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World Wildlife Fund ­ WWF ­ Worldwildilife.org

In­Depth

MyanmarDRIVING CHANGE IN ASIA: NEWLY OPEN, MYANMAR IS A TREASURE TROVE OF NATURALASSETS, CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND ENTHUSIASM FOR THE FUTURE.

© Stephen Kelly

Issue: Spring 2014Author: Scott WallacePhotographer: Stephen Kelly

All Roads In a natural wonderland newly engaged with the outside world,Myanmar’s people envision a thoroughly modern, nature­based path.

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© Stephen Kelly

A NEW PATH

In the countryside, many adolescents forgo education to work long hours at back­breaking tasks. That’s beginningto change, with more families choosing to keep their children in school.

Bouncing in 4x4s along a gash of red earth gouged into the mountainside, it feels as though we’re entering a freshly exposedprimal wilderness few outsiders have ever seen before. Rivers—a remarkable number of which remain free flowing andunobstructed—knife their way through narrow gorges. Towering canopy trees bare their trunks as they rise from steep valleywalls. Ashen clouds hang low, threatening rain. We wait—five minutes, then ten—as earthmovers shove avalanches ofstones and soil down the cliff, opening the way forward.

I’m traveling with a team of conservationists from WWF into the sprawling rain forests of the Tanintharyi Region, along thesouthern tail of Myanmar. These are boom times, and this road project heralds the end of 50 years of isolation and limitedoutside investment. Like the road itself, opening on to new vistas with every twist and turn, Myanmar is moving forward intoexciting but uncertain terrain, rife with opportunities and challenges. Foreign investment is pouring in at a staggering pace.Laws are being rewritten across the board, covering everything from land ownership and press freedom to environmentalrules.

As Myanmar looks to the future, WWF has seized this moment to step in to help make the country a model of sustainabledevelopment. This huge, expensive and long­planned road project notwithstanding, national officials appear keen onpreserving the country’s vast trove of natural riches, even while positioning the country to leapfrog into the 21st century.

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© Stephen Kelly

CHANGING TIMES ­ A young logger and his elephant emerge from the Tanintharyi forests. Thousands of captiveelephants like this one are used to harvest teak in Myanmar. With new restrictions on timber exports due to takeeffect in April, the use of elephants to extract logs from the jungle may soon be a thing of the past.

“This is a huge window of opportunity to get environmental considerations integrated into all these new policies—social,energy, agriculture, land use, direct foreign investment,” says Kate Newman, senior director of WWF’s public sectorinitiatives. “We want to support the integration of green economic principles into their national economic plan.”

A lifelong conservationist with decades of field experience around the world, Newman is scrunched into the SUV’s backseatwith Michelle Owen, Myanmar’s conservation program manager for WWF. Besides providing advice at the policy level,Newman says, WWF will help the government strengthen protections for existing national parks and determine where best tolocate new ones.

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At least initially, those efforts will be focused here in the Tanintharyi, for its staggering biodiversity— including endangeredIndochinese tigers, Asian elephants, gibbons and langurs— and for the urgency to protect it, as one of the country’s largestnew infrastructure projects gets under way. A deep­water port and sprawling industrial park are under construction on theAndaman coast, just outside the city of Dawei. Farther inland, road crews are pushing east through this rugged landscape ofrushing rivers and upland forest toward the border of Thailand.

If the new superhighway to Thailand is completed as planned, it will link Dawei directly to Bangkok and hasten theintegration of Myanmar with the nine other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. Moretangibly, it will provide a rapid new route for people and commerce straight across Indochina to the Indian Ocean, drawing theregion closer to markets in South Asia and the Middle East. “This is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world,” saysOwen, as the earthmovers pull to the side and allow us to pass. “But we don’t yet have any empirical data. It’s allanecdotal.” Biodiversity and social surveys are planned for these forests in the coming year. The results will help WWFunderstand the importance of nature to local society and the scientific community, as well as how and where to put newnational parks and biodiversity corridors to protect the rich diversity of species.

Technology for nature

In 2013, WWF collaborated with the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, the Smithsonian ConservationBiology Institute and the Green Economy Green Growth Association in Myanmar to organize a Geospatial Analysis Trainingand Strategic Planning Workshop. Participants learned how to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and othergeospatial technologies to measure human impact on the local environment. During the training and planning process, ninegovernment ministries and over 50 people, including the rector of the University of Forestry, Dr. Myint Oo, determined howbest to use these free, open­source tools to advance the sustainability and resilience of Myanmar’s economic and sociallandscapes.

Another kind of highway—a wholly unfortunate one—exists here as well. Wildlife trafficking is a major concern in this cornerof the world. Myanmar serves as a major corridor for smugglers of exotic species and animal parts throughout SoutheastAsia and China. Clearly here in the Tanintharyi, efforts to curb wildlife poaching will depend on gaining the trust andcollaboration of the local population. Just 15 minutes up the road, we pull off at a ramshackle roadhouse where the proprietoris proudly serving a putrid­smelling langur stew. The owner, a barrel­chested man in his forties, tells us he pays hunters theequivalent of $1.50 per pound for the primates they bring in from the forest. With the increased road traffic, the owner notes,wild game is getting scarcer, and the price he pays is going up.

And although it might be tempting to scold the restaurant owner or try to shut him down, Owen knows a crackdown on suchsmall­time purveyors would likely be counterproductive. “Often you end up driving the trade underground, where it’s muchharder to monitor,” she says. “Bushmeat is often used as a local protein source, and you don’t want to criminalizecommunities that hunt for personal consumption. What you want is to have communities supporting efforts to stopcommercial exploitation.”

Indeed, the experiences of WWF in other developing countries, such as Namibia and Nepal, point to the critical role localpopulations play in conserving natural resources when they actively participate in decisions affecting the use of thoseresources. “Enabling communities to improve their lives through better management of their resources will be a fundamentalpart of our program,” says Newman.

That view jibes with the vision articulated by WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts. Roberts met personally withPresident Thein Sein when he came to Washington last year, and he has also conferred with Aung San Suu Kyi, the hugelypopular opposition leader who is expected to run for president in 2015. For Roberts, the opening of Myanmar and its leaders’avowed commitment to green principles, even in the midst of rapid change and economic growth, presents an unprecedentedchallenge. “We’re moving faster than we ever have to bring the lessons we’ve learned around the world to bear in support ofa government that wants to do the right thing at this pivotal moment in its history.”

