MERSING: Malaysian pheasants, relentlessly poached to feed
the exotic meat trade, may yet be ___1___
from the brink of extinction if a breeding program initiated ___2___
Perhilitan in Jemaluang proves successful.
The Jemaluang Pheasant Conservation Centre in Sungkai ___3___
breeding five species of pheasants in captivity for the past two
years and releasing them into the wild when they reach maturity.
Set ___4___ by Perhilitan,
or the Wildlife and National Parks department, in June 2001, the
centre is perched on the edge of a 20-hectare secondary forest
reserve earmarked as a sanctuary for ___5___
territorial birds.
The birds feed on grains, nuts, vegetables and insects. They
are ___6___
metal identification tags on their legs.
Perhilitan set up ___7___
second pheasant-breeding facility in Jemaluang with the dual
purpose of complementing the Sungkai centre, which has been
around for more than 30 years, and promoting eco-tourism in
Johor. |