Classify Sungai Ingei as reserve sanctuary

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Dear Editor,

THIS is with reference to the report "Call to classify Sungai Ingei forest area as sanctuary" in your edition dated April 5, 2012.

I think its time for the government to look into the matter and declare the whole Sungai Ingei Forest as a sanctuary. Since the forest reserve is already a protected area, I don't see any hassle in classifying the forest as a sanctuary.

The Sungai Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey team seems to be doing some constructive work. The team has collected data on wildlife and would soon be retrieving cameras placed at vantage points in the forests over a year ago to study and record the behavioural patterns of various animals, including the shy nocturnal creatures.

The scientists and environmental experts, studying the Sungai Ingei forest, have been trying to convince the government on the need to convert the 18,000 hectares of protected area in the forest into wildlife sanctuary, and establish a buffer area that could be zoned for ecotourism and other activities.

Of late, we have been reading reports about poaching in the Sungai Ingei reserve forest. Hence, there's a need to declare the Ingei forest as a sanctuary and step up vigil against poaching. The strength of monitors and rangers in the forest has to be beefed up to check the wildlife plunderers. The authorities could also enlist or encourage the involvement of the indigenous people who dwell close to the forests.

PKC, Bandar

Call to classify Sungai Ingei forest area as sanctuary

File photo of British high commissioner Robb Fenn (L) taking a closer look at a Bornean leaf-nosed bat caught by Dr David Lane (R) of UBD, while Wildlife photographer and videographer Stephen Hogg (C) looks on at the Sungai Ingei basecamp during the second phase of the Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey. Picture: BT file

RASIDAH HAB
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Thursday, April 5, 2012

THE Sungai Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey team will continue to push for the Sungai Ingei Protected Forest into being classified as a sanctuary as the two-year survey nears its end.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, the survey's leader, Dr Joseph Charles, said the team will leave for Sungai Ingei, which is in a remote part of Belait, from April 6 to 24.

The two-year faunal biodiversity survey, which began in July 2010, is supported by the Ministry of Primary Resources (MIPR) and sponsored by the Standard Chartered Bank (SCB).

The trip will focus on retrieving camera traps, which has been left for over a year, and setting them up in another area to get a better representative of wildlife in the area, said Dr Joseph.

"We have very good data so far and are hoping to get more from the other side. The expedition is going to wind up now, because funding is nearly done," he said.

The team will also continue with their small mammals data collection, centreing on dipterocarp forests, compared to the previous kerangas (heath) and mixed swamp forest.

"We are going to do pitfall traps to trap birds in dipterocarp forests. We also hope to sample flying squirrels at night, so we are going to set up mist nets at canopy level. The bat work will continue, and Dr David Lane is going to come and we are getting another research fellow to survey aquatic invertebrates," Dr Charles said.

"We want as much background data of Sungai Ingei as possible, as this will come useful for managing the area and for the Wildlife Unit to continue in future research," he said.

The Wildlife Unit was set up recently by the Forestry Department under MIPR.

"Any future research can only be done after you know what is there. We are still in the first phase of long-term research to answer the question of what is there. Once we get the basic information, will we then build up on other things," he said.

"One of the greatest resources in Brunei other than oil and gas is the forest. A forest without wildlife is a dead forest. MIPR today is really promoting the protection of wildlife and its survival because it helps us. Our water depends on the forests," he said.

The scientists are vying to convince the Brunei government to convert the 18,000 hectares of protected forests in remote Sungai Ingei into a wildlife sanctuary, and for the establishment of a buffer area that can be zoned for ecotourism and other activities.

The ongoing Sungai Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey will once again invite VIPs and the media to the remote, virtually-undisturbed forests in the interior of Belait.

The visit is slated to be held from April 13 to 15, with participants such as the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya BegawanMudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar; British High Commissioner to Brunei, Rob Fenn; and Singaporean High Commissioner, Joseph Kohl; as well as World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) Special Adviser to the Heart of Borneo, Dato' Dr Mikaail Kavanagh.

