Turtle Power at Berjaya Times Square

The Turtle Conservation Society (TCS) of Malaysia is a non-governmental conservation organisation established in Oct 2011 with the objective of conducting research on turtles, restoring the turtle population in Malaysia, cultivating concern for and awareness of turtles and terrapins and the challenges faced in protecting them, and providing consultancy and professional services in the fields of turtle conservation, management and research.

When TCS co-founder Pelf requested for volunteers to help out at the Berjaya Founder's Day event booth on Saturday, 22nd February, Aravind and I stepped up and offered our services as volunteers for this worthy cause.

I am going to reserve comment on the sincerity of and rationale behind corporate philanthropy here. The important thing is that TCS and many other worthy non-profit organisations, conservation groups, welfare homes and faith groups are in dire need of funds, and Berjaya Corporation had very kindly and generously made donations to these organisations in order that they may continue the good work that they do. SPCA Selangor and MNS were among the other recipients of much-needed funds.

I was quite astounded by the scale of, and amount of funds poured into, the said event. Not only were sizable donations made to the 74 charitable organisations, the entire 10th floor of Berjaya Times Square was dedicated to the said beneficiary organisations for one day so we could carry out our outreach, education and fundraising work.

We shared the 10th floor with other booths offering games and refreshments. Booklets of coupons were issued to Berjaya Corporation staff and beneficiaries to use at the food, games and merchandise booths.

Aravind and I received an entire booklet to share between ourselves, and I discovered, to my delight, tickets to the indoor theme park within the shopping mall. When we offered to volunteer, we expected nothing in return except the companionship of like-minded people. To be given this -- this tremendously generous booklet of food and merchandise vouchers and entrance passes to the theme park -- was just mind-blowing and something I am not used to.

Outreach and fundraising work during Berjaya Founder's Day. Aravind and I familiarising ourselves with turtle conservation literature and the membership forms when we arrived early in the morning.

Malaysian Sea Turtles: Leatherback Turtle, Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle and Olive Ridley Turtle.

The merchandise, membership and turtle adoption table.

Pewter turtle necklaces for sale, going for a song.

18 Species of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises in Malaysia. The ones Aravind and I adopted are River Terrapins.

What's the difference between sea turtles, terrapins and tortoises?

Sea turtles live in seawater. They cannot retract their heads and flippers into their shells. They are heavy and cannot lift their bodies off the ground when crawling.

Terrapins live in freshwater. They can be hard-shelled or soft-shelled. They usually have webbed feet. They can retract their heads and legs into their shells. They can lift their bodies off the ground when crawling.

Tortoises live on land in dry conditions. They have tough, thick shells and scales. They can lift their bodies off the ground when crawling.

One of the most uplifting and empowering children's books I have ever read -- Little Turtle Messenger, authored by Professor Chan Eng Heng and illustrated by Tan Yisin.

The Sea Turtle Nesting Process:

1. Landing on the beach.

2. Crawling up to the beach.

3. Body pitting.

4. Egg chambering.

5. Egg laying.

6. Covering the egg chamber with sand.

7. Sand bathing / camouflaging.

8. Returning to the sea.

9. Entering the sea.

Volunteers from three shifts congregate in the booth. The 10 a.m. volunteers are joined by the eager 12 noon volunteers who arrived early! TCS has such efficient volunteers! We made some new friends at the event, who we will no doubt meet again at future conservation events and trips.

Our booth was next to MNS' booth, and for some inexplicable reason, we were all wearing the same black Tapir logo shirt. Here we are, taking the obligatory photo with Rico the Tapir. I think I should wear the badges of MNS, TCS and SPCA all on the same shirt next time if I am going to duty-hop from one booth to the other.

Promoting the society and its educational and outreach materials.

TCS Co-Founder/Secretary Pelf and her Mum return after the cheque presentation ceremony. Now we can do so much more for the cause of river terrapin conservation!

After the arrival of the noon volunteers, Aravind and I were able to go on our lunch break. I was, of course, insistent about going to the theme park first, and Aravind was happy to oblige.