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History is present everywhere in Myanmar— so much so that many still know the country by its former name, Burma. InYangon, the country’s largest city and former capital, gleaming office towers and construction cranes rise above crumblingcolonial­ era buildings and warrens of ancient streets. Everywhere, it seems, people and wares are on the move, piled intopickup trucks, clinging to the rooftops of exhaust­belching buses. A massive new overpass is being built to smooth traffic,but instead snarls traditional roadways.

So, immersed in Yangon’s tension between old and new, we head out on another road—this one a route linking Yangon to theancient city of Bagan. There is no better way to feel a country’s pulse than to venture deep into its heartland, so we aim forthe back roads north on a route that parallels the fabled Irrawaddy River. We pass the spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda andits immense golden spire and lavish shrines on our way out of town.

Soon we break free of Yangon’s congested arteries and find ourselves winding our way through bucolic villages bordered byelectricgreen rice paddies, where farmers topped with conical hats stoop to tend the precious crop. Kids with long poles ontheir shoulders balance buckets of water or baskets of grass. Motor scooters haul trailers loaded with stacks of greenbamboo.

We stop in the village of Hmaw to watch fishermen casting nets into a stream. Ko Mya Thein, 45, says he will sell hiscatfish to a local middleman, who in turn sells them to an exporter with connections in Japan and China. His teeth arestained red from chewing betel nut, a mild stimulant, and he’s wearing a baggy fatigue shirt two sizes too big for his wiryframe.

“Life is hard,” he acknowledges, “but it’s getting better.” He’s not sure about the meaning of green development, but heknows his livelihood depends on abundant, clean water. His grandchildren are just starting school, and he hopes some daythey will become well­paid professionals. He shoulders a beam loaded with scores of small fishing traps and wishes us well.

“I am so proud to be from Myanmar, and to help make sure environmentalconservation happens in parallel with economic development. Youth arepoised to play a role in a green future for Myanmar because we are excitedabout new ways of thinking and doing things. We are blessed to live in abeautiful country with such natural riches that we need to make sure theycontinue to thrive.”

Mya Nwe Program Associate, Greater Mekong Program

In the town of Kyu Chaung, we remove our shoes at a gate guarded by a pair of ornate dragons and enter the grounds of asmall monastery. An attendant ushers us into a spacious, sparsely appointed room, where we kneel on mats opposite twomiddle­aged monks draped in saffron robes. Dishes of shrimp, fried rice cakes and a plate of ground nuts mixed with pickledleaves, called laphet, are brought forth. The monks beckon us to eat.

“I am pleased with our president and what he is doing for the development of the country,” one of them says. He’s alsopleased with a nationwide government campaign to raise environmental awareness. “The climate depends on keeping ourforests healthy. It’s our responsibility as monks to help raise the consciousness of our followers.” To that end, the monasteryrecently organized villagers to plant 300 trees. In fact, between 1990 and 2010, the estimated area of dense forest cover inthe country dropped from more than 45% to less than 20%. WWF estimates that up to a third of the remaining woodlandscould be lost in the next 20 years without the imposition of new controls, which are due to take effect in the coming months.

Still, in town after town, we come across newly erected billboards exhorting citizens to care for the environment. “Save atree, save a life,” reads one sign. “Help your environment— take care of the forest,” reads another. “To have a green society,everyone should plant trees,” proclaims a third. The message seems to be taking hold, especially among Myanmar’s youngergeneration, where it will count most in the years ahead.

In the town of Baung De, throngs of children stream out of the yard of the local middle school. Amid the shrill, excited criesof the students, elderly rickshaw driver U San Shwe sits stoically on his rig, waiting to take his two granddaughters home.

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“It’s very important not to destroy the forest,” says the older of the two girls, sixth grader Nan Wai Wai Hlaing, with a shysmile. Her grandfather beams proudly. “I want them to get a good education,” he says, “so they can become teachersthemselves and help the village to develop.”

© Stephen Kelly

Across Myanmar, road crews often cover their faces in traditional thanaka paste for protection from the sun.

Orderly confusion may be the best way to describe early morning in the bustling market of Pyay on the banks of theIrrawaddy River. On display is an astonishing array of fruits and vegetables, eels and fish, herbs and medicines, rice andbeans. The streets are clogged with bicycles and rickshaws— merchants unloading sacks of grain and clutches ofunfortunate hens, bound together upside down at the feet.

As the sun rises high enough to banish the cool shadows, Ma Zar and her neighboring fishmongers erect a canvas shelter onthe street corner to protect their wares from spoilage. Talkative and funny, Ma Zar, 33, is happy with the morning’s business.“I’ve made a lot of money today,” she laughs. Forced to drop out of school after first grade, she expects a brighter future forher children—a dream which she believes has been made possible by Myanmar’s democratic opening.

As the long road nears Bagan, we see a dozen women working at widening the thoroughfare, shoveling freshly split rocksinto baskets and hauling them to the lane under construction. It’s yet another example of progress reshaping a pastorallandscape where narrow roads wind through emerald green, grass­covered hills and wooden oxcarts still outnumber cars two­to­one.

“This road will bring more foreigners here— like you,” says Ma Wai, 20, a young woman whose cheeks are smudged withbeige thanaka paste, commonly used for cosmetic beauty and to protect skin against the blistering sun.

“They will all be welcome here.” It’s not the kind of talk you’d expect from a young woman consigned to such strenuouslabor. She makes around 2,000 kyat a day, she tells us—about two dollars. But clearly, she doesn’t think of herself as poor.“I’m proud of doing honest work,” she proclaims, pushing her conical hat off her forehead to wipe her brow. “I’m proud ofhelping to build the new Myanmar!”

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The Mother River of Myanmar

The Irrawaddy River, which spans the length of the country and empties into the Andaman Sea, is growing increasinglysilted and congested due to deforestation, agricultural erosion and other threats. At its southern reaches, the river’s delta ishome to a coastal mangrove system that is being slowly converted for aquaculture, agriculture and development. But WWFis developing an assessment of the river’s sediment flows and hydrology— all toward more effectively protecting it in thefuture.