The Brunei Times

Wildlife under threat as poachers raid Sg Ingei

By Siti Hajar Borneo Bulletin 15 March 2012 The protection of the country's wildlife has been given serious attention as the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources is currently exploring ways to ensure that Brunei Darussalam's wild animals are properly and adequately protected under the country's laws as the ministry has received feedback that poachers are hunting with bags and trucks in Sungai Ingei in the Belait District. Minister of Industry and Primary Resources YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar yesterday announced that His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam as of January 2012 has given the ministry the mandate and trust to handle the management and preservation of not just wild animals on land but also marine life. In line with the Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative that protects identified forest areas under a three-way agreement between Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, the issue of wildlife protection was brought to the Eighth Legislative Council meeting yesterday by YB Awg Hj Ramli bin Hj Lahit who voiced his concern on illegal hunting that is taking place in the country's forests and how this can significantly affect the progress made under the HoB. Feedback from residents in the rural areas of the Belait District, especially in Sungai Ingei, said the minister, has indicated that poachers are hunting in droves as opposed to the acceptable one animal a month for personal consumption. Among the steps that are currently being taken, added the minister, is the organising of meetings and workshops "to identify what should be done especially in the strengthening or changing of laws to ensure that these laws are effective and relevant". As governmental efforts are not enough to curb the loss of wildlife, especially mainstream game targets such as deer and a few species of birds, the minister also made a public call for the people to help in monitoring not only the hunters but also those who purchase hunted wildlife. If there is demand for wild (exotic) meat then there will be supply, he said. "People need to stop demanding so as to ensure the control of supply and control hunting that is compromising on wildlife," he added and highlighted that "there is no scientific proof that wild meat is better than meat that is reared".

Sg Ingei team works to attain goals

Project Administrator of Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey, Dr Ang Bee Biaw (R) is showing the SCB personnel on how they capture small mammals for records for the faunal biodiversity survey during their expedition to Sg Ingei in October last year. Picture: BT/Rasidah Bakar

RASIDAH HAB
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, January 8, 2012

THE Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity team said that they wold continue their efforts to attain their objectives to preserve and protect the flora and fauna found in the area.

In an interview, Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey's leader, Dr Joseph Charles and the survey's Project Administrator Dr Ang Bee Biaw spoke of the team's three future plans for Sg Ingei.

First and foremost is to protect Sg Ingei and its biodiversity by turning it into a wildlife sanctuary.

The scientists are vying to convince the Brunei government to convert the 18,000 hectares of protected forests of remote Sungai Ingei into a wildlife sanctuary, where they want the protection to focus in the "core" area, where the team are working on the survey.

Secondly, they wisi to increase the survey efforts all the way from Kg Melilas to Sg Ingei as an extension zone.

Dr Charles said that the integrity of Sg Ingei depends on the integrity of this area because animals do go out. "Animals don't know any boundaries, wherever there is food, they will go out," he said.

"We have got evidence of endangered species breeding outside Melilas and in Sg Ingei. This whole area outside Sg Ingei, we are trying to make that area as buffer zone for Sg Ingei. Once there is a buffer zone, then we can zone it for multipurpose for ecotourism for local people to sell their handicraft, an area for ecotourism and recreation where you charge people to see and showcase the locals' skills and also for public education."

He added: "If there are any sensitive findings (according to our data), people will not be allowed to go to Sg Ingei, so it will be left alone. You will not be able to see the animals anyway, because they only come out at night. You have the same beautiful trees and forests outside (in the buffer zone)."

Dr Charles added, "When you look at the wildlife sanctuary for the future, the only way it can stay as a good a sanctuary is to have a good buffer zone."

Dr Ang said that the ecological dynamics of buffer zone and protected zone is very closely integrated.

"We are going to make extension zone, study it, survey it that data will help the ministry (MIPR) protects that place," she said.

She also mentioned of the team's third objective, which is to look for fundings (for enforcement) by setting up honorary rangers.