A view of the indoor theme park, with its scary and not-so-scary rides.

Nothing says "love" like repeatedly colliding with the Dodgem car your boyfriend is driving. I love Dodgem cars and I ride them at every opportunity I can get. 

I was initially excited about going on this ride. It's called the Dizzy Izzy. 30 seconds into it and I was convinced I was going to be flung out of my seat when the octopus "arms" tilted at an angle while spinning at high speed. 

"Okay, I have had enough of rides", I told Aravind, who was enjoying himself and asking me to "Feel the G-Force". Me, I'd be happy to just feel the ground beneath my feet again.

Lunch was obtained in exchange for coupons at the booths and stalls at the ground floor. We returned to the TCS booth after lunch to help out in the afternoon.

A very busy time at the booth, with the merchandise and books getting snapped up almost as soon as they are replenished from our stocks. I am glad that the visitors are getting to learn a little about turtle conservation even as they shop.

TCS volunteer Emily explaining turtle natural history to a mother and her two children. They were very interested, and may be joining the upcoming Turtle Discovery Trip.

Ways you can protect and help turtles and terrapins:

1. Learn all you can and share your knowledge.

2. Adopt a nest, turtle or terrapin.

3. When you are on a nesting beach, follow turtle-watching guidelines.

4. Reduce the use of plastic bags and packaging.

5. Pick up litter from the beach.

6. Support turtle conservation projects.

7. Do not purchase or consume turtle or terrapin eggs or meat.

8. Do not buy souvenirs made of turtle carapace or body parts.

9. Do not harass turtles and terrapins whether on land or in water.

10. Avoid restaurants that serve turtle meat or eggs.

For further information, please refer to the links below:

Turtle Conservation Society

Become a member .

Adopt a turtle or terrapin.

Join the Turtle Discovery Trip 

Mailing address:

Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia

56-2/1, Pangsapuri Cerong Lanjut,

Jalan Cerong Lanjut,

20300 Kuala Terengganu,

Malaysia.

Letter to the Editor: Find Alternative Solutions to Euthanasia of Service Dogs

  LETTER TO THE EDITOR 

FIND ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO EUTHANASIA OF SERVICE DOGS


The Fire and Rescue Services Department's Sniffer and Detection Dogs Unit inadvertently created an uproar among Netizens when they published photographs of their retired service dogs being euthanised due to old age and illness. Overwhelmed by the number of irate emails and comments on their Facebook page, the Unit then removed the photographs and published a disclaimer to explain that the dogs were euthanised due to chronic illnesses -- a weak defence indeed against the swelling group of angry and incredulous animal advocates.

It is acknowledged that the service dog handlers and Fire and Rescue Services Department may have just been following instructions and may not be the ones making the decision to euthanise the dogs. It is further acknowledged that many government departments all over the world consider it necessary to euthanise retired service dogs due to financial constraints and because the nature of the work the dogs have been subjected to may make them unsuitable for rehoming, as they may not adapt to living in small spaces with children and other animals. However, it is seen that most governments and societies around the world are in favour of rewarding the invaluable service provided by these brave and loyal dogs. Many countries now have programmes to either rehome the dogs with former servicemen or civilians, or in special sanctuaries and shelters for service dogs.

As the Fire and Rescue Services Department falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, on behalf of concerned citizens, I urge the Ministry to consider and immediately implement alternatives to euthanising ill and retired service dogs. It is an affront to the values the Ministry claims to espouse -- namely, peace, sustainability, safety and a high quality of life -- to so callously terminate the lives of dogs who have so gallantly put their lives on the line to serve humans.

Service dogs, including those who have terminal illness, can still be put up for adoption. The relevant departments have a moral obligation to seek medical care for ill and injured service dogs before making the decision to either put the dogs up for adoption or sending them to a shelter or sanctuary. This is where the relevant departments will need to work together with the Department of Veterinary Services for the latter's assistance. The Sniffer and Detection Dogs Unit only has to make a disclosure as to the dogs' personalities and medical history in order that potential adopters understand what to expect and whether they are able to provide for a particular dog's needs. There are many animal-lovers who are willing to provide retired service dogs with a comfortable and loving final home despite knowing of their illnesses. Individuals with large fenced premises who have experience with large-breed working dogs are also able to adopt former service dogs who have high energy levels and strong hunting and seeking instincts.

