650ha of Rafflesia Kerrii clusters found in Kelantan

Yes, almost 6.5 sq km, this site is perhaps the largest colony of Rafflesia Kerrii. I've been there and at any time of your visit, you will see at least one flowering rafflesia. There are many tours from Cameron Highlands to this site. Exploitation by 4WD to this site has damaged the trail and causing hardship to the locals who ply the trail to the forest to gather forest's produce. Tour guides have been damaging large clumps of bamboo to demostrate the water retention capability of the bamboo. Ecotourism without benefiting the local orang asli should not be encouraged. Right now, the annoucement of this potential could wake up the state government of Kelantan...but would the orang asli be given jobs in this lucrative tourism? The establishment of this potential natural heritage will not benefit the local orang asli if political will is lacking. As expected, exploitation for economic benefit will see the orang asli being sidelined again.

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Wednesday May 19, 2010
Star

KOTA BARU: A 650ha site with many clusters of Rafflesia Kerrii has been found in Lojing Highlands, about 260km south of Kelantan.

The area has a potential to be a world heritage site but is threatened by encroaching development from neighbouring Cameron Highlands.

The site was discovered by a Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) research team headed by its senior lecturer Zulhazman Hamzah in 2008.

UMK vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Zainai Mohamed announ­ced the find at a two-day National Conference on Natural Resources here yesterday.

Dr Zainai said that with the discovery, the area could be developed for the agro-tourism industry, but it needed to be gazetted as a national and world treasure.

“Nowhere else in the world can we find clusters of such species and it should be gazetted as soon as possible to protect its natural habitat. Otherwise, development will destroy the area,” he said.

He also said more research would be done on the area, including the economic spin-off, natural habitat and potential conservation.

Zulhazman said after a two-year study of the area, he concluded that it has a vast tourism potential.

“I discovered 26 spots using the Geographic Information System. I have plotted three different sites – Kampung Cedau, Kampung Kuala Rengi and Kampung Gedik.

“All the Rafflesias were located outside the Lojing Highlands forest reserve and therefore it is vulnerable to development unless they are protected,” he said.

Rafflesia Kerrii is the second largest flower after Rafflesia Arnoldii.

He said serious efforts must be done to conserve the area that has no fewer than 260 pods scattered all over, adding that a working paper had been sent to the state government proposing that the area be gazetted but they have yet to receive any response.

Popular butterfly habitat destroyed

This is a very sad story. The salt lick of the Rajah Brooke has been known for years. I had the opportunities to see them in many of my visits. The pipeline itself was also an interesting life support for many fauna beside the heritage values. The pipeline had small leaks with spraying water. And these spraying water actually sustain interesting insect and amphibian populations. On our night walks along the pipeline, we saw countless exotic insects and frogs, not easily seen anywhere else. Such were the charm of Gopeng, beside the Rafflesia and Rajah Brooke. Now, minus the pipeline, gone are the exotic insects and Rajah Brooke included. The lifelihood of the orang asli will be affected. Such continuing greed can only destroy our natural & cultural heritage forever. Who cares! Barisan Najis hoi!

Admin

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Wednesday January 6, 2010
The Star

IPOH: Workers who removed the historical Gopeng pipeline for scrap metal have destroyed the largest site for Rajah Brooke butterflies in Ulu Geroh, a major tourist attraction.

All that remains of the salt lick, where the butterflies used to congregate in the thousands to sip water rich in minerals, is now just muddy ground.

Friends of Ecotourism and Na-ture Conservation (Semai) chairman Ahha Bah Udal claimed that workers removing the pipeline on Dec 24 “literally bulldozed” their way through the salt lick next to the Ulu Geroh access road.

“The ground is flattened and there is mud everywhere.

“Until now, the workers have not bothered to take away the pipes, which they left by the side of the road,” said Ahha.

Semai, a collective effort by the orang asli village to promote ecotourism and their lifestyle, has 19 villagers acting as guides to take about 1,500 to 2,000 tourists annually into the jungles to view the Rajah Brooke butterflies and Rafflesia flower as well as to trek up Cameron Highlands.

Ahha said due to the destruction of the site, which had been gazetted by the state Wildlife and National Parks Department as a protected area, it was no longer possible to see the butterflies.

“The butterflies have flown away. They can’t be seen on the ground anymore,” he said.

Ahha said the villagers were now considering legal action against the contractor responsible.


“Although the contractor has permission to remove the pipeline, they should have informed that they were going to carry out the removal works and we could have advised them on which areas to avoid.

“Now, everything is destroyed and it is impossible to create another site. You cannot recreate nature,” Ahha said.

The century-old Gopeng pipeline, which was once used to transport water from the hills to tin mines below, is being removed and sold as scrap metal.

It was left behind after mining operations in Gopeng ceased in 1985.