On a recent visit, members of the Helmsley Charitable Trust—a major supporter of WWF’s growing engagement in theregion—met with local fishermen who demonstrated the custom of collaborative fishing with the river’s iconic Irrawaddydolphins. Using a centuries­old system of hand signals and slaps to the side of their boat, the fishermen guided the dolphinsto herd fish into mutually rewarding masses. “It was yet another example of the country’s fundamental links between thrivingwildlife and human good,” says Rosalind Becker, the trust’s program associate for conservation and medical research.

As we pass through the ancient walls of Bagan, its dazzling pagodas and stupas loom in the dawn light like dozens of giantchess pieces. From the terrace of the 11th­century Shwesandaw Pagoda, we gaze out over the Bagan plain spreading beforeus, a dozen pagodas aglow in the golden light of sunrise.

It’s a quiet scene with few visitors, but that peacefulness already faces new ebbs and flows. An advertising executive fromNew York appreciates the stillness, saying, “This is still a place for more hardy, backpacker sorts of travelers. I think theyhave a greater appreciation for what they’re seeing than a casual tourist who gets out to snap a picture and then moves on.”He’s heard that Myanmar still has undiscovered species of wildlife, and hopes that tomorrow’s tourists will be as respectfulof that mystery as today’s.

As the day circles toward nightfall, Bagan’s energy changes, and a growing cacophony of hawkers and vendors set up theirwares for the packed bustle of tourists arriving for spectacular sunset views. More and more tour operators are lining up tohandle an anticipated groundswell in foreign guests, and the scene at sunset makes it clear, as pink and orange lightdrenches the ancient temples, that Bagan has entered the modern era. Tourist after tourist shoots photos and videos, theninstantly sends the images out to the larger world.

On our return to Yangon, Mya Nwe, the youngest member of WWF’s Myanmar team in the US, provides additional cause tobelieve in the “new Myanmar.” A native of Yangon, Nwe earned a bachelor's degree in environmental studies at St. OlafCollege in Minnesota before moving to WWF­US headquarters in Washington, DC, in 2012. Nwe is back home for a visit, aprofessional trip that happens to coincide with her 23rd birthday. She has arranged for a special celebration at Grace Home,an orphanage in the rough­and­tumble Kyeemyintaing Township of Yangon, and she invites us to come along.

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© Stephen Kelly

FAITHFUL GAZE ­ A young Buddhist monk in the ancient city of Bagan. Nearly 90% of Burmese identify themselvesas adherents to the Buddhist faith.

We’re greeted by three dozen beaming children sitting cross­legged on the floor. To the syrupy strains of an electrickeyboard, they rise to their feet and belt out a heartwrenching song about the hardships they’ve managed to overcome,thanks to the love and protection they’ve found here. In keeping with her Buddhist philosophy of giving back, Nwe has paidfor a dinner for the kids. Plates of stewed chicken, steaming rice and stir­fried vegetables are served, followed by vanilla icecream. As Nwe says her goodbyes, the children rise from the table to sing “Happy Birthday.” The shrill voices are so filledwith love and tenderness that she has to fight to hold back her tears.

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Asian elephant

Weighing around11,000 pounds, thisforest giant (Elephas

Fea's muntjac

Muntiacus feaeinhabits the evergreenforests that hug the

Myanmarsnub­nosedmonkey

Incredible Wildlife

She has gotten what she came here for. “In Myanmar, our culture teaches empathy and compassion,” she says. “The veryidea of karma encourages people to be kind to one another.” That philosophy extends to the natural world as well, Nwe says,filling her with hope that future generations will care for the environment, even as they seek greater prosperity. “It’s not onlyabout taking care of the poor, but also taking care of the animals. If you do harmful things to the environment, that will comeback to hurt you.”

Nwe’s way of thinking about her country’s future matches the optimism of the rest of WWF’s staff. Michelle Owensexpressed it well as she jolted along the road snaking above the rain­swollen Tenasserim River. From that bumpy vantagepoint, she was sizing up the country’s vast reserves of fresh water, its unobstructed rivers, and the ecological services itsforests offer, such as habitat for endangered wildlife and the sequestration of carbon.

“The decisions they make about all this natural capital will form the foundation of their future,” Owen said. “We’d like toprovide the capacity to help Myanmar make the best decisions they can, so that everyone will benefit, not just today but infuture generations as well.”

That’s why WWF is so invested in Myanmar, adds Carter Roberts. “Our work is really about supporting communities andnational leaders to keep the country’s nature, wildlife and traditional cultures intact—to protect its heart and soul.” Myanmartoday stands astride two worlds—the old and the new, the ancient and the thoroughly modern. That tension is what makesthis country so compelling, so urgent, and so full of hope.

Geography. Nature. Economics. Culture. Understand Asia’s new pivot point today

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For years, Myanmar was largely isolated from much of the world. Today, a vibrant, ambitious and forward­looking nationalculture is gaining ground. In 2013, WWF issued a report on the ecosystems of Myanmar and the Greater Mekong region: weshare some key indicators of the nation’s natural wealth here.

People and Nature

"The proposed port and road at Dawei, along with the related railroad and power lines, will open up new economicopportunities while creating access for remote communities. But the road could be devastating, depending on where it goes.We are proud to work with WWF to assess the potential impact of the road on forests, tigers and rural communities—andwith WWF, The Wildlife Conservation Society and Flora and Fauna International to assess the potential of otherdevelopment opportunities nationwide. Together, we hope to provide the government with the information it needs to makesustainable decisions about how it protects, uses and extracts value from its land."

John Codey and Dr. Robert A. Cook The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

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maximus indicus)spends more than twothirds of its day grazingon available plants.

Thailand­Myanmarborder. Extremelyelusive, it rarely leavesthe woods and itsnumbers are unknown.

When it rains,Rhinopithecus strykeri—discovered only in2010—tucks its headbetween its knees tokeep water fromentering its upturnednose.

Indochinesetiger

Panthera tigris corbettican weigh up to 550pounds. As of 2010,only 350 wereestimated to beroaming the forests ofthe entire GreaterMekong region.

