3 more rare Borneo elephants mysteriously found dead

Wildlife officials investigate the death of an elephant at the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in Sabah, Malaysia. Thirteen endangered Borneo pygmy elephants have been found dead in the Malaysian forest under mysterious circumstances. (Sabah Wildlife Department/Associated Press)

 

13 deaths this month, suspiscions of poisoning

 

Malaysian authorities discovered the decomposing remains of another three endangered Borneo pygmy elephants today, deepening a mystery surrounding at least 13 such deaths this month.

The wildlife department in Malaysia's Sabah state is bracing for the possibility of finding more dead elephants in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve, where an unknown number of the animals roam, said Masidi Manjun, Sabah's environment minister.

Police are investigating suspicions that the elephants were poisoned. Officials have declined to say whether there are any suspects.

The first 10 known deaths captured wide attention when they were made public this week. Authorities released several photographs of the elephant carcasses and a particularly poignant one of a three-month-old surviving calf that appeared to be trying to wake its dead mother.

"There is definitely a sense of urgency," Masidi said by telephone from Sabah on Wednesday. "We cannot discount the possibility of more bad news."

The orphaned male elephant, nicknamed "Joe" by his rescuers, was transported to a Sabah wildlife park. Officials say he is under observation and appears healthy.

Fewer than 1,500 Borneo pygmy elephants

 

The WWF conservation group estimates that fewer than 1,500 Borneo pygmy elephants exist. Most live in Sabah, one of two Malaysian states on Borneo island, and grow to about 2.5 metres tall, about 30 to 60 centimetres shorter than mainland Asian elephants.

Known for their babyish faces, large ears and long tails, Borneo pygmy elephants were found to be a distinct subspecies only in 2003, after DNA testing.

Officials are working to have a laboratory analysis of samples from the dead elephants ready "as soon as possible," Masidi said.

Department veterinarians have said the elephants, believed to belong to a single herd, suffered severe hemorrhages and ulcers in their gastrointestinal tracts.

Source: CBC News

 

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Plantations, floodings reduce elephant habitat

 KOTA KINABALU: The forests inhabited by the elephants in the Kinabatangan are shrinking because they are converted for agriculture such as palm oil plantations.

A recently published study in the scientific journal Public Library of Science One (PLoS 1) looked closely at this situation, using a modeling approach to determine the size of habitat actually available to the elephants in the Kinabatangan.

This study was carried out by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), Cardiff University and Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC), the NGO HUTAN and Antioch University New England (USA).

Dr Marc Ancrenaz, co-director of the NGO HUTAN and one of the leading authors of the study said: "Although more than 45,000 ha of forests were protected in Lower Kinabatangan, our analysis shows that only 19,000 ha are being used by the elephants. These elephants use the protected and unprotected riverine habitat up and down the Lower Kinabatangan between Batu Puteh and Abai. Furthermore, during flooding events, only 6,500 ha of forest are accessible to the elephants."

"This study clearly shows that elephants do not have much choice but to find refuge in the palm oil estates surrounding their habitat, especially during the rainy season," said Dr Benoit Goossens, director of Danau Girang Field Centre and a co-author of the paper.

Goossens added they had been collecting satellite data of more than 10 individuals since 2008 and they confirmed that elephants were spending more time in the palm oil plantations than five years ago.

Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu, director of the Sabah Wildlife Department, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun asked for a moratorium on any new land development in the Kinabatangan floodplain during the closing remarks of the Sabah Orang-utan Conservation Dialogue held in Kota Kinabalu last week.

"Elephants are one of the most important tourism attractions in the State. This study shows that such a moratorium is not only needed to protect orang-utans but also to ensure the long-term survival of elephants in Kinabatangan.

"As previously identified by my department, we need to enlarge the network of protected forests in the Lower Kinabatangan by creating contiguous corridors of natural habitat along the river. The state government and partners also need to identify a way to allow elephants to travel across the Lahad Datu-Sandakan highway that blocks their migration route. Last but not least, elephants are fully protected by the laws of Sabah. I urge the palm oil industry and other land users to mitigate conflicts in ways that do not harm the animals," added Ambu.

