Conservation agencies have released one of the most endangered turtles — a Southern River Terrapin — back into the wild, with officials, conservationists, and local residents attending the release ceremony on January 16.

The release was first announced Monday by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Cambodian Fisheries Administration and Wildlife Reserves Singapore. The 75-pound female turtle was released into the Sre Ambel River in Cambodia, outfitted with a satellite tracking tag, to allow researchers to monitor the turtle’s movements in the wild, according to a WCS press release.

The released turtle is one of only 200 Southern River Terrapins remaining in Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia, and only one of fewer than ten nesting females in the Sre Ambel River, according to estimates from PhysOrg.

Read the full story from RedOrbit.

Image Caption: This photo shows the release of the Southern River terrapin at a ceremony on the Sre Ambel River in Cambodia attended by representatives of WCS, Cambodia’s Fisheries Administration’s Conservation Department, the Singapore Embassy, and local officials. The turtle has been equipped with a satellite tag, which will allow WCS conservationists to track it. Credit: Eleanor Briggs

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has launched a Sustainable Seafood Policy. The new policy, which includes the commitment to cease serving shark fin in all of its operated restaurants, as well as accepting new orders for shark fin products in banqueting, is with immediate effect.

Shangri-La also has plans to phase out blue fin tuna and Chilean sea bass in all its operated restaurants within the year.

In December 2010 the company initiated the process with the removal of shark fin products from its restaurant menus.

A wildly-coloured gecko, a fish that looks like a gherkin, and a monkey with an Elvis-like hairstyle are among the more than 200 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year.

The area’s diversity is so astonishing that a new species is found every two days, but regional cooperation and decision-making must take centre stage to preserve its richness, the group added.

Read the full story from Reuters.

The Philippines Department of Agriculture is putting in 30 million Piso to restore the 2,000-year old Ifugao Rice Terraces, often described as the 8th Wonder of the World, to their former glory.

Batad Village & Rice Terraces in 1990 before typhoons and neglect destroyed sections of them. Photo by Chris Gow

The Ifugao Rice Terraces are considered an UNESCO World Heritage site, and have been declared by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation as a Globally-Important Agricultural Heritage System.

Alcala said the P30 million is an initial amount, with P10 million coming from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for the repair of the damaged portions and the enhancement of the irrigation systems for the terraces in the village of Batad. The remainder will come from the National Rice Program for the reinforcement and upgrade of similar terraces in four other sites.

These include the picturesque Banaue rice terraces that can be seen at the Danara Viewpoint and the terraces in Mayoyao, Hapao and Kiangan.

Full story by MARVYN N. BENANING in the Manila Bulletin

The best way to explore the amazing rice terraces of the Ifugao, Botoc and Kalinga tribes of the Philippines Cordillera is to make a trek from village to village, staying at small guest houses and as guests of local tribal families. Here’s how.

Javan Rhino caught on trap camera in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam. Photo: WWF

Genetic analysis of 22 dung samples collected by a Cat Tien National Park – WWF survey team from 2009 – 2010 affirm that the samples all belonged to a rhinoceros that was found dead in the park in April 2010, shortly after the survey was completed. The findings, presented in a new WWF report, also point to poaching as the likely cause of the death, as the rhino was found with a bullet in its leg and had its horn removed.

The tragic discovery comes after a 2004 survey conducted by Queen’s University, Canada, that found at least two rhinos living in the park at the time.

Full story from the WWF here

Hotel surrenders “back yard” bear – Safe rescue for “Sonny”

On Tuesday 6 September, Animals Asia Vietnam Director, Tuan, External Affairs Officer, Dr The and Bear Worker Tuan from the Vietnam Moon Bear Rescue Centre travelled to the central highlands of Vietnam to rescue a lone sun bear.

This young male had been kept by a hotel/resort complex in Pleiku City in Gia Lai Province, for the past six to eight years. The hotel owners received the bear when he was just a cub and believe he may originally have been smuggled from Cambodia.