Gurney's pitta

Pitta gurneyi isendemic to Myanmarand Thailand. Thoughtextinct after the 1950s,the vibrantly coloredlittle bird wasrediscovered in 1986,but remainsendangered.

Four­toedTerrapin

Over­collection of eggshas sped the decline inpopulations of the riverdwelling Batagurbaska, one of theworld’s mostthreatened turtles.

Pink­headedduck

Rhodonessacaryophyllacea oncefrequented Myanmar’sriverine swamps, butthis criticallyendangered bird is nowbelieved extinct.

Irrawaddydolphin

Orcaella brevirostris, ablunt­snouted dolphinrelated to the killerwhale, inhabits boththe Irrawaddy andMekong rivers. Lessthan 100 are thoughtleft in the Mekong.

Slender­billedvulture

In Myanmar, Gypstenuirostris numbersare falling due to botheating drug­treatedlivestock carcassesand shrinkingavailability of prey.

The State of Myanmar

Total Population

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1980: 34,474,755 2012: 52,797,319 Up 53.14% since 1980

Source: World Bank

Population by Age

0­14 (children): 26.7% 15­24 (early working): 18.6% 25­54 (prime working): 42.8% 55­64 (mature working): 6.7% 65+ (elderly): 5.2%

Source: CIA World Factbook (2013)

A Transitional Country

“Myanmar is categorized as a ‘transitional’country in terms of its age makeup.Countries in the transitional category standto experience significant benefits fromdemographic change, if their governmentstake advantage of the opportunity itpresents. Between 1970 and 1999, thesecountries experienced an average annualeconomic growth rate of 3.6 percent.”

Source: Population Action International

Religions

Buddhist: 89% Muslim: 4% Baptist: 3% Other: 2% Animist: 1% Roman Catholic: 1%

Source: CIA World Factbook

Natural Resources

Petroleum Timber Tin Antimony Copper Tungsten Lead Coal Marble Limestone Precious Stones Natural Gas Hydropower

Source: CIA World Factbook

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Total Land Area

261,233 Square Miles

Source: FAOSTAT 2011

1990

Agricultural: 16% Forest: 60%

2011

Agricultural: 19.2%Forest: 48.2%

Source: World Bank

The World Is Watching US Ambassador Derek Mitchell explains why Burma* is soimportant right now

Ambassador Derek J. Mitchell

Ambassador Derek J. Mitchell was confirmed as the US Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Burma on June 29,2012, by the United States Senate. He has worked on security and foreign policy issues in the region for more than 20years.

During my first year as US Ambassador, I have been privileged to be part of a new chapter in the relationship between theUnited States and Burma.

As President Obama said to a local audience in his speech at Rangoon University here one year ago, Burma lies “at thecrossroads of East and South Asia. You border the most populated nations on the planet. You have a history that reachesback thousands of years, and the ability to help determine the destiny of the fastest­growing region of the world.”

Our relationship is not new. The United States was among the first countries to recognize Burma following the country’sindependence from Great Britain in 1948. But due to serious political differences over the past 25 years, our relationshipmoved steadily into a deep freeze. Those days are over. In response to the positive changes we have witnessed in recentyears, the United States has normalized diplomatic relations, exchanged ambassadors, and substantially eased economicsanctions on the country, opening the door for U.S. trade and investment.

Today, we are once again reengaging at all levels and sectors to reestablish a historic partnership that promises to bringbenefits to both countries and serve broad common interests. The possibilities of partnership are great, and the UnitedStates looks forward to seizing multiple opportunities to forge deep and lasting ties in coming years.

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© Stephen Kelly

The Burmese people likewise appear eager to make up for lost time: to take advantage of nascent openings andopportunities and learn about best practices in a range of fields; to develop their knowledge and capacity; and to create anopen, free, democratic and prosperous society for themselves and their families.

A core source of strength—and challenge— for Burma lies in its national diversity, the wide variety of cultures and traditionsthat make up this remarkable country. That diversity in people and landscape is part of what makes the country special andwhat has complicated its recent history.

Nonetheless, the Burmese people are united in their deep pride of their country’s spectacular environmental landscape.Burma is a country rich in national resources and natural heritage. As the country looks forward to an era of development andchange, one gets a real sense that many citizens fear losing some of that which has been passed down by successivegenerations, in essence the heart and soul of the country, on the altar of development.

I am very pleased that World Wildlife Fund has dedicated itself to working with Burma’s government and civil society tochart a way forward for sustainable growth and natural preservation in this country, and to sharing the words and pictures oftoday’s Burma with its readers.

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As Burma assumes the ASEAN chair this year, and in 2015 holds its next general election, the world will be watching. TheUnited States is confident in the tenacity and determination of the people of Burma to build a peaceful, just, and prosperoussociety. While the challenge ahead is great, the United States, along with many others in the international community, insideand outside of government, stand ready to assist.

* The United States’ official policy continues to be that “Burma” is the official name of the country, but in diplomaticexchanges with the government, the United States uses the name “Myanmar.” For example, in using “Myanmar” duringPresident Thein Sein’s visit, we want to demonstrate support for and show respect to his government, which is pursuing anambitious reform agenda.

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The Karen Wildlife ConservationInitiative

4/16/2017 The Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative (KWCI)

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Karen State, Burma is a recognised biodiversity hotspot and one of the fewremaining regions in the world with a full component of top predators and anextensive prey base to support it. This unique wildlife situation has arisenfrom the inaccessibility of the region to poachers and illegal wildlife traders asa result of the bitter military con២ict in the region that has lasted for morethan half a century. As the Myanmar government advances with politicalreform, liberalisation and accessibility, the wildlife will inevitably come underincreased threat as natural resources are utilised or from the increasedaccessibility of poachers to access remote areas rich in fauna and ២ora.

The Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative (KWCI) is a multi-organisationgroup, including representation from the Karen Forestry Division of the KarenNational Union (KNU), and was established in 2012 with the objective ofconserving biodiversity and ensuring the protection of threatened wildlife inKaren State, Burma (Myanmar).