Source: http://sabarahamalay.blogspot.com/2012/11/plantations-floodings-reduce-elephant.html

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Malaysia Saves Endangered Pygmy Elephant on Borneo

 

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 23, 2012 (AFP) - Malaysian wildlife authorities said Monday they had rescued a pygmy elephant calf on Borneo island and expressed hope a planned sanctuary would provide protection for the endangered animals.
  
The male calf, which is less than a month old, was pulled out of a deep moat surrounding a palm oil plantation in remote Sabah state on Friday, said Sen Nathan, a senior official with the Sabah Wildlife Department.
  
It is the fifth calf rescued by wildlife officials since 2009. Three of those previously saved have died but a female has recovered and is now at a wildlife park.

[Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Pygmy Elephants?]
 
There are fewer than 2,000 Borneo pygmy elephants left in the wild, according to authorities. A sub-species of the Asian elephant, the creatures have a rounded appearance and are smaller than mainland elephants.
  
The latest rescued calf, which weighed about 50 kilograms (110 pounds), was in a serious condition, Nathan told AFP.
  
"He suffered severe dehydration and cuts and abrasions, probably while trying to get out of the moat," he said.
  
The elephant's mother was probably forced to leave it behind after the pair fell into the moat, and the calf likely spent more than a day there before being spotted by plantation workers, he said.
  
Nathan said a planned elephant sanctuary on 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of land within the 26,000-hectare Kinabatangan wildlife sanctuary in Sabah would help protect the animals.
  
The sanctuary would be able to house up to 60 injured elephants, as well as those found when they were too young to be reintroduced into the wild.

[Learn More About Pygmy Elephants]
  
Authorities announced plans for the sanctuary earlier this month and want it open by the end of the year. "We really need this sanctuary," Nathan said.
  
The sanctuary will be funded with 5.3 million ringgit ($1.7 million) from industry body the Malaysian Palm Oil Council and 1.5 million ringgit from NGO the Borneo Conservation Trust.
  
Wildlife activists warn that pygmy elephants are fast losing their natural habitat to deforestation and human encroachment on Borneo, a vast island shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

Source: http://blogs.discovery.com/animal_news/2012/01/malaysia-saves-endangered-pygmy-elephant-on-borneo.html

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Melapi Elephant Corridor

The fragmentation of the forest habitats is one of the key challenges to ensure the survival of the Bornean elephants in Sabah. The ‘Melapi elephant corridor’ in Sukau has proven that even a strip of land 50 meters wide makes a difference to facilitate the migration of the Bornean elephant herds in Lower Kinabatangan.

The conservation project, led by Raymond Alfred, the head of Conservation and Research, Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT), explained that the corridor was established in August 2011 which is a collaboration between the Sabah Wildlife Department and Borneo Conservation Trust, together with their partners Syarikat Yu Kwang Development Sdn. Bhd. and Proboscis Lodge Bukit Melapi.

The Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT) is a non-profit NGO established in 2006 and was incorporated under the Trustee’s Ordinance 1951, Cap. 148 (Sabah).

BCT relies wholly on funds and grants that is provided by individuals and corporations, to enable it to implement conservation and research works.

The establishment of the Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT) was first mooted as an unprecedented Malaysia-Japanese effort to re-acquire the important alienated lands in the wetlands and riverine forests in order to allow the movements of Bornean elephants and orang utans, the flagship species of Sabah.

“We are very happy to know that the elephants are now able to pass through the land using this corridor to migrate from one key habitat to another, when previously it was a very narrow bottleneck,” said Alfred.

“This collaborative effort is an example where the private sector can work with us and the NGOs. We welcome the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with companies and organisations keen to play an active role in supporting and contributing to Sabah’s wildlife conservation initiatives,” said Dr Laurentius N. Ambu, the director of the Sabah Wildlife Department.

