Protect the Orang utan

 Orang utan is classified as endangered animal as its numbers are degrading due to their habitat being destroyed, fragmented and poaching. According to a wildlife study, orang utans need large swaths of forests for them to survive.

The findings by Malaysian, British and Swiss researchers stating that high-quality natural forests are most preferable by the orang utans. To allow the orang utan to disperse naturally, a sufficient network of high-quality natural forest and dispersal corridors must be restored across Borneo and Sumatra.

Our unique wildlife and biodiversity are our natural heritage, and we owe it to ourselves not to deny our future generations these privileges and environmental treasures that we now enjoy. Therefore, Sabah is set to intensify its green effort and bring more value to its conservation efforts in the state.

Sabah had always been proactive in its task to monitor wildlife and to enforce laws against wildlife poachers and killers. For instance, the Ulu Segama - Malua project which covering some 240,000ha of production forest reserves is designated for natural forest management and orang utan conservation.

The Federal Government is also ready to help Sabah in its conservation of orang utan by financially assisting the state to acquire land between areas planted with oil palm. According to the Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, the one of the way to help this conservation is by buying parcels of land, largely owned by oil palm plantations, to be used as forest corridors.

Meanwhile, the 35 year State Species Action Plans for the orang utan, elephant and rhinoceros has been launched in Sabah as a platform for better protecton of the 3 flagship species. State government and the plantation industry will collaborate in implementing these Species Action Plans. The plans are part of the nation's continued commitment towards conservation and continuation of its unique flora and fauna.