While the region is renowned for having a troubled history, conservation ofglobally important biodiversity and natural habitat should be a commonunifying theme which can transcend ethnic, religious and territorialdierences in the wider region. KWCI works progressively toward achieving itsobjectives while supporting the peaceful reconciliation process in Myanmar.

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About KWCI

Funders and SupportersStructureKWCI StructureAbout KWCIGallery

The Karen WildlifeConservationInitiative is by farthe most importantnew conservationproject of recentyears.

It needs yoursupport!!!

Dr Tim FlanneryAuthor and Environmental campaigner

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News

KWCI tiger research boosted by EAZA / IUCN SSC funding.August15, 2014 - 6:33 pm

Martin CopleyAugust 15, 2014 - 6:29 pm

Twitter: kwci_burma

RT @GibbonsPage: It is World Gibbon Day today - please share this postto raise awareness for the most endangered apes. https://t.co/jgO2Q0…12:25:37 PM October 24, 2015 from Twitter Web ClientRT @jkbdsn: @KWCI_Burma Please protect baby elephants from beingstolen to work in tourist industry... very worried about this part of worl…10:46:24 AM October 24, 2015 from Twitter Web Client

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(http://www.wildlifeasia.org.au/)Protection and conservation of wildlife and habitat in Asia

info@wildlifeasia.org.au (mailto:info@wildlifeasia.org.au)+61 438 992 325 (tel:+61 438 992 325)

(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wildlife-Asia/278996325502635?ref=tn_tnmn) (https://twitter.com/wildlifeasia13) (https://www.youtube.com/)

Wildlife Asia co-ordinates the Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative (KWCI) (http://kwci.asia) in partnership with the Karen Forestry Department and localorganisation KESAN (http://www.kesan.asia) to protect this biodiversity hotspot which is only now becoming accessible. Decades of instability and military conict hasisolated this region from poaching and development resulting in large areas of intact forest remaining with a full component of wildlife species. This area is as natureintended but we have one chance to save it.

(http://www.wildlifeasia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/003.jpg)The magnicent forests of Karen State, Myanmar. Copyright- Adam Oswell/KWCI.

As the Myanmar government advances with political reform and subsequent accessibility, the wildlife will inevitably come under increased threat as the outsideworld makes a grab for natural resources and poachers begin to target the rich fauna and ora this region oers.

The Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative (KWCI (http://kwci.asia)) is a multi-organisation group, including representation from the Karen Forestry Division of theKaren National Union (KNU), and was established in 2012 with the objective of conserving biodiversity and ensuring the protection of threatened wildlife in KarenState, Burma (Myanmar).

The Karen people are enormously proud and protective of their biodiversity and habitat, despite such a troubled history and conservation in this region presents anopportunity to work collaboratively and support the peaceful reconciliation process in Myanmar.

KWCI’s mission is to support the Karen to provide immediate protection to threatened wildlife populations by mitigating poaching and assisting to establish suitableprotected status of the forests.

Current conservation programs are focused on:

Monitoring, evaluation and assessment of wildlife through the implementation of on going biodiversity surveys in priority areas. This project will provide the.rst assessments of species richness in regions of Karen StateTraining and deployment of Wildlife Protection Units (WPU). Currently six teams of 10 members are deployed in the area to monitor for illegal activities andensure protection of wildlife populations in the area.Capacity Building- building of local teams through the facilitation of training activities for eld based and administrative sta.

4/16/2017 Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative ­ Wildlife Asia

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(http://www.wildlifeasia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/008.jpg)Training Wildlife Protection Units. Copyright- Adam Oswell/KWCI.

KWCI is also assisting with long-term strategic planning including the establishment of nationally recognised protected areas, biodiversity mapped and activelymanaged, enabling wildlife conservation and the sustainable exploitation of forest resources by the indigenous Karen people.

(http://www.wildlifeasia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/009.jpg)Wildlife Asia Director, Clare Campbell working with local partners to plan for theprotection of wildlife in Karen State. Copyright- Adam Oswell/KWCI.

We are currently seeking major donors for this project. If you would like to play a part in protecting this area, before it’s too late please contact us today for moreinformation. clare.campbell@wildlifeasia.org.au (mailto:clare.campbell@wildlifeasia.org.au) or +61 438 992 325

Coming soon!

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4/16/2017 Kayah­Karen montane rain forests | Ecoregions | WWF

https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/im0119 1/5

World Wildlife Fund ­ WWF ­ Worldwildilife.org

Kayah­Karen montane rain forestsThe Kayah­Karen Montane Rain Forests [IM0119] ecoregion harbors globally outstanding levels of species richness. Amongthe ecoregions of Indochina, it ranks second for bird species richness and fourth for mammal species richness. The world'ssmallest mammal, Kitti's hog­nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), equal in mass to a large bumblebee, resides in thelimestone caves of this ecoregion. Because the ecoregion remains unexplored scientifically, especially the parts that lie inMyanmar, it probably will yield more biological surprises.

Scientific Code(IM0119)Ecoregion CategoryIndo­MalayanSize46,100 square milesStatusRelatively Stable/IntactHabitats

Description Location and General DescriptionThis ecoregion includes the northern part of the Tenasserim Mountain Range, which forms the border between Thailand andMyanmar. Much of the region consists of hills of Paleozoic limestone that have been dissected by chemical weathering. Theoverhanging cliffs, sinkholes, and caverns characteristic of tropical karst landscapes are all present in this ecoregion. Largepatches of limestone forest are associated with the tropical karst. The flora and fauna here is distinct and includes severalendemic species. Because complex habitats are little explored, it is likely that they contain undescribed endemic species.

Terrain throughout much of this ecoregion is rugged and intricately folded. Hillsides tend to be steep, and ridges exceed2,000 m elevation. Valley bottoms are narrow but fertile and tend to lie at about 300 m elevation. The western slopes draininto the Salween River, which flows through Myanmar and into the Gulf of Martaban in the Indian Ocean. The eastern slopesdrain into the Chao Phraya River, which drains into the gulf of Thailand.

Although the limestone that makes up much of this mountainous ecoregion was deposited in a shallow marine environmentmore than 300 million years ago, the mountains themselves are much younger and owe their existence to the collisionbetween the Indian and Eurasian continental plates that produced the Himalaya about 50 million years ago.

