Bridging Wild Habitats

Jong Hung Fuh Husin Bin Kamal Mokhtar

Protecting Wildlife in Sabah

Three Target Animal 1) Pygmy Elephant 2) Orang Utan 3) Rhinoceros

5-years Action Plans by Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD)

Three major steps Stop further fragmentation and conversion of forests. Establish wildlife corridors. Stringent enforcement against poaching.

Challenges
Poor land use and planning in the past
Sabahs forest are now isolated surrounded by urban area.

Forest is too small to nurture healthy wildlife

Unsuitable due to small fragments with extreme terrain.

Forest corridors required high expenditure and challenging.

Needs commitment from the public, plantation owners, companies and government.

Challenges
Poaching remains a major threat
Over 300 orang utans were lost leaving 11,000 left.

Plantation enclosed on riparian reserves

No documentation to obligate what can be done.

No buffer zone between plantation and rivers

River reserves can be an alternative but no linkage.

Key strategies Highlighted

Private Sector Support No killing Wise land use Reducing Land Pressure

Private Sector Support

Securing land for wildlife corridors
Implementing the Borneo Ecological Corridor by Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT). Discussing with big companies
Sime Darby Genting IOI

 Example of supports :
Yu Kwang Development established 1km long, 50m wide corridor in Bukit Melapi, Sukau. BCT also signed a memorandum with KTS Plantation
Set-up a green corridor for orang utans and elephants. 3 years programme in conserving good biodiversity in KTS.

To secure the corridor from private sector is challenging effort

BTC intend to get partnership with the industry Instead of buying land, BTC will work with them to establish the corridor

No Killing
Local communities are trained to detect poaching. Zero tolerance to wildlife killing
Penalizing workers that violate the law Apply to plantation worker

Cooperate with industry and federal government

Support environment conservation effort

 Educating people on conservation and biodiversity management Provide training to enhance estate ecosystem
Training on biodiversity issues