It is incumbent that the Ministry looks into these options before ordering all the Fire and Rescue Services dogs to be put down on the assumption that they cannot be rehomed. A representative of the Royal Malaysian Police force has mentioned that retired police service dogs are not euthanised. Perhaps the Fire and Rescue Services Department could learn about alternatives to euthanasia of former service dogs from the police force. Some dogs may be adopted by their handlers due to the strong bond between the two, while others may be put up for adoption to suitable homes.

The government should reduce the bureaucratic red tape surrounding the adoption of former service dogs and simplify the paperwork in order to make the rehoming process easier and faster for big-hearted civilians. The SPCA can assist and advise the government in vetting adoption applications, interviewing and evaluating potential adopters and inspecting homes and properties.

The government should also take steps to establish a sanctuary or shelter for retired Fire and Rescue Services, police and military service dogs until they could be rehomed or until they live out the rest of their lives. This is the very least the government could do to ensure that service dogs receive the care, comfort and dignity that they have earned through their hard work and selfless service to society.

These dogs have served the nation valiantly and with obvious passion for their work. They have put their lives in danger to spare their human handlers the same danger. Their needs are simple and they expect no extravagant pension or benefits. Many do not even live for many years to enjoy much comfort or care following their retirement from active service. They deserve every chance possible to live out their golden years in peace and reasonable comfort. We owe it to these brave dogs to create these chances for them. And we owe it to ourselves and our society to practice the values of compassion, gratitude, accountability and loyalty that we claim to uphold.

WONG EE LYNN 
SENIOR VOLUNTEER, 
SPCA SELANGOR

Raptor Watch Themed Bento

In anticipation of the upcoming Raptor Watch Weekend, I have created a Raptor Watch themed bento. The nori sheet letters and birds show up quite well against a background of a wholemeal bun and a garlic sesame bun and are held in place with dabs of peanut butter. Organic cherry tomatoes and a Ferero Rocher fill up the remaining space.

The top compartments hold Salad Royale, carrot sticks, guava slices and mandarin orange segments.

Raptor Watch preparations have left me both exhausted and exhilarated. This year will be extra special for me because Aravind will be attending and volunteering for the first time.

Turn On Your Love Light

 Considering the fact that I celebrate every observance day in the calendar, including things that make no sense in Malaysia such as St. Patrick's Day, Bon Odori, Gokulashtami and Oktoberfest, it isn't very surprising that I am one of those who choose to celebrate Valentine's Day despite its crass commercialism and creation of unrealistic expectations.

Valentine's Day is to me a day to express love and appreciation to all who enrich my life. It helped that I was still on my Lunar New Year staycation, so I was able to spend time with loved ones and do all the things I love best.



An origami Valentine for my parents held a Starbucks gift card so CovertDad could take CovertMum out for coffee and sandwiches. Although I do not patronise designer coffee outlets, I think Starbucks has made good progress in its effort to be more ethical and responsible in sourcing fair trade coffee and supporting forest conservation programmes. 




I made Aravind a badass Valentine ransom note to keep him on his toes. We can't have him growing complacent now, can we? 



~ A jar of hearts for my King of Hearts. ~ 
This coffee jar holds more than a hundred paper hearts telling him all the things I love most about him. 
My other gift to Aravind was the adoption/sponsorship of two terrapins under the Turtle Conservation Society's Terrapin and Turtle Adoption Programme. Aravind's terrapin's name is Ketupat, while my terrapin's name is Arjuna. I hope they both grow up big and strong and return to our beaches to nest when they are grown up. 



Aravind got me chocolates, and just in case I haven't completely destroyed my diet plans, he threw in a bag of cookies as well. 



I made the Rowdies a nice Meowlentine dinner to let them know how much I love them, and how much I want to make them happy even if I am not the purrfect cat mum. They loved it. They all had seconds. Pixie even had thirds. 



