Since April there has been a lot of news about the fact that the hill containing Gua Kanthan will be quarried by Lafarge. I had some letters published in the Malaysian media and also in Ipoh Echo.
In July 2013 Mongabay.com did a feature on Gunung Kanthan. See this link.
sign in a cave in Laos
24 July 2013
11 July 2013
Large cat skeleton at Merapoh
In Feb 2013 when we were doing some documentary filming at Merapoh, Pahang, a team from FRIM were doing a floral study. When they climbed the hill above Gua Hari Malaysia, they found the remains of a large cat trapped in a snare (jelat).
Later on the guides were able to retrieve the bones.
They are thought to be a Black Panther, Harimau Kumbang. A Black Panther is the dark colour phase of the Leopard, Panthera pardus.
Such a sad and tragic end to such a magnificent animal.
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
Later on the guides were able to retrieve the bones.
They are thought to be a Black Panther, Harimau Kumbang. A Black Panther is the dark colour phase of the Leopard, Panthera pardus.
Such a sad and tragic end to such a magnificent animal.
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
Merapoh 2013 July, Bukit Tekong Hidden Garden
July 6 2013 we continued the exploration of Bukit Tekong. We had first visited the hill in Nov 2012. Our last visit was in Feb, when we found a wild boar skeleton in Gua Tekong Terowong.
On the Feb 2012 we had found a few small caves, the best was Gua Tekong Taman. This time we went straight to Gua Tekong Terowong as we intended to continue our search on the other side of the hill. As we went through the cave we saw that the wild boar bones have been completely removed by persons unknown. A pity we didn't collect them at the time.
In Feb after exiting this cave, we turned left and only found one short cave, Gua Tekong Jodoh. This time we turned right, going anticlockwise around the hill. we found many short passages, many were interconnected or almost connected and most followed the face of the hill rather than going into the hill.
Nice curtain
More of the "leopard skin" marking -
None of the caves were particularly exciting. There were very few bats, and only a few invertebrates. A whip spider and a Huntsman spider with egg case -
One had a small stream going in. There were pig footprints in the mud
In one cave the floor consisted of soft dry 'clay' and my foot went right through
Cave pebbles
Is this a bath for pigs?
Some of the flora outside was quite interesting. I don't know what these are
or what this is
There were some huge Alocasia, or keladi, which made us look like smurfs
Large monophyllaea -
We continued on around and after a lunch break, came to a cave which I was sure I recognised from Feb. The others said it just looked similar. I was really puzzled as to me it seemed to be the same cave, Gua Tekong Jodoh -
We continued on and I thought I recognised the terrain. Came to another cave and went in and I realised it was Gua Tekong Terowong. We went right through and then Laili was also convinced it was the same cave. Somehow we had done a circle.
We sat down and discussed how we had gone round in a full circle without realising. We were presumably inside a wang. I don't think we had walked very far in terms of distance as we had been popping in and out of caves all the time - but when looking across the forest from Gua Tekong Terowong, we couldn't see any sign of the hill opposite. It was strange, but we concluded it has to be a wang. Laili named it the Hidden Garden.
This is a rough outline of the wang from Google Earth. At a very rough estimate the diameter is only 200 m, which doesn't seem much, considering we could not see across the wang through the trees.
If it is an enclosed wang, that would explain why the keladi had grown so big, as it was undisturbed. Also we had seen no footprints of big mammals and no elephant dung, because of course they wouldn't be able to get into the Hidden Garden.
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
On the Feb 2012 we had found a few small caves, the best was Gua Tekong Taman. This time we went straight to Gua Tekong Terowong as we intended to continue our search on the other side of the hill. As we went through the cave we saw that the wild boar bones have been completely removed by persons unknown. A pity we didn't collect them at the time.
In Feb after exiting this cave, we turned left and only found one short cave, Gua Tekong Jodoh. This time we turned right, going anticlockwise around the hill. we found many short passages, many were interconnected or almost connected and most followed the face of the hill rather than going into the hill.
None of the caves were particularly exciting. There were very few bats, and only a few invertebrates. A whip spider and a Huntsman spider with egg case -
One had a small stream going in. There were pig footprints in the mud
In one cave the floor consisted of soft dry 'clay' and my foot went right through
Is this a bath for pigs?
