Ghost Roads

Roads which do not show up on Google or any other existing maps are responsible for people having access to forests causing forest loss, illicit land invasions and other factors which cause illegal forest destruction. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07303-5

Whiteheads Trogans in Decline

The Whiteheads Trogan is in a decline of 76% due to poor reproductive success. The young have poorly developed wings and carry this trend to the juvenile stage and when the fledged leave the nest. The research was carried out in Kinabalu Park. doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11273

Sarawak Forest Policies

“The Sarawak carbon activities (ie protection of forests) initiative, in particular, holds promise as an exemplary case study that could serve as an instructive model for other Malaysian states to gather insights from and potentially incorporate into their future endeavours.” https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2024.1362330

Coffee

The vast majority of coffee grown in Sarawak is the Libercia variety which composes only 1% of the global coffee market. It was planted because the Arabica would not grow in the lowlands. There has been little research on the caffeine content of Libercia brand.  This article discusses the results of tests about caffeine content and other chemicals in the Libercia bean. Caffeine Extraction from Sarawak Liberica Coffee in JOURNAL OF COFFEE AND SUSTAINABILITY Vol. 01, No. 01, 31–39

Plants and Ants

Plants which allow ants to nest in the hollow tubes of the stems are called myrmecophytes. The number of ants decreases significantly with leaf size. Conversely, the smaller the leaf the larger the number of ants. This possibly suggests that as the plant grows the amount of insecticide produced by the plant increases. DOI:10.3759/tropics.MS23-07

Bajau people

The genetic history of the Bajau people or sea gipsies shows five migrations into the Philippines and hence Borneo. Of particular interest is the genetic information of 2024 which states they were part of an ancient Austroasiatic migration from mainland Southeast Asia. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2026132118

 Respiration in stems

The making of energy occurs not only in leaves but in the stems of plants as well. It is estimated that 12-15% of all respiration occurs in the stems. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-11207

Tropical Forest Changes

The increase in “greenness” during the 2015-2016 El Nino dry period was attributed mainland tropical Asia, sunlight was the main driver, while in maritime Southeast Asia, temperature or soil moisture was the main driver. 10.1029/2023GL106955

Fire

 Our results indicate that agriculture is the most influential human factor associated with fire-affected areas. The distance to settlement played an increasingly important role in the fire-affected areas and contributed to the deforestation in these study areas. https://doi.org/10.5424/fs/2024331-20585

Prevost Squirrels

Here, we investigate the live trade in Prevost’s squirrels (C. prevosti) in Indonesia where they are naturally found on the islands of Sumatra, Bangka and Borneo. Between 2016 and 2024, we recorded 284 Prevost’s squirrels for sale, viz., 115 in the physical markets and 169 online. We detected the species for sale in Sumatra (13 individuals), Bangka (7) and Borneo (3), i.e. within their natural range, but also on Java (242) and Bali (4). The mean asking price per individual was US$63, and younger individuals commanded higher prices than older ones. All individuals were wild-caught, and with a domestic quota of five individuals allowed to be traded as pets per year (45 over the study period) most of this trade is illegal under Indonesian law. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-024-01794-3

Nematodes

Strongylid nematodes are one of the most commonly reported parasitic infections and are a threat to primates. This study suggests that strongylid communities of Asian primates may have fewer species than those in Africa. https:// doi.org/10.1017/S0031182024000386

Pneumonia

Pneumonia, especially the K. pneumoniae variety, are carried by the Orang Ulu and Orang Asli who are considered the indigenous peoples of Malaysia who live traditional lifestyles with similar socio-economic and health burdens. Typically, these communities live in poverty which translates into a life expectancy difference of ∼ 20 years compared to the rest of the Malaysian population. K.pneumoniae is considered a serious health risk among these people. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10276-4

Coral and River Discharge

Very little research has been done to demonstrate the effects of river discharge on marine organisms. Barium is a trace element which can be incorporated into the coral skeleton from the land. It is found in the discharge of rivers and combines with the calcium of the corals. There has been a surge of barium into the skeletons because of forest clearing and transition to palm oil estates. doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4251272/v1

Clearing Forests and Soil Moisture

Removal of trees and the subsequent opening of canopies modify moisture to the roots. This study revealed an increase in moisture could disrupt the Nitrogen and Carbon cycles as well as forest succession. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4287919/v1

Dengue Fever and Sarawak

Dengue is endemic in Sarawak, with periodic outbreaks over the past 10 years. Due to the availability of breeding sites, dengue outbreaks in Sarawak are affected by this seasonal rainfall, with an increase following a rainy season. Coupled with this, four distinct varieties have been circulating worldwide. The incidence of dengue in Sarawak was high from 2014-2016, it was reduced in 2017 to 2018 and picked up in 2019. The highest incident rate was in Sibu district. Children aged 0-4 and 10-15 were the most affected. For more data see the article.  https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/9422074

Sea Turtle Tagging

The tagging of sea turtles to keep track for conservation purposes has not resulted from tumors at the insertion point or entanglement with fishing gear. The paper does recommend the application of metal tags to the sea turtles’ flippers as opposed to plastic. Sea turtles caught in nets should have the insertion area swabbed with disinfectant. DOI: 10.1002/wll2.12030

Pangolin

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world and are severely threatened by poaching and destruction of habitat. This article projects the distribution of pangolins in Sabah. Alarmingly, our data suggest that nearly all (91%) of these suitable habitats are easily accessible to poachers. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e02962

New Species

A new species of land snail has been made known to science. Found near the limestone hill of Gua (= cave) Rumbang, an outcrop located in the district of Padawan, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The article also includes a checklist of land snails in the area. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1198.116265

Covid and Rats

SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have originated from a spillover event, where the virus jumped from bats to humans, leading to an epidemic that quickly escalated into a pandemic by early 2020. This study addresses the role rats play in COVID-19. The spillback of SARS-CoV-2 to rodents has been happening in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo since 2021, but there is no evidence of a sustained transmission within the rodents population. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-03892-5

Giant Clams

 In Malaysia, habitat destruction and illegal poaching were the main reasons behind the declining populations of giant clams. This study shows a decline in the giant clam population in the east coast Peninsula and Sabah. Proposed initiatives include establishing conservation zones in key areas like Perhentian, Lang Tengah, Redang, and Tioman Islands, which have significant T. maxima and T. crocea recruit populations. Also, targeted restocking efforts are necessary for T. squamosa and H. hippopus to ensure the long-term viability of populations. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2024.103546