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

Save the Kanthan spider now

Posted on 4 July 2013 - 05:04am

I REFER to "Save Kanthan Cave" (Letters, April 17). Gua Kanthan is located in Gunung Kanthan, Perak. This limestone cave is in danger of being quarried by Lafarge Malaysia Berhad.

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

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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


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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            

 

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

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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

         

Don’t cover graffiti with black paint - Lenggong

5 Sept 2012 I had a letter published in The Star about covering over graffiti in black paint.

Don’t cover graffiti with black paint

I REFER to the report “Preserving Lenggong Valley” (The Star, Sept 4) which says “the authorities have failed to barricade the area, making it easy for people to walk in and out”.

When I visited the area last week, I found that some of the sites had been taped off and there were “work in progress” signs.

I also noticed that in some caves, especially Gua Kajang, the graffiti had been covered by black paint.

I don’t know who did this or when. But it is a very bad practice to try and cover any graffiti with paint or with any other substance.

This is frowned upon by the international caving community, as it can damage the microbes on the wall, apart from the fact that it is unsightly.

If the authorities wish to do something about the graffiti, please research how to do it properly.

Do not simply use paint or mud or whatever.

LIZ PRICE

Kuala Lumpur

Six Mile Tunnel - letter Ipoh Echo

Letter in Ipoh Echo No 66, p10, Jan 16-31 2009 about Six Mile Tunnel, Perak.

No protection for ancient cave fossil (Sun, NST)

This was published on the letters page, p16 of THE SUN , 20th October 2008

No protection for ancient cave fossil
In a cave known as Gua Naga Mas in Perak, there is a fossil of a mammal
embedded in the cave wall. It was found in 1992. No real tests have
been done, but the fossil is thought to be a leopard or other cat, and
may date to the Pleistocene, 1.8 million to 10,000 years BP.

The Dept of Museums and Antiquities erected a sign board at the base of
the steps leading up to the cave. My first visit to the site was in 1996.

On subsequent visits, by comparing my photos over the years, I could
see that pieces of the fossil have been removed. It is very
disheartening to find that unscrupulous people have been removing these
ancient bones, and that nothing has been done to protect them.

In Oct 2008 I tried to get to the cave and found the signboard had
completely disappeared, and the steps were totally overgrown and were
not to be seen. Also a factory has encroached right up to the
hillslope.

This fossil is thought to be the only one known in SE Asia. It is
really sad to see that the authorities have done nothing to protect
this site and to promote it's importance.

I hope someone from the Museums or Tourism Depts will read this and
take some action to preserve such an important piece of Malaysia's
past.
                                                                 Liz Price


The letter was also published in NST on 21 Oct 2008

NST Online » Letters

2008/10/21

Cave exhibit: A fossil of a cat is going to the dogs

By : LIZ PRICE, Kuala Lumpur

   IN a cave known as Gua Naga Mas in Perak, there is a fossil of a mammal embedded in the cave's wall. It was found in 1992. No real tests have been done, but the fossil is thought to be a leopard or some other cat, and may date back to the Pleistocene, 1.8 million to 10,000 years BP (before the present era).

The Department of Museums and Antiquities erected a signboard at the base of the steps leading to the cave. My first visit to the site was in 1996. On subsequent visits over the years, I could see that pieces of the fossil had been removed. It is disheartening to find that unscrupulous people have been removing these ancient bones, and that nothing has been done to protect them.

This month, I tried to get to the cave and found the signboard had completely disappeared, and the steps were totally overgrown and were not to be seen. Also, a factory has encroached right up to the hillslope.

This fossil is thought to be the only one known in Southeast Asia. It is really sad to see that the authorities have done nothing to protect this site.