Some of the flora outside was quite interesting. I don't know what these are
There were some huge Alocasia, or keladi, which made us look like smurfs
We continued on around and after a lunch break, came to a cave which I was sure I recognised from Feb. The others said it just looked similar. I was really puzzled as to me it seemed to be the same cave, Gua Tekong Jodoh -
We continued on and I thought I recognised the terrain. Came to another cave and went in and I realised it was Gua Tekong Terowong. We went right through and then Laili was also convinced it was the same cave. Somehow we had done a circle.
We sat down and discussed how we had gone round in a full circle without realising. We were presumably inside a wang. I don't think we had walked very far in terms of distance as we had been popping in and out of caves all the time - but when looking across the forest from Gua Tekong Terowong, we couldn't see any sign of the hill opposite. It was strange, but we concluded it has to be a wang. Laili named it the Hidden Garden.
If it is an enclosed wang, that would explain why the keladi had grown so big, as it was undisturbed. Also we had seen no footprints of big mammals and no elephant dung, because of course they wouldn't be able to get into the Hidden Garden.
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
4 July 2013
Lafarge quarry & cement company at Gunung Kanthan
Since April 2013 when I heard about the possible destruction by quarrying of Gua Kanthan, I have been concerned both about the cave, and its most important inhabitant, Liphistius kanthan. The hill is being quarried by Lafarge.
Gua Kanthan is the largest known cave in Gunung Kanthan, which is near Chemor, north of Ipoh, in Perak, Malaysia. Many parts of the hill have already been quarried. Pan Malaysia Cement Works Bhd (PMCW) started in 1964, they became Associated Pan Malaysia Cement Sdn Bhd (APMC) in 1967. The Lafarge group took over in 2001 and the company name officially changed from Malayan Cement Berhad to Lafarge Malayan Cement Berhad in 2003.
The company name was officially changed from Lafarge Malayan Cement Berhad to Lafarge Malaysia Berhad on 27 May 2013 to better reflect the corporate identity and branding as a member of the Lafarge Group of Companies and the alignment of its cement, concrete and aggregates businesses.
Lafarge prides itself on its "Green Initiative" and it has won awards for this and its sustainability approach. On its www it says "It is about safeguarding the world we live in. At Lafarge Malaysia, we believe that innovation is not just about enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in our products. As a Group, we are committed to protecting in four main fronts: stop climate change; preservation of biodiversity; conservation of natural resources; and to develop innovative approaches that promote a better respect for the environment."
Lets hope they remember this and do not destroy the cave and its "critically endangered" Liphistius kanthan trapdoor spider.
------------
See more on the Lafarge Gunung Kanthan quarry and Lafarge in the 2013 haze.
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
Gua Kanthan is the largest known cave in Gunung Kanthan, which is near Chemor, north of Ipoh, in Perak, Malaysia. Many parts of the hill have already been quarried. Pan Malaysia Cement Works Bhd (PMCW) started in 1964, they became Associated Pan Malaysia Cement Sdn Bhd (APMC) in 1967. The Lafarge group took over in 2001 and the company name officially changed from Malayan Cement Berhad to Lafarge Malayan Cement Berhad in 2003.
The company name was officially changed from Lafarge Malayan Cement Berhad to Lafarge Malaysia Berhad on 27 May 2013 to better reflect the corporate identity and branding as a member of the Lafarge Group of Companies and the alignment of its cement, concrete and aggregates businesses.
Lafarge prides itself on its "Green Initiative" and it has won awards for this and its sustainability approach. On its www it says "It is about safeguarding the world we live in. At Lafarge Malaysia, we believe that innovation is not just about enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in our products. As a Group, we are committed to protecting in four main fronts: stop climate change; preservation of biodiversity; conservation of natural resources; and to develop innovative approaches that promote a better respect for the environment."
Lets hope they remember this and do not destroy the cave and its "critically endangered" Liphistius kanthan trapdoor spider.
------------
See more on the Lafarge Gunung Kanthan quarry and Lafarge in the 2013 haze.
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
Liphistius kanthan trapdoor spider letters
In April 2013 I heard about the possible destruction of Gua Kanthan in June 2013. It seems that the quarry company, Lafarge Malaysia Berhad had asked the people living and farming in the area to move out.
