landscape in the world. This is the Sg. Yu Tiger Corridor, the most important ger corridor in Malaysia. However, this link would have been permanently severed by the upgrading of Federal Route 8 (the stretch from Kuala Lipis to Kota Bharu) from a two-lane road to a four-lane highway with guard rails and dividers, had it not been for a model conserva on partnership. DWNP, the Malaysian Public Works Department and MYCAT have worked closely since the onset of the earthwork for the new road. This led to the incorpora on of three special crossings for wildlife including a 1km-long flyover, at the total addi onal cost of RM80,000,000 (approx. USD26 million) to the Malaysian Government. In 2009, the first phase of the Sg. Yu Tiger Corridor Project which included wildlife research and community outreach began. The ul mate goal of the project is to secure the Corridor for wildlife. While the research component has ended in 2011, we have con nued to work towards the goal by suppor ng DWNP in enforcement efforts and engaging the local community and Malaysian public to protect wildlife at the Corridor. Knowledge gleaned from the research project has been instrumental in guiding the focus of MYCAT projects in Sg. Yu. To know is to love The Ci zen Ac on for Tigers (CAT) programme was developed at the end of 2010 to directly involve members of the public in conserva on on the ground. As volunteers trek in and around the Sg. Yu Tiger Corridor enjoying the great outdoors, they also keep an eye out for snares and other illegal ac vi es. The volunteers have saved many animals by deac va ng 24 snares and currently, CAT Walks are conducted almost every weekend. The team of volunteers for this outreach programme went on a CAT Walk to experience first-hand the Sg. Yu forests that we are working to save. 2

21 Selling a no on The outreach programme began with the se ng up of a booth at the weekly night market in Kampung Merapoh. The wave of yellow swept across the market as volunteers spread out, talking to vendors and visitors about how poaching threatens our wildlife, and encouraging locals to report poaching incidences and illegal wildlife trade to MYCAT s 24-hour Wildlife Crime Hotline ( / report@malayan ger.net). Some 56% of the people spoken to saved the hotline number into their mobile phones and received a free MYCAT reusable shopping bag in return. Compared to previous Tiger Roadshows in the same market where many villagers seemed frightened by the thought of providing informa on on illegal on-goings in the community, this me round saw less hos lity towards our conserva on messages. Perhaps over the years they have become accustomed to MYCAT s presence and the conserva on mindset. Some remembered us from the previous programmes, and a good number signed up to join future CAT Walks. One even joined a CAT Take ac on! Walk that very Report crimes involving gers and ger prey to the weekend. Wildlife Crime Hotline at / report@malayan ger.net Learn about gers and ger prey from reliable sources and share about it Request legal herbal alterna ves to tradi onal medicines which can contain endangered species Do not eat the meat of gers, other endangered species and ger prey Voice your opinion on issues like indiscriminate development, illegal logging and poaching Do not support zoos or theme parks with illegally acquired wildlife Boyco all wildmeat restaurants Pay more for wildlife-friendly products Support conserva on organisa ons 3

22 Inves ng in the future We visited two primary schools and one secondary school SK Merapoh, SK Teluk Gunung and SMK Merapoh, reaching out to 456 schoolchildren. Children from SK Merapoh who happened to be at the night market were clearly excited about the school programme the next day, which was definitely contagious! The school programme began with an introductory talk in the school hall on the threats faced by gers. The students were also shown a video on the poaching crisis at Belum-Temengor Forest Complex in Perak, a threat faced by wildlife all over Malaysia, and the trailer of WWF-Malaysia s Wira Rimba, a documentary on the work of Malaysian wildlife rangers. The excitement was raised a notch once the students returned to their respec ve classrooms. Led by trained facilitators, through games and ac vi es, the children learnt about the natural wonders right in their backyard and how special the Sg. Yu area is. The focus of the ac vi es was on the basic needs of wildlife, the importance of sharing resources and the inter-connectedness of the web of life. At SMK Merapoh, students who par cipated in our programme three years ago are now 16-year-old teenagers. Although their memory of the exact programme might be vague, the few that we spoke to did remember the key conserva on messages, which was extremely encouraging. 4 Pledges for wildlife that will decorate the classrooms for the rest of the year. Some children pledged to stop se ng snares, some wanted to become wildlife rangers, and others wanted to take up similar career paths as their facilitators. Personal messages for Taman Negara rangers*. The cards will serve to mo vate and encourage wildlife rangers in their line of duty, and to remind them that their efforts are much appreciated by the li le ones. *Inspired by the WWF Cards4Tigers ini a ve.