The hotel decided to give up the bear – now nicknamed “Sonny” – because they felt they could no longer look after him as they had been and they were not prepared to improve his living conditions. Sonny was being kept in a barren, rusting cage placed on a heap of rough ground with little shelter from the elements.

Quite a calm bear, Sonny appeared to be in good health at the time of rescue.

Full story from AnimalsAsia

An 18kg Cantor's Soft Shell Turtle ready for release into the Mekong River in Kratie Province, Cambodia

The goal of the Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre (MTCC) is the long-term sustainable conservation of the wild population of one of the world’s rarest and largest fresh water turtles — the Cantor’s soft shell turtle, (Pelochelys cantorii) of which the largest known wild population survives in the nearby Mekong River.

Read the full story from Conservation International.

Since June of this year, the Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre has been open to visitors daily, for a small entrance fee. Another good reason to visit Kratie and Cambodia’s north east region.

Three new bat species, one resembling the Lord of the Underworld, have been discovered in the tropical forests of southern Indochina.

The tiny ‘demon,’ named Beelzebub’s tube-nosed bat, has been seen only in Vietnam.

Full story by Daniette Venton here.

This short report from the BBC’s Fast:Track programme highlights how much more there is to see on the archaeological front in Cambodia than just Angkor Wat. The country is simply riddled with ancient monuments and at most of them you will not find other tourists clambering over the broken stones, ruining your solace.

Support the Shark Sanctuary in Moalboal, the first in the Visayan area of the Philippines.

Sign the petition to the local government of Moalboal by clicking the link below. The target is to get 5000 people to sign this petition to save the sharks of Moalboal, Cebu – an environmental issue of the highest degree.

Support the Shark Sanctuary in Moalboal, the first in the Visayan area of the Philippines.

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Nine dive spots in Malaysia that were closed in June last year are expected to be re-opened soon. The dive spots were closed after coral reefs in the vicinity were bleached. The exact reason for the bleaching is not known but speculation is that the change in sea temperature and also human impact could be responsible.

The re-opening of the sites welcome news for Malaysia;s tourism industry as they are popular amongst dive tourists. The Marine Parks Department said the sites included the islands of Perhentian, Redang and Tenggol in Terengganu State, and other islands in Pahang and Kedah

WWF camera traps have captured a record number of images of critically endangered Sumatran tigers recently – 12 tigers in just two months in central Sumatra. The great footage includes two mothers with cubs and three young tiger siblings playfully chasing a leaf. But the forest they’re in is under imminent threat of being cleared by the pulp and paper industry, despite being a “global priority Tiger Conservation Landscape”.

Full story and video footage on the WWF website here

Dr Gregor Hodgson, founder of the Reef Check Foundation will be escorting a 10 night safari in the Southern Visayas, aboard the SY Philippine Siren. Dr Hodgson spent many years in the Philippines and was the first to campaign for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. Many MPAs now exist thanks to his initiatives and our specialised itinerary will take you to a number of them.

During the course of the trip, Philippine Siren will be sponsoring all guests to take the Reef Check ECO DIVER certification, the course is optional however this is a fantastic opportunity for divers to learn more about reef monitoring and marine conservation. Already Reef Check certified – Great! Why not put your skills in to action and assist with the monitoring for our adopt a reef program?

Trip dates: 23rd July- 2nd August 2012
Special Discount Price: EUR 2,000 per person
Spaces are limited so early booking is advised.

Wldlife conservation experts are working to rescue a colony of endangered Siamese crocodiles in Koh Kong province, western Cambodia, as the natural habitat is increasingly threatened by the development of the nearby Stung Atay hydro-dam.

Full story at the Phnom Penh Post

Adding to yesterday’s great news that the Titanium mine, planned for Chi Phat, has been shelved, the Cambodian government is now drafting a sub-decree to increase the size of Koh Kong Province’s Protected Forest. Someone up there must have started fretting about his karma and the afterlife!