"This means we will get our people, Angus (the surveys chief guide) and field coordinator Samhan Nyawa, to identify potential rangers who can help us to check whether people are going in (Sg Ingei). Pehin Hj Yahya (Minister of Industry and Primary Resources) is very keen on that idea, and we are hoping once we get the fundings, we will talk with him in more details on how the government can give us permission to carry out all these activities," she said.

"We cannot wait for reinforcement to come, we have to be proactive and do something for Sg Ingei. Because my fear is when things happen, Sg Ingei is already gone."

"We want people in Kg Melilas and all the stakeholders to feel that Sg Ingei project is their project. It is only when you feel that it is your project that you have a sense of belonging and you will protect it," she added.

She said they had included them (the residents) in their survey.

"Acting Penghulu of Kg Melilas, Pehin Datu Pekerma Dewa Hj Muhd Ali Abdullah Itam is very supportive so we are lucky in that sense. This is more like a community project rather than a government, scientists or ministry project," said Dr Ang.

"That is why when we finished phase two this year, before we went back, Pehin Datu Hj Ali told us 'Just because you finish the Sg Ingei project, please do not abandon us and go away,"' she added.

Dr Ang said she promised the acting penghulu that the team would try their best to help Sg Ingei and Kg Melilas as much as they could. "This is why we are pushing the ministry to put Sg Ingei as a sanctuary. At the end of the day, what do we gain? We do not gain anything, we just want to protect Sg Ingei so that the Melilas people will feel that the government is protecting their area," she said.

She went on to say "Because these native people, as far as I can understand from their minds, this is their land, their native right, they don't want people to come in and destroy their land. They themselves do not destroy their land.".

Dr Charles said if the locals did hunt, they would hunt just a deer, while the others (outsiders), come in lorry loads. They are depriving the locals of their onetime hunt. And the locals do not hunt all the time.

"You see the new road that was open for Melilas, this road is used as a highway for local poachers. What was meant as a good thing for Melilas for transport has now become a highway for these poachers," he said.

He shared that their concern now is for local stakeholders and the whole Brunei to have a sense of belonging, that Sg Ingei is special to them.

Asked whether their plan to release the findings next year is still on track, Dr Ang said they were hopeful that they would be able to do so.

"We are ready to release the results, but is Brunei ready to receive them? We do not want our results to be the reason why poaching starts in Sg Ingei because that will defeat our purpose," she added.

In voicing similar sentiment, Dr Charles said, "The sad part is we release some of our results and the news got out, and somebody had gone in Sg Ingei and started poaching around the (base) camp."The Brunei Times

Scientists explore 'Magic of Brunei'

(Top) A Bornean leaf-nosed bat caught during the second phase of the Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey. (Center) A Harlequin Flying Frog caught by UBD postgraduate student volunteer Hanyrol Hanyzan Ahmadsah. (Above) A turtle found along the 'furthest' of four trails UBD scientists are using to study wildlife in Sg Ingei. Pictures: BT/Ubaidillah Masli

RASIDAH HAB
BANDAR SERI BEGAWANREAD ABOUT FUTURE PLANS FOR THE
SG INGEI FAUNAL BIODIVERSITY
SURVEY IN TOMORROW'S EDITION.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

BRUNEI conducted its first faunal expedition over a period of about two years starting July 2010 to explore and document the wildlife of Sungai Ingei Protection Forest in Belait, believed to be one of the richest forests in the Heart of Borneo (HoB).

The Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity survey is the country's first faunal expedition to explore and document the wildlife of the Sungai Ingei Protection Forest. It gathered scientific data that will enable Brunei to better their natural wonder and wildlife.

Coined by the scientists as the 'Magic of Brunei', for its many undocumented animal species discovery, The Brunei Times talked to the project leader, UBD's Dr Joseph Charles and Project Administrator, Dr Ang Bee Biaw on what started it all.

The idea that start it all

The idea for the Sg Ingei faunal survey expedition was actually born while the duo was participating in the Lanjak Entimau expedition in Sarawak.

"There was a HoB expedition, and they invited scientists including Brunei. A few of us went and this initial group was supported financially by Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab, (then Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources). Members from the Forestry Department also came," he said.