23 Keeping the faith Through interac ons with locals, including children, it was painfully apparent that poaching is s ll very much a way of life for the local community, from children se ng snares in the nearby forests to adults hun ng protected species on special occasions and even immigrant planta on workers turning into opportunis c poachers. A tudes and habits cannot be changed overnight and community outreach programmes, especially with school children are a long-term effort. It must be con nued and for now, the smiles and enthusiasm of the children make it worth our while. Bravehearts It is important that outreach and awareness be coupled with strong enforcement of wildlife laws by the authori es, and MYCAT will con nue to support DWNP in this arena. With our persistent presence and reinforced messages, when ac on has to be taken against the local poachers, at least they cannot say that they didn t know and they will have to face their children who know be er. Volunteers are the driving force and unsung heroes of MYCAT outreach programmes. And this was our largest team ever. As much as our programmes seek to impart awareness and knowledge to both children and adults in the communi es, it is also a great learning experience for our volunteers, many of whom did not know much about wildlife conserva on before the training provided by MYCAT. Addi onally, we were pleased to welcome three volunteers from within the community, namely Kampung Kubang Rusa, a village with a long history of bush-meat consump on. It was heartening to see young Malaysians being part of the change needed in their own community. They were warmly received at the schools by their juniors with grinning faces as they could speak the local dialect and knew some of the children personally. The Tiger Roadshow forces them out of their comfort zones to approach and speak to strangers, as well as to facilitate programmes for a classroom full of excited children. We are encouraged that there are many Malaysians game for the challenge and are humbled by those who sacrifice their me, their jobs, university assignments etc. to join us in spreading the word. We also greatly appreciate our corporate partner, Maybank, for promo ng volunteerism among its employees. 5

24 Thank you! This MYCAT joint project was financially supported by the Maybank Founda on and the Associa on for Bri sh Women in Malaysia. Addi onal thanks to Maybank for providing ac vity books for the students; Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund for sponsoring the Wildlife Crime Hotline flyers; 21 Century Tiger for sponsoring the CAT Walk; the Department of Wildlife and Na onal Parks Peninsular Malaysia for providing the use of a training hall and other in-kind support; and SK Merapoh, SK Teluk Gunung, SMK Merapoh for their par cipa on. Credits for the photographs used in this report are due to Abraham Mathew, Chris R. Shepherd, Nazarull Ariffin Mohamad, Satria Putra Kamarudzaman, Suzalinur Manja Bidin and Wong Pui May. Recently, Maybank s President, asked MYCAT if we could measure the direct impact of Maybank-sponsored outreach programmes on the ger popula on. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Not all that count in our lives are countable in a conven onal manner. Nevertheless, with our convic on of its importance, reinforced by the growing number of Malaysian volunteers and the shine on children s faces, MYCAT will con nue our roadshows for a more sustainable Malaysia, shared by her people, forest, and wildlife. Kae Kawanishi, MYCAT General Manager. The programme could not have been possible without the sweat and tears of our dedicated team of volunteers, half of whom braved a bout of food poisoning to successfully run the first school programme. Three cheers for Arina Mahirah Zulkifli, Hafeaza Harun, Haniza Jais, Lavaniadevi G., Lim Mei Yi, Mohammad Noor Hakimi Ha murrudzi, Nor Hajaratul Hidayah Saari, Nurul A kah Mohd Nazir, S. Darmaraja, Satria Putra Kamarudzaman, Si Munirah Juri, Si Muniza Juri and Si Safiah Mohammad, and also WWF-Malaysia Communica ons Officer Chong Ai Lyn. Special men on is due to Maybank, which in true spirit of Corporate Social Responsibility, enabled nine staff members to join in and facilitate this programme during the workweek. The merry bunch includes Adli Hadi Sabaruddin, Asiyah Wahidah Razali, Hamzah Mohd Ali, Md Shahri Md Alwi, Najat Nasiha Hairul Anuar, Nazarull Ariffin Mohamad, Nik Hasnah Syara Nik Anuar, Si Rahmah Asri and Zainal Abidin Abdul Aziz. 6 MYCAT Secretariat s Office, Unit 3, Ground Floor, Jalan SS 23/11, Taman SEA, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. T: , F: , E: mycat.so@malayan ger.net, FB: ger