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July 12, 2009 16:40 PM
Foreign Representatives Impressed With Orang Utan Conservation In Sarawak
KUCHING, July 12 (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.
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 Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, located within the Semenggoh Nature Reserve, was set up in 1975.
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
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