The entire region has a monsoonal climate with warm, moist summers and mild winters that tend to be dry. Overall annualrainfall averages 1,500 to 2,000 mm. Although this ecoregion lies within the Tropic of Cancer, winter temperatures can becool, especially at the higher elevations, where frost has been recorded from the northern part of the ecoregion. West­facingslopes (on the Myanmar side) face the Bay of Bengal and receive more precipitation. East­facing slopes (on the Thailandside) lie within a partial rainshadow and tend to be drier. This climatic difference is clearly reflected in the vegetation. Foreststo the east are dominated, especially at the lower elevations, by trees that have a drought­deciduous phenology, whereas thewest­facing slopes are a mixture of deciduous and evergreen species.

Edaphic factors also affect the vegetation: forests on granite, with a higher water­holding capacity, tend to support a higherproportion of evergreen broadleaf species, whereas forests on limestone are mostly drought­deciduous. Plants on barelimestone crags have a distinctive physiognomy, with fleshy stems and small, sometimes ephemeral leaves.

At low elevation (below about 1,000 m) on the east side of the Tenasserim Hills, potential vegetation consists of droughtdeciduous forest or savanna woodland. Although fire is common today, there is little consensus as to the historical frequencyof fire or its importance in this ecosystem. An important unresolved question is whether fire (mostly anthropogenic) orpremonsoon drought stress (nonanthropogenic) is primarily responsible for limiting species diversity in these places. Forestsof teak Tectona grandis represent the climax vegetation at low elevation in the absence of fire, but today the teak forests arenearly extirpated in Thailand and declining rapidly in Myanmar. Places at low elevation where fires are more common supporta savanna woodland. Doi Suthep National Park near Chiangmai, Thailand provides an example. Here the woodlands are

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dominated by dipterocarps such as Dipterocarpus tuberculatus and D. obtusifolia and oaks such as Quercus kerrii. Treesgrow up through a grassy ground cover that dries in the winter and often burns in spring. Lack of closed­canopy forestsencourages the growth of annual grasses, which in turn promote fire. Rare, distinctive plants include the drought­adaptedepiphyte Discidia major, which grows in mutualistic symbiosis with ants that live inside specially modified leaves, andPhoenix acaulis, a small, fire­adapted palm.

Higher elevations support much richer broad­leaved forest communities with a mixture of evergreen and deciduous species.At 800­1,200 m, a well­developed shrub understory grows beneath a tall, closed forest canopy that includes some very large,buttressed trees that share an affinity with tropical Asia together with temperate tree taxa in the families Magnoliaceae andLauraceae (IUCN 1991). Shady conditions at ground level favor woody climbers that include strangler figs (Ficus spp.) andthe cablelike Gnetum, an unusual climbing gymnosperm. Sapria himalaica is a rare component of the forest understory here.This root parasite, with its large, red flowers and underground stems, is related to the giant Rafflesia of Borneo and Sumatra.

Ridgetops include a plethora of Himalayan plant taxa including members of the oak family (Castanopsis, Quercus, andLithocarpus), Schima wallichii, and members of the birch and alder families. Rhododendron occurs at the highest elevationsthroughout this ecoregion.

Species diversity in Doi Suthep National Park, near Chiangmai in northern Thailand, rivals that of the most diverse seasonalforests. On Thailand's sandy northern hills, a fire­maintained climax of open stands of the three­needle pine Pinus kesiya andthe two­needle pine P. merkusii occur at 550­1,800 m elevation (IUCN 1991).

Biodiversity FeaturesThe ecoregion is the fourth richest in the Indo­Pacific region for mammals, with 168 known species. These include oneecoregional endemic species, the tiny Kitti's hog­nosed bat, Craseonycteris thonglongyai (table 1). This bat, weighing a mere2 g and with an 8­cm wingspan, is confined to the limestone caves in western Thailand. This bat is now threatened becausecollectors catch large numbers to make taxidermy mounts that are sold to tourists. The forests around the caves have alsobeen cleared and probably will lead to a change in the cave microclimate.

Table 1. Endemic and Near­Endemic Mammal Species.

Family Species Craseonycteridae Craseonycteris thonglongyai*

An asterisk signifies that the species' range is limited to this ecoregion.

Some of the other mammals of conservation importance include several threatened species such as the tiger (Pantheratigris), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), gaur (Bos gaurus), banteng (Bos javanicus), wild water buffalo (Bubalus arnee),southern serow (Naemorhedus sumatraensis), clouded leopard (Pardofelis nebulosa), Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), wilddog (Cuon alpinus), Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis), stump­tailedmacaque (Macaca arctoides), smooth­coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), great Indian civet (Viverra zibetha), andparticoloured flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger).

Sumatran rhinoceros is believed to have inhabited remote regions of the Tenasserim Hills in recent years, but this criticallyendangered species is now thought to have been extirpated from this ecoregion.

The relatively intact, contiguous habitat has potential to conserve large landscapes that will provide adequate habitat tomaintain a viable population of Asia's largest carnivore, the tiger, as well as other species of critical conservationsignificance. Therefore, the ecoregion lies within a high­priority (Level I) TCU (Dinerstein et al. 1997). Several of Thailand'slargest and most intact wildlife reserves lie within this ecoregion, including Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary (2,575 km2)and several other protected areas with which it forms a contiguous network. Huai Kha Khaeng is prized for the high diversityof cat species it supports and its relatively intact vertebrate communities and intact lowland dipterocarp forests. Moisterhabitats on the Myanmar side of the Tenasserim Range also include significant amounts of intact habitat, probably still inbetter condition overall than the forest on the eastern (Thai) side of the range. However, it is difficult to assess ecologicalconditions in the forests of eastern Myanmar at this time.

The ecoregion's 568 bird species make it the second highest in terms of species richness. These include two ecoregionalendemic species (table 2).

Table 2. Endemic and Near­Endemic Bird Species.

4/16/2017 Kayah­Karen montane rain forests | Ecoregions | WWF

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Family Common Name Species Timaliidae Deignan's babbler Stachyris rodolphei* Timaliidae Burmese yuhina Yuhina humilis*

An asterisk signifies that the species' range is limited to this ecoregion.