"From there, we thought why not we start an expedition for Brunei, using people in Brunei and building up capacity building," he added. Asked why Sg Ingei was selected, he said Sg Ingei was the only place left in Brunei that has not been explored or developed for ecotourism. "We thought this is the best time to inform the local people what we have and if there is anything new that we have," he added.

Led by UBD, the survey was backed by the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and sponsored by the Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) working in partnership with WWF.

SCB funded the two-year Heart of Borneo (HoB) project, from a US$500,000 ($700,000) prize donation from the Race for a Living Planet Environment Challenge, which Brunei won last year for its HoB initiative.

Phase one and two

The expedition flag off ceremony was held on July 2 last year which comprised 36 participants.

The results from the faunal biodiversity survey, which were conducted in two phases, hoped to convince authorities to fully protect the area and its wildlife by upgrading it into a national park. At present, the area is known as the Sg Ingei Protection Forest.

The second expedition was carried out in July this year. They were joined by invited scientists from Indonesia and Malaysia.

Dr Ang said, "We brought in UBD scientists, students and members from the Brunei Museum and Forestry Department for capacity building. All been trained in different fields and technology. For the first phase, the focus was focusing in capacity building and they help us collect data. For the second phase, we don't get new people for capacity building, we want to maximise all time and effort on data collection".

She added the survey will continue again in March next year.

"We are hoping to get new people coming in. We hope someone will come in and do a study on fresh water invertebrates. We realised that the invertebrates' diversity is so different but the pity is nobody is doing that quantitatively so far," she said.

She added, "We hope to get Professor Indraneil Das (from UNIMAS, Sarawak) to do a crocodile survey in Sg ingei as local people have been telling us that they have seen two to three species of crocodile in Sg ingei. All these need validations that are why we are bringing this people in".

This being a HoB project, it will be nice to bring scientists from Indonesia and Malaysia as well, she said. The expedition saw participation of a tarsier expert Dr Indra Yustian from Universitas Sriwijaya, Indonesia.

Poaching: Sg Ingei's biggest problem

Sg Ingei is sacred to the locals and they did not go venturing deep into Sg Ingei, hence helping the conservation, said Dr Charles.

"But now things have change. They (locals) do not go but others, (mostly hailing from Belait town) came. The dirt road that aimed to be an ease for transportation for the locals now acts as a highway for poachers," he said.

Driving into Melilas by car, one can see poachers' four-wheel drive vehicles parked and (there are) poachers' camps along the Belait river.

Solutions

The release of the survey findings next year is dependent on enforcement as poaching is Sg Ingei's biggest problem.

Museums Department, the country's main authority for wildlife, is in the process of revising the Wildlife Protection Act, created in 1978 and last revised some 27 years ago. Currently, the mammal list has been updated. And now they plan to continue with the birds list.

"We do not know when the law is going to come out, what we are pushing for now is to make Sg Ingei a sanctuary. At least to protect Sg Ingei from poaching, make it a sanctuary. These have been considered by the ministry," Dr Charles said.

The scientists are vying to convince the Brunei government to convert the 18,000 hectares of protected forests of Sungai Ingei into a wildlife sanctuary, are also suggesting for the establishment of a buffer area that can be zoned for ecotourism and other activities.

Support for a community project

One of the most important things that we did right at the word 'go' was to have dialogue with the stakeholders, Dr Charles said.

The locals from Kg Melilas and Kg Sukang were involved in the expedition every step of the way.

"The stakeholders are the Kg Melilas and Kg Sukang people. We held meetings with them and with the Acting Penghulu of Kg Melilas, Pehin Datu Pekerma Dewa Hj Muhd Ali Abdullah Itam.Even before we go there (to Sg Ingei), we discussed with them and they agreed to help. This was not (the case) of scientists barging through, right from the word go, we involved them. That is why we got so much support from them. This is a community project," he said.

The locals act as boatmen-cum-guides for the project. Even the base camp where the survey team stayed during the expedition was built entirely by the locals. Dr Ang added "they have a sense of belonging that the project belongs to them as well. They feel that they had contributed to the expedition and the area".

