67 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018/2019 04 S E C T I O N What is the SCBP? • A collaborative effort between FGV, the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), PERHILITAN and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured/orphaned/confiscated sun bears back into their natural habitat. • Supported by Citizen Action Groups (CAGs), also known as Sahabat Beruang Matahari (Friends of the Sun Bears), which aim to conserve sun bears. 13 bears in 2019 39 bears Rescued: Released: Total number of sun bears released since 2015: 6 bears into the wild near Tasik Kenyir (Terengganu) and Royal Belum Forest (Perak) (world record for the highest number of sun bears released into the wild) Sun Bear Conservation Programme (SBCP) ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP One of our landmark sustainability initiatives is the Sun Bear Conservation Programme (SBCP). Since 2015, the SBCP has been focused on the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured/orphaned/confiscated sun bears back into the wild. In 2019, the SBCP managed to rescue 13 sun bears and release six back into the wild near Tasik Kenyir (Terengganu) and the Royal Belum Forest (Perak). These areas were chosen based on a number of factors, including the topography and geographical location, as well as the availability of food sources and competition. The released sun bears are being tracked and monitored by PERHILITAN (Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia), and so far all bears are adapting well to their new environment. In total, 39 sun bears have been released back into the wild since the SBCP’s inception, which is a world record for the highest number of sun bears released back into their natural habitat. The SBCP is a collaboration between FGV, the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), PERHILITAN and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and is strongly supported by our Citizen Action Groups (CAGs) that now have over 200 members across five regions in Malaysia – Kuala Lipis (Pahang), Kuala Terengganu (Terengganu), Sahabat (Sabah), Gerik (Perak) and Mersing (Johor). The CAGs are also known as Sahabat Beruang Matahari (Friends of the Sun Bears) and aim to foster a community that is sympathetic to environmental issues, chief among which is the conservation of sun bears and other threatened wildlife species. CAG members have undergone basic training on HCV elements of interest in the region, map reading, GPS usage and protocols on boundary patrols. They are responsible for identifying significant environmental issues in key areas and taking appropriate action with the help of local regulatory agencies, as well as for planning and promoting sun bear conservation in their respective areas. To enhance awareness and knowledge on the conservation of sun bears, FGV published two new books in 2018 — Garis Panduan Pelaksanaan Komuniti Sahabat Beruang Matahari (Implementation Guidelines for the Friends of the Sun Bears Community) and Pengurusan Beruang Matahari di Pusat Menyelamat Hidupan Liar Kebangsaan (Sun Bear Management at the National Wildlife Rescue Centre). These books provide information on the activities of the Friends of the Sun Bears and the protocols required for managing a successful sun bear rehabilitation centre, including the preparation required for releasing sun bears back into their natural habitat.
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