PUTRAJAYA : The National Biodiversity Council has agreed to implement several proposal to conserve and preserve the nature and wildlife in the country.
Among the proposals that the council has taken into consideration include National Tiger Survey project, conservation of the Sumatran rhinoceros and other endangered wildlife species, coastal fishery resources conservation efforts, conserving and preserving edible wild fruits and tackling the conflict issues between human and monkeys.
The National Tiger Survey project has been proposed to be carried out by the Federal Government through the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), state government and non-governmental organisations, which is expected to help the government to precisely determine the population and habitat of Malayan tigers.
The council has also agreed with the proposal by Sabah state government that both state and federal governments should work together to stop the extinction of Sumatran rhinoceros or Dicerorhinus Sunatrensis through Advanced Reproductive Technology development and also collaborating with Indonesia.
The Department of Fisheries will work with the state government in implementing the coastal fishery sources conservation programme in the Peninsula, which will involve the river, lake and freshwater.
The council has agreed that the state government in the Peninsula should implement the efforts to conserve and preserve the edible wild fruits in the government forest land.
"These efforts should also be expanded to Sabah and Sawarak as both states have fruit species which are important to the fauna and biodiversity preservation," said the council.
In addressing the issues between humans and monkeys especially in the residential areas, Perhilitan has suggested that there should be an enforcement of the by-laws in prohibiting people from feeding the monkeys, which will soon be implemented by the local councils.
The council was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Also present was National Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.