The expedition had invited prominent figures to join the project, among them were Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Hj Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, who had visited Sg Ingei four times, British High Commissioner to Brunei Rob Fenn and Singapore High Commissioner to Brunei, Joseph Koh.

"We try to bring in prominent people who can make a difference to Sg Ingei, with the hope that they will be interested (in Sg Ingei) and they want to protect this place," she said.The Brunei Times

SCB backs Brunei's green agenda

(Top) Standard Chartered Bank Brunei (SCB) CEO Lai Pei-Si (R) prepares to board the 'tamuai' to Sg Ingei. Behind her is SCB's Head of Corporate Affairs and Marketing Jennifer Kang. (Above) Project Administrator of the Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey, Dr Ang Bee Biaw (L) briefs SCB CEO Lai Pei-Si (R). Both photos are taken on October 29 this year. Pictures: BT/Rasidah Bakar

RASIDAH HAB
BELAIT

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey

RECOGNISING Brunei's "green agenda" and its commitment to the Heart of Borneo (HoB) project, major banking institution Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) pledges to support this initiative by funding the Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey, which it is closely monitoring.

The bank's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in Brunei, Lai Pei-Si recently visited the project at its base camp on Sg Ingei, and told The Brunei Times that it "was very nice" to see where the money goes to, adding that the sponsorship "has brought many things together".

"In Brunei, we participate in the HoB project because it is extremely important to the Bruneian community," said Lai, who is also the SCB's Head of Consumer Banking.

SCB provided funding for the two-year Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey, from a US$500,000 ($700,000) prize donation from the Race for a Living Planet Environment Challenge, which Brunei won last year for its HoB initiative.

She said the sponsorship has brought together "a group of incredibly passionate scientists", the community and relevant agencies. "On our way here (to Sg Ingei), we met with the penghulu of Kg Melilas, Pehin Datu Pekerma Dewa Hj Muhd Ali Abdullah Itam. It is obvious that he is excited (about) the project and (we can see) how important the role of the local people is in the survey," she said.

The CEO together with several SCB senior personnel on October 28 went on a three-day two night trip to Sg Ingei base camp in Ulu Belait. They were accompanied by the survey research team, which comprised the survey leader, Dr Joseph Charles and Project Administrator of the Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey, Dr Ang Bee Biaw. The trip also saw participation of members of the media.

Lai said SCB's involvement in the project "is not only because it is green", but it is also important for Brunei "to be able to preserve what we have".

"It is important for Brunei's future generation and it is really apt under our slogan, 'Here for good'. It is something that we feel that we should do, and we did it," she said. The bank's CEO added that it wants to partner with Brunei in delivering aspirations that is important to the country.

The Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey is one of the bank's key Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project in the area of environmental conservation. SCB was also involved in the first HoB project: the rehabilitation of Borneo's degraded peatland forests. "We realised very earlier on, that HoB is strategic to Brunei," she added.

Touching on the progress of the survey, Lai said "they found a lot of biodiversity here, and it is our job to see how we can communicate this to the right stakeholders to ensure that it will be protected".

The findings of the survey are expected to be released next year, with the condition that wildlife enforcement is put in place. "My expectation on the presentation of the findings will confirm the researchers belief that Sg Ingei is diverse. It will give empirical data and proof on what is here, (then we need) to decide on what to do next," she added.

Personally, Lai said, "I have always known the wonders of forests, but never experienced it myself. It is one thing to read about the wonder of the forests and it is another story when you come here and see for yourself. This is one of the reasons why I feel proud to be in SCB today."

Lai jokingly said, "It takes a lot for someone like me who is absolutely cosmopolitan to take a bus ride for almost three hours and another potentially 11 hours boat ride (during low water level); we were lucky we only did four (hours)."

