Hunters threaten smelliest fruit
It is known as the king of fruits, a spiky pod of smelly pulp that is either exquisitely delicious or repellently obnoxious, depending on one’s taste. But now the durian’s fate is linked to that of an animal that is being hunted to extinction.
Environmentalists in Malaysia warn that illegal hunting of the island flying fox is threatening the durian, a delicacy that is in growing demand in China.
The fruit bat, which pollinates durian, is being hunted to extinction for its purported medicinal properties.
Alfred Russel Wallace, the 19th-century British explorer, described durian as ‘‘a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds [with] occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind creamcheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes’’. Because of its smell, it is often banned on buses and in buildings, and it is eaten fresh or used in ice cream, cakes and chips.
Durian grows wild in the jungle and is being cultivated to meet demand from China, where a single fruit can sell for US$120 (NZ$175).
Sheema Abdul Aziz, of environmental group Rimba, said: ‘‘If people end up hunting flying foxes to extinction, it’s not hard to see that there could be serious implications for southeast Asia’s beloved king of fruits.’’
Another environmental group, Peka, has warned that rainforests are being cleared to grow durian for China. – The Times