Department of Biology

Faculty of Science & Mathematics Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Ecology (SBV 3013)

Field trip report Place: Pusat Konservasi Hidupan Liar, Sungkai Date: 20 Mei 2012

Group members: 1. Norharyan Erdayu bt Sahar D20091035078 2. Fadilah bt Mahmud 4. Salmiza bt Zainal Abidin 5. Pui Wan Ting 6. Norujamnah bt Ismail 7. Nur Hafizah bt Abdul Hadi D20091035094 D20091035074 D20091034840 D20091035097 D20091035072 3. Nur Eiana bt Mohmad Noor D20091035093

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (DWNP/PERHILITAN) was formerly known as the Game Department. The first law pertaining to wildlife was declared in 1896. The first wildlife reserve, Chior Wildlife Reserve was gazette in 1902. An effort to create a central agency to coordinate wildlife and habitat conservation activities was initiated in 1930 with the appointment of T.R. Hubback, the former Game Warden of Pahang as the Chief of the Wildlife Commission of Malaya. Peninsula Malaysia wildlife rehabilitation and conservation centers provide a booster shot to endangered animals on the verge of species extinction. Providing a protected sanctuary for marine animals, jungle animals and wetland birds, captive breeding sites and animal refuges help to maintain dwindling wild populations. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks and the Department of Fisheries operate these wildlife centers as part of the national program to protect biodiversity. Their first priority is animal conservation; tourism and wildlife watching are secondary.

OBJECTIVES 1. To study the biodiversity of animals at the centre. 2. To investigate behavior of seladang.

1.The morphological characteristics of seladang Seladang is an extremely large mammal with the average weight is 650 to 1000 kg (1400 to 2200 lb). It has a head and body length of 250 to 330 cm (8.2 to 10.8 ft), not counting a 70 to 105 cm (28 to 41 in) long tail and is 165 to 220 cm (5.41 to 7.2 ft) high at the shoulder. Males are about one-fourth larger and heavier than females. The seladang is a strong and massively built species with a high convex ridge on the forehead between the horns, which bends forward causing a deep hollow in the profile of the upper part of the head. There is a prominent ridge on the back. The tail only reaches the hocks and the ears are very large. The adult male seladang is dark brown, approaching black in old. The lower part of seladang legs is pure white in colour. Usually the horns grow to a length of 60 to 115 cm. Both sexes got horns which grow from the sides of the head, curving upwards. They are flattened and regularly curved throughout their length and are bent inward and slightly backward at their tips. The colour of the horns is some shade of pale green or yellow throughout the greater part of their length but the tips are black. According to the worker in the PERHILITAN, male seladang has wide open horn meanwhile female seladang has bent inward horn.

2. Habitat of Seladang Gaur (seladang) historically occurred throughout mainland South and Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia. In Malaysia, in 1994 the population was stated to be less than 500 individuals and it was thought to be declining with then confirmed records from various sites, e.g. the Sungai Singgor area of Temenggor Forest Reserve, Hulu Perak. Seladang habitat is characterized by large, relatively undisturbed forest tracts, hilly terrain below an altitude of 1,500 to 1,800 m, availability of water, and an abundance of forage in the form of grasses, bamboo, shrubs, and trees. Theyre both grazes and browses, reportedly eating mostly young green grasses but also leaves, fruit, twigs, and bark of various woody species, as well as coarse dry grasses, and bamboo. The species was largely confined to evergreen, semi-evergreen, and moist deciduous forest but it also occurred in dry deciduous forest areas at the periphery of its range. They occur from sea level up to at least 2,800 m altitude. Low-lying areas seem to comprise optimal habitat. Despite the many report that call it an animals of hill-country, low lying areas to comprise optimal habitat.

3. Investigate behavior of the seladang The seladang or the gaur (bos gaurus), also called wild cattle, is the second largest land mammal in Malaysia after the elephant, and has lived and happily survived in the forests of Peninsular Malaysia for countless decades. These seladangs, like the elephants, are also given pet names, according to their sex of course, such as Wangi which is the female seladang. We were advised by one of the staff not to get too close as these huge and gigantic animals because they can be easily agitated with unfamiliar scent and faces. They looked threatening and showed that like they are in a danger stage. They could suddenly turn offensive by certain smells or colors, and might unexpectedly try to attack. Apart from that, a simple tip given by the keepers to soften the rage of the seladangs or make them back away, is by picking a tree branch or small stones and gesturing or pretending to hit them. They will back off.

4. Observe for one hour. The first few minutes we stay in front of the cage, the seladang seems like they are being in danger stage but they still remain at the same place they were by looking at us. There is some of the seladang that eating but keep watching us but they stand still at their position. However, within this hour, one of the seladang starts moving towards us, the keeper took a tree branch and pretending to hit it. The seladang back off and move to its initial position. Then, once again the seladang move forward and project its voice sound like it angry and not comfortable with our visit. The keeper told us that this female seladang is actually quite new to that place and seems like it did not too familiar with the new environment that is the reason why it behaves like that.

Male seladang

Female seladang

REFERENCES 1. http://www.pahang-delights.com/elephant-seladang-wildlife-sanctuaries.html 2. http://www.wildlife.gov.my/images/stories/penerbitan/jurnal/Jil151996_97.pdf 3. http://www.jaycjayc.com/sungkai-wildlife-conservation-centre/