I refer to the letter 'Malacca mega bird park plan pure insanity.'
I agree with Sahabat Alam Malaysia's opposition to the idea of a bird park.

Besides the practical problems there is the moral question of sourcing the birds and keeping them captives purely for the purpose of entertaining the public.

In this day and age why would anyone turn the clock back to when people kept exotic pets for selfish reasons, with scant regard for the welfare of the animals and birds, even fish, these days?

In the US alone there are more tigers kept in backyards and privatezoos than can be found roaming in the Malaysian jungles and many of the owners have failed to ensure their welfare.

Some years ago I joined Malaysia Nature Society in its migratory raptor- birdwatch event and the sight of a tired bird landing on a tree seen through powerful telescopes brought tears to my eyes, the thought that this creature had made such a long and perilous journey from Europe just to stay alive and return to places like Japan and China can be emotionally overwhelming.

Such an event gives an invaluable insight into the survival instincts of birds to those who take part in the raptor watch.

I admire those in Malaysian Nature Society - a rare breed of nature-lovers who do so much for the country's wild heritage and have worked hard to keep the developers' bulldozers from destroying places where the raptors transit.

The same can't be said of those who are mercenary and exploit nature only for profit without adding anything back to it.

When I was in the Temengor reserve a few months ago it was sheer delight to sit in a kayak in the lake and watch hundreds of hornbills in a place where all the Malaysian varieties of the bird can be found. They flew here and there and it was a thrill to simply watch them in their natural environment.

Malaysians have yet to discover that their country possesses many of nature's largest things without having to create anything like the biggest bird park that can easily be outdone.

For example how many people know that the world's largest wild buffalo, the seladang or gaur, is found in the country and faces extinction, or that the biggest flower in the world, the rafflesia, can be seen at Temengor reserve?

I hope the Sultan of Perak will visit the place and see what a rich place it is and stop the loggers from taking away those giant trees that belong in the place. Royal Belum needs royal protection because its sister reserve Temengor next to it is being raped.

The Malaysian rainforests are the best natural bird parks and more should be done to promote nature and eco-tourism instead of artificial zoos and aviaries that only encourage more poaching.

The trade in wildlife especially birds that can fetch high prices occurs because of the demand from private collectors and zoos many of whom only care about profits.

The reports of badly run zoos where animals are treated shabbily have painted a bleak picture of the country's zoo culture and SAM is absolutely right in opposing the Malacca mega bird park idea ( and calling for a stop to new zoo licences ) which I suppose will try to outdo Singapore's Jurong bird park.

I have always been against bird-keeping because it is a cruel thing to imprison birds which are created for flying.

In my novel Tiger King of the Golden Jungle, Richie who owned a pet tiger had to learn to give up his pet back to the wild. And Adam the Malay tycoon became a true ‘son of the soil' and eco-warrior.

We are enriched by our appreciation of wildlife and nature in their natural setting than the base need to possess some exotic animal.

Thus when I saw a sang kancil in the wild when I visited Taman Negara it made me more excited than seeing so many in captivity in a zoo.
Malaysia has some of the best highways in the world but lacks nature 'highways' for wildlife.

It is something for the government, town planners and developers to seriously consider. Don't simply clear land for development wholesale but spare large areas as natural corridors for the wild animals.

These saved tracts of rainforests can even be sold to private conservationists who will buy and keep them safe from the chainsaws and the bulldozers and who will not benefit from their conservation?
When building the North-South Highway if giant rainforest trees were saved imagine what a sight they would be to all who travel along the highways today?

Sadly all was lost to the chainsaw and for replaceablemoney the country lost its irreplaceable giant trees.

The logging of giant rainforest trees has got to stop.

Make the whole country a bird's paradise by promoting a culture of love for nature and wildlife and make developers and residents plant the right types of trees that provide food and shelter for the birds and butterflies.

Seeing common and rare birds flying about freely where we live and work is the ideal situation and there are the rainforests to explore if the loggers and developers leave them alone.

Even as I write I read about the plight of the Penans in Sarawak and the logging of their rainforests, something that is morally wrong and environmentally disastrous.

A friend of mine plans to plant many different types of trees in his huge development project which will also cater for an arboretum. Switzerland has the world's first Tree Museum opened last year and the 2.5 acres property is home to 2,000 trees from 50 species nicely positioned with sandstone walls as backdrops.

Even Vietnam has an incredible bamboo museum.

All these cannot replace trees in their original settings but can educate people on the benefits and beauty of trees.

Building the world's biggest prison for 6,000 birds will make the historic city the Jailbird Capital of the World, not a description it deserves or should be proud of.

Surely Malacca can do better.