But there are several other birds that are indicators of habitat integrity and are thus of conservation importance, such as LadyAmherst's pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae), Hume's pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae), silver pheasant (Lophuranycthemera), grey peacock­pheasant (Polyplectron bicalcaratum), green peafowl (Pavo muticus), Kalij pheasant (Lophuraleucomelanos), brown hornbill (Anorrhinus tickelli), plain­pouched hornbill (Aceros subruficollis), rufous hornbill (Buceroshydrocorax), great hornbill (Buceros bicornis), wreathed hornbill (Aceros undulatus), and white­winged duck (Cairinascutulata). The great slaty woodpecker (Muellerpicus pulverulentus), the largest Old World woodpecker, is an uncommonresident of lowland forests and low hills in this ecoregion. It is particularly sensitive to degradation of late­successionalforests because it needs large, dead trees. Some of these are threatened species, and the white­winged duck and plain­pouched hornbill in particular are globally threatened.

Current StatusAbout a third of this ecoregion has been cleared or degraded; however, the twenty­eight protected areas cover almost 23,500km2 (20 percent) of its area (table 3). The average size of the protected areas is 725 km2. But the system includes severalprotected area complexes, such as Thailand's Huay Kha Khaeng­Thung Yai Naresuan Reserve complex (with elevenprotected areas) and the Omgoy­Mae Ping­Mae Tuen reserve complex, which cover much larger areas.

Table 3. WCMC (1997) Protected Areas That Overlap with the Ecoregion.

Protected Area Area (km2) IUCN Category Mae Yuam Fang Khwa 1,510 IV Doi Chiang Dao 510 IV Namtok Mae Surin 400 II Doi Suthep­Pui 190 II Doi Inthanon 480 II Salawin 930 IV Doi Khuntan 250 II Doi Pha Muang 220 IV Omgoy 1,060 IV Kahilu 110 UA Mae Tuen 1,400 IV Ton Krabak Yai 250 II Lansang 110 II Klong Wang Chao 700 II Umphang 2,440 IV Khlong Lan 430 II Mulayit 70 UA Mae Wong 930 II Thung Yai Naresuan 3,930 IV Huai Kha Khaeng 2,480 IV Si Nakarin 1,830 II Chaloem Rattanakosin 60 II Salak­Phra 830 UA Erawan 530 II Mae Ping [IM0139], [IM0202] 100 II Khao Laem [IM0163], [IM0108] 380 II Unnamed [IM0202] 1,080 ? Doi Pha Muang [IM0202] 270 IV Total 23,480

Ecoregion numbers of protected areas that overlap with additional ecoregions are listed in brackets.

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Types and Severity of ThreatsShifting cultivation is the main cause of deforestation throughout the region. But in areas such as northern Thailand, wherepreviously nomadic tribal peoples have been settled, pressure exists to convert forest into more intensive agricultural landdevoted to cash crops such as cabbage, coffee, and lychee. Opium replacement efforts (in Thailand but not Myanmar) havecompelled local people to grow alternative crops that need more cultivated land area and higher pesticide inputs. The landneeds of an increasing population have forced itinerant farmers to reduce the cycle of cultivation­fallow periods and havepushed them deeper into the forest and into more marginal areas (IUCN 1991).

Remote hill areas occupied by ethnic minorities have suffered considerable degradation (IUCN 1991). However, the placesoccupied by the majority culture are more likely to have been completely converted to rice cultivation.

Hunting has decimated most of the large mammal populations, such as elephant, banteng, gaur, and tiger (IUCN 1991).Gibbons and hornbills, species important for dispersing seeds of many forest tree species, have also been severely reducedin many areas.

Justification of Ecoregion DelineationThe extensive Indochina biounit (10) identified by MacKinnon (1997) in his conservation analysis of the Indo­Malayan realmcomprises three subunits that represent the tropical lowland plains, subtropical hills, and temperate montane areas. Thelargest of these subunits, Central Indochina (10a), is a mix of tropical moist forests and tropical dry forests. We delineatedeight ecoregions that overlap with this biounit by assigning the different vegetation types of ecoregional extent into each.This ecoregion represents the semi­evergreen forests of the Kayah­Karen mountains in the broad transition zone between thesubtropical broadleaf evergreen forests in the north and the southern dry deciduous forests.

ReferencesReferences for this ecoregion are currently consolidated in one document for the entire Indo­Pacific realm.Indo­Pacific Reference List

Prepared by: Eric Wikramanayake and Chris CarpenterReviewed by:

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4/16/2017 GROUND­BREAKING DISCOVERY: Survey of uncharted Myanmar region finds Southeast Asia’s last great wilderness ­ Wildlife Asia

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0 (http://www.wildlifeasia.org.au/2017/03/survey-uncharted-myanmar-region-nds-southeast-asias-last-great-wilderness/#respond)

GROUND-BREAKING DISCOVERY: Survey of uncharted Myanmar region ndsSoutheast Asia’s last great wilderness(http://www.wildlifeasia.org.au/2017/03/survey-uncharted-myanmar-region-nds-southeast-asias-last-great-wilderness/)Yangon, Myanmar (3 March) – The Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative (KWCI (http://kwci.asia)), with nancial support from WWF and other partners, haveconducted six camera traps surveys in the hill forests of Northern Karen State, Myanmar, previously inaccessible to biologists and conservationists for security andpolitical reasons. The surveys found at least 31 mammals including tigers, leopards and Asian Elephants. 17 of the 31 are categorised as Near Threatened, Vulnerableor Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

“It is incredibly rare to nd such rich and diverse wildlife anywhere in the world today but certainly in Southeast Asia.” said Clare Campbell, Director of Wildlife Asia,the Australian conservation NGO that coordinates the KWCI. “Thanks to the long-standing conservation e៛orts of the Karen people this area is a refuge for the lasttigers in the region, Asian elephants and so much more.”