The faunal biodiversity survey, a Brunei project under HoB, is backed by the Ministry of Primary Resources and sponsored by SCB in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The arrival of the survey team members with SCB Brunei staff and the media at the base camp was welcomed by former Brunei Museum curator Samhan Nyawa, who is the survey's field coordinator and Angus, the survey's chief guide, as well as several Melilas locals who are also boatmen-cum-guides for the project. The SCB members left Sg Ingei on October 30, while the research team continues their survey until November 7.(.The Brunei Times

Poaching affects locals, study results

A Kg Melilas local, known as 'Abdul Rahman, crosses the Ingei river with a 'tamuai' to pick a group comprising Standard Chartered Bank Brunei (SCB) staff and members of the media who are hiking towards the Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey base camp in Ulu Belait on October 29. Picture: BT/Rasidah Bakar

Ripas Hospital Paramedic HjRoslan Hj Mustapha prays at a designated area at the SgIngei Faunal Biodiversity Survey base camp. The survey is a Heart of Borneo (HoB) project at Sg Ingei inUlu Belait. Picture: BT/RasidahBakar

RASIDAH HAB
BELAIT

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey

LOCALS in Sukang and Melilas have reported activities of poaching at SgIngei, where the two-year Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey, a Heart of Borneo (HoB) project is being conducted, said its survey leader during a trip to its base camp over the weekend.

The poaching activities, alleged to have been executed by those hailing from Belait town, took place two weeks before the survey team, which comprised the survey leader, Dr Joseph Charles and Project Administrator of the Sg Ingei Faunal Biodiversity Survey, Dr Ang Bee Biaw, returned to their base camp on October 28. The survey team was informed of the activities by members of the local community in Sukang and Melilas.

Dr Ang said, "The Melilas and Sukang people really want to protect this place (Sg Ingei) and the (surrounding) areas."

"The locals catch one or two deer for personal consumption, but when other people actually come into their kampung and surroundings and poach a huge number, they get affected," she said. "We do get cooperation from the Melilas and Sukang people who tell us what is happening. We are really grateful for that. We do not want to mention names because we do not want them to be targeted."

The project administrator said this in an interview with The Brunei Times, during a three-day trip beginning October 28 to Sg Ingei base camp with senior personnel of Standard Chartered Bank Brunei (SCB), which included SCB Chief Executive Officer Lai Pei-Si, as well as staff of state broadcaster RadioTelevisyen Brunei (RTB).

Dr Charles, who represented Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) said, with the poaching activities going on at Sg Ingei, the release of the survey findings next year is dependent on enforcement.

He said, "Some of the results of Sg Ingei are sensitive and there is a need for enforcement because poaching is Sg Ingei's biggest problem."

"Enforcement must be put in place, before any findings can be released. Anywhere else in Brunei, whenever such results or findings were released, everything is gone," he said. The survey leader said "one of the reasons we did not release the results this year, are because the results are not ready and the poaching is going on".

"Whatever we said, poachers will know (what is here) and they will come for it," he added.

"When you drive into Melilas by car, there are poachers' cars parked and (there are) poachers' camps along the Belait river. This is the first time that we have seen poacher's camp in Melilas," he said. Poachers came in four-wheel drive vehicles to Melilas and "they have taken so much". "They won't stop or listen," he added.

"We have board signs that said 'Heart of Borneo and Universiti Brunei Darussalam research project no entry', but nobody cares. When we go back, it is our duty to inform the departments. We hope that there will be enforcement," said Dr Charles.

He added that the Forestry Department, under the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and Museums Department, under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports have been providing them with tremendous assistance.

Poaching is not only done by outsiders but the locals as well, he said. "We are very sad that our local people are poaching. They are taking everything. Whatever they catch they just take, dead or alive. They are making money out of it. We are going to tell the ministry and police about it," he added.

The arrival of the survey team members with SCB staff and the media at the base camp was welcomed by former Brunei Museum curator Samhan Nyawa, the survey's field coordinator and Angus who is the survey's chief guide as well as several Melilas locals who are also boatmen-cum-guides for the project.

SCB provided the funding for the two-year survey, from a US$500,000 ($700,000) prize donation from the Race for a Living Planet Environment Challenge, which Brunei won last year for its HoB initiative.

The Brunei Times