Gua Kanthan is the largest known cave in Gunung Kanthan, which is near Chemor, north of Ipoh, in Perak, Malaysia. Many parts of the hill have already been quarried.
I was concerned both about the cave and its most important inhabitant, Liphistius kanthan. This trapdoor spider is endemic to the cave and is found nowhere else in the world. As with all the Malaysian Liphistius species, it is protected under the 2012 amendment of the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Bill.
On 2 July 2013 the spider was listed on the IUCN Red List as "critically endangered".
On 4 July I had letters published in the Malaysian newspapers :
The Sun Daily
----------------------
NST
Many parts of the hill are being quarried and now, there is a threat to the area of the hill that contains Gua Kanthan.
On May 5 last year, NST published an article, "Ipoh council to protect limestone hills", and Gunung Kanthan was one of the hills mentioned.
Gua Kanthan is a spectacular river cave, nicknamed "The Cathedral" because of its large size.
It is also home to an endemic trapdoor spider found nowhere else in the world.
This spider, Liphistius kanthan, has now been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List.
Critically endangered is the highest level of danger for living creatures. The next level is extinct.
Liphistius kanthan is also included in the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Bill (2012 amendment) as a protected species.
In fact, all the Malaysian Liphistius are protected, as well as their habitats.
Let us hope that the company quarrying the area is aware of this and will preserve the cave.
According to its website, it said: "As a group, we are committed to protecting in four main fronts: stop climate change; preservation of biodiversity; conservation of natural resources; and to develop innovative approaches that promote a better respect for the environment."
Let us hold them to that.
Liz Price, Kuala Lumpur
------------
The Star (which was the most censored/edited!!!)
IN April there were media reports about “saving” Gua Kanthan in Perak.
Several parts of a limestone hill near Gua Kanthan are used as a quarry and now there are concerns that the area within the cave would be added to the existing quarry site.
Gua Kanthan is a spectacular river cave, nicknamed “The Cathedral” due to its large size.
It is also home to an endemic trapdoor spider which is found nowhere else in the world.
This spider, Liphistius kanthan, has now been listed as critically endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
Critically endangered is the highest level of danger for living creatures. The next level is extinct.
Liphistius kanthan is also included in the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Bill (2012 Amendment) as a protected species. In fact, all Malaysian Liphistius are protected.
We hope the quarry company at Gua Kanthan is aware about the rare trapdoor spider and will preserve the cave.
LIZ PRICE
Kuala Lumpur
© Liz Price
Gua Kanthan is the largest known cave in Gunung Kanthan, which is near Chemor, north of Ipoh, in Perak, Malaysia. Many parts of the hill have already been quarried.
I was concerned both about the cave and its most important inhabitant, Liphistius kanthan. This trapdoor spider is endemic to the cave and is found nowhere else in the world. As with all the Malaysian Liphistius species, it is protected under the 2012 amendment of the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Bill.
On 2 July 2013 the spider was listed on the IUCN Red List as "critically endangered".
On 4 July I had letters published in the Malaysian newspapers :
The Sun Daily
Save the Kanthan spider now
Posted on 4 July 2013 - 05:04am
Many parts of the hill are already being quarried and now there is a threat to the area of the hill with the cave.
Gua Kanthan is a spectacular river cave, nicknamed "The Cathedral" due to its large size. It is also home to an endemic trapdoor spider which is found nowhere else in the world.
Liphistius kanthan has now been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List. Critically Endangered is highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. The next level is Extinct.
Liphistius kanthan is also included on the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Bill (2012 amendment) as a protected species. Thus, all the Malaysian Liphistius are protected.
Let's hope that Lafarge is aware of this and will preserve the cave.
According to its website: "As a Group, we are committed to protecting in four main fronts: stop climate change; preservation of biodiversity; conservation of natural resources; and to develop innovative approaches that promote a better respect for the environment."
Liz Price
Kuala Lumpur
Gua Kanthan is a spectacular river cave, nicknamed "The Cathedral" due to its large size. It is also home to an endemic trapdoor spider which is found nowhere else in the world.
Liphistius kanthan has now been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List. Critically Endangered is highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. The next level is Extinct.
