FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES IMPRESSED WITH ORANG UTAN CONSERVATION IN EAST MALAYSIA STATE

KUCHING (Malaysia), July 13 (Bernama) -- German Christoph Rullmann, 36, had
a close encounter with orang utans at the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, near here,
recently, describing it as a fantastic experience.

Semengoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre was established in 1975 for the
rehabilitation of confiscated and surrendered wild animals. It is located about
20 km south of Kuching (capital city of East Malaysia state of Sarawak) and is
situated within the beautiful Semengoh Nature Reserve.

This is a temporary home for various endangered wildlife of Sarawak,
especially orang utans that were rescued from captivity and hornbills.


The managing director from the Association for the Protection of Forest in
Germany was "welcomed" by Delima and her young female offspring when they came
down from a tree to get some food.

Besides that, Rullmann got to see the endangered great apes swinging from
tree to tree during feeding time at the centre.

"I am very impressed with Sarawak's initiative in orang utan conservation
and rehabilitation. Sarawak has done an excellent job in protecting the
endangered primate. Well done," he told Bernama when met at the centre.

Rullmann was with a group of 10 representatives from the European Union
Timber Trade Delegation from countries such as Germany, Italy, France, the
Netherlands and Greece and also five foreign journalists, led by the director of
the Malaysian Timber Council, Sheam Satkuru-Grazella.


The group was briefed on the orang utan conservation programme at the
centre by ranger Gad Sogod.


The centre carries out a successful orang utan rehabilitation programme as
well as conservation of other endangered wildlife. Today, there are 24 orang
utans in the Semenggoh reserve.

It is also a centre for the study of orang utan biology and behaviour,
besides providing a safe haven for semi-wild orang utan which have undergone the
rehabilitation programme.

Fani Motesnitsa, editor-in-chief of Epipleon, a trade magazine in the wood
and furniture sector, said the state government was doing a magnificent job in
conserving orang utans.

"I have never seen any country doing it so well in orang utan conservation
and rehabilitation, but the Sarawak government has done a great job. It is well
organised. I'm really impressed.

"In European countries, people think that the efforts taken by the Southeast
Asian countries are not well organised. However, my visit here proves that
Malaysia, especially Sarawak, is very committed to conserving the endangered
orang utan," she said.

Sheam said the visit to Sarawak was to show the delegates efforts taken by
Malaysia in sustainable forest management and in orang utan conservation.

"There is misconception that tropical wood-producing countries are causing
forest destruction.

"But we believe that by bringing the representatives here, we can change the
misconception by showing them what we have done to achieve sustainable forest
management and in orang utan conservation, so that they can go back and
communicate with their people on our efforts," he said

-- BERNAMA