Aravind giving my little Daisy some TLC. And they call it Papa Love... 






~ Feel The Love! ~ 
Aravind and I got chocolates and made a Braille card for the staff of PB Blind Massage Centre, a socially responsible business that we regularly patronise. Our visually-impaired friends loved their Valentine.




 ... And this is what qualifies as a scrumptious Valentine's Day dinner, in my book. We had dinner at Gopala's, one of my favourite vegetarian restaurants. 


My best friends and I decided to take advantage of a good online deal and went on a short jaunt to the backwaters of Morib, Banting, for a little post-Valentine getaway on the 18th - 19th of February.




Our decidedly nice suite at the Morib Gold Coast Resort. 



A jacuzzi in the bathroom! As good a reason as any to shower with a friend! 



The Resort calls this a "Water Theme Park", but really it's just a wading pool with a few fancy slides and playground equipment. Can't complain, though, it really was quite nice and cheap as heck. 



We love the beach! Aravind says it has something to do with the salt content of seawater being the same proportion as the salt and mineral content in human blood. Further proof that our lives are intertwined with that of our seas and oceans. 



Kites, mangrove beaches, mud, and funny bamboo thingamabobs on stilts in the sea. Could we ask for more? 



Kite-flying. One of the vocationally useless things I am good at. I have had this kite, my Rainbow Stealth Fighter, since 2010. 




Aravind flying the Rainbow Stealth Fighter. 



We are not in swimming gear because there is not much swimming to be done in 5 inches of heavily chlorinated water. 



Nicole doesn't want to go down the slide. So I sent Aravind up there to give her a push. Because that's what friends are for. 



Going down the curly-twirly tube slide. 



 I can't get enough of water slides. 



Go, Speed Racer, Go! 



"You're facing the wrong way, mate." 



On our way home, we found a kitten that had been hit by a car outside a mushroom farm & shop in Tanjung Sepat and decided to bring him home to our vet. The kitten, who we have since named Moglet, is doing fine (thanks to Nic's mad driving skills and Aravind's contributions) and recovering in my home. He was immensely fortunate to have escaped with just a dislocated hip and no internal organ damage. 



Nicole's car, Old Girl, had a radiator gasket problem and we had to stop at a mechanic's workshop along the way. Here I am, keeping Moglet as comfortable as possible while we wait for Old Girl to be repaired.

I hope your Valentine's Day was as full of excitement as mine.

For further information, please visit: 

Turtle Conservation Society
Become a member here.
Mailing address:
Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia
56-2/1, Pangsapuri Cerong Lanjut,
Jalan Cerong Lanjut,
20300 Kuala Terengganu,
Malaysia.

Massage by the Blind 
Pusat Urut Tradisional PB
4A,
Jalan Thambipillay
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Call 03 2274 5372 for an appointment.

MAB ( Malaysian Association for the Blind)
Kompleks MAB,
Jalan Tebing,
Off Jalan Sambanthan 4,
50470 Kuala Lumpur
Learn more about Braille here.

Helping Hands at the National Zoo

As an animal welfare volunteer and activist, I have been following the progress of Zoo Negara for several years, especially since the Malaysian Zoo Animal Welfare Forum in Sept 2010.

I was advised by friends in conservation circles that Zoo Negara now complies with the latest guidelines set by the World Association of Zoos and Aquarium (Waza) and South-East Asian Zoo Association (Seaza) and has increased its conservation awareness efforts. It no longer does elephant shows and there is a lot more emphasis on enrichment programmes for the animals. All the recently acquired animals are legally sourced and there is a great deal more transparency in the way the Zoo operates. I was heartened by this and decided that I too, would like to make a difference in the lives of the Zoo animals. And that is how I began volunteering with Zoo Negara last year.

The Zoo Volunteer Programme is not only a good opportunity for volunteers to get hands-on about helping wildlife, it is also an exercise in transparency. Volunteers can see for themselves that animals are not being denied the food and medical care they need, and volunteers can act as the Zoo management’s eyes and ears in pointing out things that are less than satisfactory.