Liphistius kanthan is also included on the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Bill (2012 amendment) as a protected species. Thus, all the Malaysian Liphistius are protected.
Let's hope that Lafarge is aware of this and will preserve the cave.
According to its website: "As a Group, we are committed to protecting in four main fronts: stop climate change; preservation of biodiversity; conservation of natural resources; and to develop innovative approaches that promote a better respect for the environment."
Liz Price
Kuala Lumpur
----------------------
NST
04 July 2013| last updated at 11:36PM
QUARRYING: Gua Kanthan spider endangered
I N April, the media published news about saving Gua Kanthan, which is in Gunung Kanthan, Perak.
This limestone cave is in danger of being quarried by Lafarge Malaysia Bhd.Many parts of the hill are being quarried and now, there is a threat to the area of the hill that contains Gua Kanthan.
On May 5 last year, NST published an article, "Ipoh council to protect limestone hills", and Gunung Kanthan was one of the hills mentioned.
Gua Kanthan is a spectacular river cave, nicknamed "The Cathedral" because of its large size.
It is also home to an endemic trapdoor spider found nowhere else in the world.
This spider, Liphistius kanthan, has now been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List.
Critically endangered is the highest level of danger for living creatures. The next level is extinct.
Liphistius kanthan is also included in the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Bill (2012 amendment) as a protected species.
In fact, all the Malaysian Liphistius are protected, as well as their habitats.
Let us hope that the company quarrying the area is aware of this and will preserve the cave.
According to its website, it said: "As a group, we are committed to protecting in four main fronts: stop climate change; preservation of biodiversity; conservation of natural resources; and to develop innovative approaches that promote a better respect for the environment."
Let us hold them to that.
Liz Price, Kuala Lumpur
------------
The Star (which was the most censored/edited!!!)
Save endangered Gua Kanthan trapdoor spider
Published: Thursday July 4, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Thursday July 4, 2013 MYT 8:30:10 AM
Updated: Thursday July 4, 2013 MYT 8:30:10 AM
IN April there were media reports about “saving” Gua Kanthan in Perak.
Several parts of a limestone hill near Gua Kanthan are used as a quarry and now there are concerns that the area within the cave would be added to the existing quarry site.
Gua Kanthan is a spectacular river cave, nicknamed “The Cathedral” due to its large size.
It is also home to an endemic trapdoor spider which is found nowhere else in the world.
This spider, Liphistius kanthan, has now been listed as critically endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
Critically endangered is the highest level of danger for living creatures. The next level is extinct.
Liphistius kanthan is also included in the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Bill (2012 Amendment) as a protected species. In fact, all Malaysian Liphistius are protected.
We hope the quarry company at Gua Kanthan is aware about the rare trapdoor spider and will preserve the cave.
LIZ PRICE
Kuala Lumpur
-----------
Let's hope Lafarge take note that the spider is critically endangered and is a protected species.
See more on Lafarge.
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
1 July 2013
No entry signs to cave areas
In the last few months I have been seeing new signs restricting entry to cave areas and certain limestone hills.
In the UK law, "Trespass is the act of illegally entering another person's property. In the United Kingdom all land has an owner and if an individual enters that land without the owner's permission, she is trespassing, unless there is public right of way such as paths or highways which allow the public a legal right of passage.
Regarding the notices being put up in Malaysia, with those on State land, I don't know how the law works.
This sign in Merapoh has been put up by the plantation company
The following were taken in Perak. The first one is at Gunung Lanno
These are at Gunung Kanthan. The signs are put up on state land by the quarry company who have the licence to quarry the hill. I don't know how much land around the hill is included in this licence.
This first sign has been put up quite far from the hill -
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
In the UK law, "Trespass is the act of illegally entering another person's property. In the United Kingdom all land has an owner and if an individual enters that land without the owner's permission, she is trespassing, unless there is public right of way such as paths or highways which allow the public a legal right of passage.
Regarding the notices being put up in Malaysia, with those on State land, I don't know how the law works.
This sign in Merapoh has been put up by the plantation company
The following were taken in Perak. The first one is at Gunung Lanno
These are at Gunung Kanthan. The signs are put up on state land by the quarry company who have the licence to quarry the hill. I don't know how much land around the hill is included in this licence.
This first sign has been put up quite far from the hill -
© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission
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