Enjoy 5% of the Malayan Tiger population in the Malacca Zoo! This either means:

• Malacca Zoo is huge to host 5% of the entire tiger population, or
   
• the Malayan Tiger population is dwindling big time.

Unfortunately it’s the latter: there are less than 600 Malayan tigers in the wild and this number keeps on decreasing due to:

• loss of habitat and
   
• poaching.

With a fine of only 15.000Rm for killing a Malayan tiger, Malaysia shows how much or rather how little it values to host the to ninth tiger sub-species.

It’s sad that a country like Malaysia that thrives on tourism and that we ‘foreign tourist’ love for what it has to offer doesn’t preserve its heritage better:
 

• just last weekend Malacca itself was flagged by Unesco as not doing enough to preserve its heritage status.
   
• in stead money has been spent:
   
• to rehabilitate the Malacca River so tourists can enjoy the new Malacca Cruise
   
• to built a roller coaster and
   
• more shopping malls
   

• and now Mumbai-based biotechnology firm Actis Biologics Pvt Ltd is looking to raise up to US$300mil (RM1.03bil) for its Biocity project in Malacca by the year-end.

  Actis develops and licenses cell technology to produce heavy cells for the development and production of biologicals.

Why for crying out loud wants the Malaysian government a new firm in Malacca? What about locating it in somewhere in Malaysia where there is demand for factories?

Things to do in the Malacca Zoo

Apart from the Malayan Tigers (about 20) the Malacca Zoo offers:
 

• 200 species of mammals one of which is the rare Sumatran Rhinoceros
  
  
   
• 100 bird species and
   
• 22 reptile species.

Amongst the attractions the zoo offers:

• a mini safari
   
• an elephant show
   
• elephant and horse rides
   
• a multi animal show and
   
• a night zoo.

I do recommend the Malacca Night Zoo, for the simple reason that during the day, it’s very hot in tropical Malacca Malaysia to stroll around!

The Malacca zoo surroundings have been set to simulate the natural habitat of the animals. Simulate however is only as much you can do on a small area of 22ha.

Apart from housing the varied species of animals, the Malacca Zoo also functions as a center for:

• conservation breeding
   
• wildlife research  and
   
• zoo education.

Malacca zoo map

Malacca zoo is located about 13 km from Malacca town (on the road from Malacca to Hotel Seri Malaysia Melaka.

Admission is less than $2 : Adults pay MYR7 and children MYR4. There is a tram facility to get you around with an extra ticket price of MYR2.

People with a video camera need to fork out an extra MYR10. That’s why I recommend visiting Malacca Zoo with a sophisticated handphone with digital camera: 10Ringgit can buy you a delicious meal in Malaysia!

Technorati Tags: Malacca, malacca zoo, malayan tiger, malaysia, melaka night zoo, melaka zoo, night zoo, tiger, tiger population, zoo

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• Malacca Map Download our free and clear Malacca map showing Malacca Hotels, Places of interest in Malacca Malaysia, Melaka Tourist Centre and public places like bus, taxi, post office, train and police station.   Click map to enlarge and download big Malacca map (1144x755 - 142kB): ideal to print out and......
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Good news for all travelers to Malacca Malaysia: as of today the Malaysian Government declared Malacca free from meningitis!

And since the Malaysian government was announcing the good news, they also added that Malacca is Swine flu, Mexican flu, or Influenza A H1N1 free. What’s in a name…

This statement made today comes one week after the last three remaining trainees, out of the 41 trainees from the Road Transport Departments training academy in Tiang Dua warded at the Malacca Hospital, were discharged.

With it, the general quarantine imposed at the training academy in Tiang Dua on about 450 others was lifted as well.

A 45-year-old Japanese expatriate working in Malacca who was placed under home quarantine on Monday was found negative for the H1N1 virus.

He was one of the 76 passengers who traveled from Newark in New Jersey, United States of America on board MH091 to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. This airplane carried the 2 first Malaysians confirmed with H1N1 virus after visiting the US.

Health measures to take when on vacation in Malaysia

When you are a westerner who escaped cold Europe to enjoy warm Malaysia, there are 2 health hazards to protect you from:

1. Use sun protection all the time everywhere

The sun in Malaysia is not the same as in Europe, Here in Malaysia the sun is right above you and even the best sun-lotion you brought from Belgium won’t protect you much. Go to any pharmacy or find in any shop of your hotel:

• sun lotion with the highest protection factor possible (SPF 30 or above)
   
• use sun lotion when you snorkel or better: also wear a t-shirt
   
• "banana boat" Aloe Vera lotion: a green lotion that does miracles once you get sunburned

2. Kill any zebra mosquito you see

A bigger than normal mosquito striped like a zebra: the aedes mosquito can give you chikungunya disease or the more deadly dengue fever. Both fevers start with flu and headache symptoms, but especially dengue makes you feel lethargic within a week of having the symptoms.

Don’t be brave, go and see a hospital at once and have a blood-sample taken.

Do not panic!

• aedes mosquitoes don’t like mosquito repellent
   
• I already survived 2 dengue fevers, yet managed to be in hospital on time twice
   
• aedes mosquitoes don’t fly between 9 am and 17 pm (although I already noticed some dengue mosquitoes that don’t carry a watch).

Compared to Australia or the US where deadly spiders can crawl into your bed, Malaysia is a very safe and sound country.

The chance that during your holiday in Malaysia you get ran over by a motorbike is much higher than you leaving Malaysia with a disease.

Technorati Tags: chikungunya, dengue fever, eades mosquito, malacca malaysia, malacca meningitis, malacca meningitis free, malaysia, malaysia vacation, Melaka, melaka malaysia, melaka meningitis, tourism malaysia

• Malacca meningitis outbreak On May 9th a Malaysian man died and 12 others were in serious condition following an outbreak of bacterial meningitis at a training camp in the southern state of Malacca.   The outbreak is in Tiang Dua, the blue dot on the map which is still far away from......
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On May 9th a Malaysian man died and 12 others were in serious condition following an outbreak of bacterial meningitis at a training camp in the southern state of Malacca.

The outbreak is in Tiang Dua, the blue dot on the map which is still far away from Malacca site so tourists don’t have to worry, except when of course meningitis carriers from Tiang Dua start traveling to Malacca.

Meanwhile about 500 people have been quarantined and 20 are hospitalized. The Malaysian government keeps on top of the disease that is deadly and unpleasant to say the least.

Having had meningitis myself when I was a kid, I still remember when a needle got poked in my spine whilst 2 nurses grabbed my arms in order to make sure I didn’t resist. You can read more about Meningitis at Wikipedia.

What’s sad however is that children in a nearby school from where the outbreak started where told not to wear masks, "so no newspapers would cover the case in a too sensational way".

I can assure you there is nothing more scary than:

• first getting face masks distributed in order to protect you and
   
• 2 days later sensational hearing the government saying that face masks are not to be worn when the meningitis cases are still on the rise and quarantines are extended a few more days.

Would the government do the same when their kids would attend the same school? It’s sad that people’s health and life still are not as important as "how Malaysia will be portrayed".

Tourists to Malaysia do read the Internet and make intelligent decisions based on what is said and what is not said.

Technorati Tags: Malacca, malacca meningitis, Malacca News, Melaka, melaka meningitis

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