4/16/2017 GROUND­BREAKING DISCOVERY: Survey of uncharted Myanmar region finds Southeast Asia’s last great wilderness ­ Wildlife Asia

http://www.wildlifeasia.org.au/2017/03/survey­uncharted­myanmar­region­finds­southeast­asias­last­great­wilderness/ 2/2

“Karen people have intricate knowledge of their forests and wildlife which is directly responsible for the abundant wildlife in this region,” said Saw Sha Bwe Moo,technical eld expert for KWCI and lead author of the survey. “However, as the peace process brings rapid economic development to Myanmar we are seeingincreased habitat destruction and wildlife poaching that have decimated much of the wilderness in other parts of Southeast Asia. We must act now if we are toprotect this last great wilderness.”

According to the FAO Global Forest Resource Assessment, 2015, Myanmar had the world’s third highest annual net loss of forest area between 2010–2015, behindonly Brazil and Indonesia.

Poaching in the region, driven by the multi-billion-dollar illegal wildlife trade, is also at critical levels. During the survey, multiple groups of poachers were caught oncamera traps.

“The illegal wildlife trade is rapidly emptying Myanmar’s forests and proximity to the infamous Golden Triangle Region makes it particularly vulnerable,” said Nick Cox,WWF-Myanmar Conservation Director. “The illegal wildlife markets in Myanmar’s cities and along all its borders must be closed, and well-trained rangers are neededon the ground if Myanmar is to keep its incredible wildlife.”

The survey was carried out in four areas of Karen State from December 2014-–July 2015. Other important species found included Asiatic golden cat, sun bear, anddhole.

For full survey see article published in Oryx Journal First structured camera-trap surveys in Karen State, Myanmar, reveal high diversity of globally threatenedmammals (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/oryx/article/div-classtitlerst-structured-camera-trap-surveys-in-karen-state-myanmar-reveal-high-diversity-of-globally-threatened-mammalsdiv/7C11FE39FB3887E33066EB252741610C) (*1)

Wildlife Asia is an Australian based organisation committed to the preservation of high biodiversity landscapes in Asia. Acknowledging the signicant work of theKaren people to date to protect wildlife in this region and respecting their cultural traditions we are growing our support to build local capacity and foundations forlong-term sustainable management. This is the rst time we have alerted the international community to the global signicance of the wildlife harboured in KarenState and really presented the evidence for conservation investment.

Wildlife Asia acknowledges the generous support of our major donors to this project; Mr Peter Hall, Hunter Hall International, Rainforest Trust, the Royal ZoologicalSociety of Scotland, Balcombe Trust, WWF Myanmar, Zoos South Australia, Mr G Whitehead and the late Mr Martin Copely.

Coming soon!

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4/16/2017 ကမĀာĀĀားပါး သတ鍀 ဝါေတ ကရငေတာငေပĀ ေတာေတထ ဆကလက ကျကစားေန ­ BBC ပငမစာမျက蒀Āာ

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ကမ圀ာ韓ားပါး သတ圀ဝါေတ ကရငေတာငေပ垳 ေတာေတထ ဆကလက ကျကစားေန

15 ဧ埫ပ 2017

ကရငြပညနယထက ေတာငေပ垳 ေတာေတထ ကမ 圀ာေပ垳 မျ းတ နးလ နး ြဖစေနတ ေတာ韓 ငး တရ စ 需ာနေတဆကလက ကျကစား 韓ေန ေသးတာက ေတခ 埫ကရပါတယ။

အေ韓ေတာင အာ韓 ေဒသထ ေနာကဆ း လကကျန ေတာ韓 ငး တရ စ 需ာန ေတက စစတမး ေကာက埫ကညတအစအစဥ အရ၊ ကရငြပညနယ ေတာေတထ လ흲 ဝက တပဆင ထားတ ကငမရာ ေတကေန ဆင၊ ကျား၊ ကျားသစေတ အပါအဝင ퟄ တ က သတ圀ဝါ အမျ းအစား အနညးဆ း ၃၃ မျ း အထ 韓 ကက垀 းမퟄ င ခပါတယ။

အဒထက အမျ းအစား ထကဝကေကျာဟာ မျ းတ နးမယ အퟄ 圀ရာယ ကျေန埫ပ ဆ 埫ပး ퟄ ငငတကာ သဘာဝပတဝနးကျင ထနးသမး ေစာင ေ韓ာကေရး သမဂ靀 အဖ埫ကးက အနေရာင အဆင တပလန ퟄ흀းေဆာ ထားတ သတ圀ဝါေတ ြဖစပါတယ။

အာ韓 ဆငေတ၊ ကျားသစ ေတ အြပင အာ韓 ေ韓ေရာင ေတာေ埫ကာင၊ ဆနးဘ ဝကဝန ေဒသတငး ေနာကဆ း

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ေ埫ကာြငာ

အာ韓 ဆငေတ၊ ကျားသစ ေတ အြပင အာ韓 ေ韓ေရာင ေတာေ埫ကာင၊ ဆနးဘ ဝကဝန ေဒသတငး ေနာကဆ းလကကျန ကျားေတက ကရင ြပညနယထ ေတခရတာပါ။

ဒလ ေတာ韓 ငး တရ စ 需ာန ေတ 韓ေနေသးသလ ၊ ေတာေကာငေတက တရားမဝင သတြဖတ ေနတ အ ပစ ေတလညး韓ေနတယ ဆ 埫ပး ဆနးစစမ흀 埫ပလ ပေနတ သဘာဝ ထနးသမးေရး သမားေတက သတေပးပါတယ။

အခ လ အချနမျ းမာ ကမ 圀ာေပ垳က တြခား ေနရာေတမာ မဆ ထားန၊ အေ韓ေတာင အာ韓 ေဒသတငးမာကကရငြပညနယေလာက သဘာဝ ေတာ韓 ငး တရ စ 需ာန မျ းစတ မျ းက စ စ လငလင 韓ေန ퟄ ငေသးတ ေနရာမျ းအငမတန 韓ားသား埫ပလ Wildlife Asia အဖက ဒါ韓 ကတာ ကလ ကငးဘလက ေြပာပါတယ။

အခ ေလလာ ဆနးစစမ흀ေတက ကမ 圀ာ သဘာဝ ဝနးကျင ထနးသမးေရး ရပ ေင အဖ WWF ရ အက垀အညန ကရငေတာ韓 ငး ထနးသမးေရး အဖ KWCI က 埫ပလ ပ ခတာ ြဖစပါတယ။

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