I decided to volunteer because I felt the need to walk the talk on the welfare of wildlife in captivity. Being part of the solution often entails getting down and dirty and doing hands-on work. To have a World Class Zoo, we need to be a World Class Society -- and it begins with you and me.

It has been a few months since my last volunteer session at the Zoo due to work and other volunteer commitments. I decided to spend Thursday, Feb 14, at the Zoo after spending Tuesday, Feb 12, at the SPCA shelter bathing all the mummy dogs and cleaning the kennels and cattery.

 

Regular volunteer Hon See and I help to muck out the Seladang enclosure and remove the leftover food from the day before.

 

Washing the Seladang enclosure concrete substrate, while being observed by the incredibly tame and friendly Seladang.

.

Time to clean out the Capybara enclosure and give them their breakfast. The Capybara came running out to us like dogs. 

"Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! What's for breakfast?" they seemed to ask Omar the zookeeper.

 

The capybaras were stunningly beautiful, friendly and not timid at all. We raked their enclosure clean and then put down trays of food for them.

 

 I got to explore the Zoo during my lunch break. Free-range flamingos foraged for food in their pond.

 

A giraffe enjoying his meal at the Savannah Walk, where upgrading work is being carried out to expand, enrich and improve the animals' living conditions.

 

Butterflies enjoying their lunch break as well in the Insect House. The pretty pink inflorescence of this creeper, known as Coral Vine or Chain of Love, seems to attract a lot of butterflies.

 

Tapirs chilling out in the shade. I was supposed to clean out their enclosure after the lunch break but it started raining like the clappers and turning everything into mud.

 

Asian elephants, my favourite beings. A life in captivity is never ideal and never a good substitute for living in their natural habitat, but at least these elephants did not have their ankles chained and were free to move around and play with their enrichment activities and devices. Their enclosure seems comfortable and roomy enough, and the elephants did not display as many stereotypies (such as begging or swaying) as I used to observe in captive elephants. 

 

Free-range painted storks roaming the Zoo compound and socialising with the visitors. These are the same birds that fly out to the Ampang Elevated Highway daily to sit on the lampposts and return to the Zoo at night.

 

The tiger enclosure is now bigger and offers the tigers more hiding spaces and enrichment activities.

 

 Flying foxes resting during the day.

 

The noisy diesel trams have been replaced with silent electric eco-trams.

 

What a difference a year makes! 

When I first wrote to the Zoo Director requesting them to consider eliminating styrofoam products from the Zoo concession stands, I faced so much criticism and so many objections that I felt no longer welcome at the Zoo. 

But the styrofoam ban was finally implemented during World Earth Day last year and is still being enforced. Educational posters such as this one are placed on notice boards and around eateries within the Zoo to educate the public. 

Many thanks to the Education team who made this campaign a success! 

The Zoo Volunteer Programme is not for those who want to come and have fun for several hours and see animals up close without doing any real work.

As with a normal workday, you have to be there for a stipulated time, i.e. 8.30 a.m. – 4.30 p.m., and be prepared to work continuously for much of the 8 hours. You should come in comfortable old clothes that cover the knees, chest and shoulders, and wear covered shoes, e.g. trainers. Bring your own drinking water, sun block and food to reduce packaging waste.

To register, you need to contact the Education Department at education@zoonegaramalaysia.my at least a day in advance. The registration form is available at http://www.zoonegaramalaysia.my/education/pdf/volunteerprogramme.pdf, or you can register when you arrive.

You must arrive at the Zoo on the designated day before 8.15 a.m. If you are driving, do try to park at the staff parking area or neighbouring residential area to avoid having to pay a hefty parking fee to the car park concessionaire. Enter the Zoo from Gate 3 and ask the Security personnel to direct you to the Education Office / Library. Inform the Education officer on duty that you are here to volunteer and submit your registration form together with the RM10 administrative fee.

Being a zoo volunteer is rewarding in so many aspects. Not only is it educational both from an animal care and natural history perspective, you also get to appreciate the challenges of operating and managing a wildlife facility. It is also empowering because you know you are able to make a difference in the lives of animals.