“With the re-establishment of this corridor, the potential human and elephant conflict in the villages and plantations is also reduced,” concluded Ambu.

This week, students from the Nihon University Japan, planted more than 100 trees within this corridor to facilitate the movement of the orang utans within the fragmented habitat in the future.

The activities of the students were coordinated by Borneo Conservation Trust Japan (BCT-Japan).

With continuous diligent effort in the next three years, a forest canopy could be eventually established in the area. 

Source: http://kepkas.sabah.gov.my/2012/03/20/elephants-using-survival-corridor/

Photo Source:  http://true-wildlife.blogspot.com/2011/01/borneo-elephant.html

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Borneo elephants as protected species

Those who kill Borneo elephants will now face a mandatory jail term as part of Sabah’s efforts to upgrade its conservation of the animal.

State Tourism, Culture and En­­vironment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the elephant was classified as a totally protected species under its wildlife laws.

“This means that as far as our elephants are concerned, if you kill, you go to jail,” he said when closing a wildlife conference here yesterday.

The conference was jointly organised by the state’s Wildlife Depart­ment and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council.

Light moment: Masidi (centre) chatting with Australian Senator Nick Xenophon (left) and Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) chairman Datuk Seri Shahrir Abdul Samad (right) during the closing ceremony of the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Colloquium (SWCC) in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.

 

Under the totally protected classification, those convicted of killing the animals will be liable for a mandatory jail term of up to five years.

Previously, those convicted of killing these animals, which were listed only as protected, were liable to a fine of up to RM30,000 or three years in default or both.

Masidi said the state was also finalising its draft of a request to the Federal Government to amend the Fisheries Act to prohibit the hunting of sharks in Malaysian waters.

“We hope that with such changes, we won’t see the sale of shark’s fin in this country soon,” he added.

On concerns that the state’s agricultural sector was impacting the environment, Masidi said: “We know we are blessed with an abundance of natural assets and we are determined to protect them.

“But Sabah, too, has its peculiarities and among these is that we are dependent on agriculture to eradicate poverty.

“So, you can criticise us but please see our side of the story, too.”

Meanwhile, Sabah Wildlife De­­partment director Laurentius Ambu said among the consensus reached at the conference, which was atten­ded by conservationists and oil palm industry representatives, was the need to push zero tolerance for wildlife killing.

“If companies would make it clear to their staff that they would be fired if they were found to be killing wildlife illegally, this could be a highly effective tool,” said Laurentius, adding that such an approach should be taken for protected species.

He said participants also highlighted the need for the maintenance of forest corridors in plantations.

“If such corridors no longer exist, these should be re-established wherever possible. It is, however, recognised that corridor establishment is expensive and challenging, and needs to be done together with other management tools,” he added.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/1/11/nation/10238956&sec=nation 

GreenSabah says: With the mandatory jail term, this will definitely help protect our elephants. Companies should ensure that their workers knew this rule to prevent them from killing wildlife, which not only harm the protected animals, but it is also illegal as well.

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Borneo Elephant Wildlife Sanctuary begin operation in mid 2012

The Borneo Elephant Wildlife Sanctuary in Kinabatangan will begin operation by the middle of this year.

Sabah Wildlife Director, Dr. Laurentius Ambu, said 2,000 hectares of land have been allocated to provide shelter and rehabilitate rescued Borneo pygmy elephants.

“We do not intend to house all the (rescued) elephants there. We will keep the animals there for treatment and then we will release them back into the wild,” he told reporters after the opening of the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Colloquium 2012 here yesterday.

The colloquium was opened by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.

Ambu said for a start, 20 elephants would be given shelter for treatment and rehabilitation once the sanctuary is operational.

He said there are 60 to 100 elephants of the pygmy species to be located and rescued using satellite tracking. The pygmy elephant is a smaller kind of the elephant species. They are considered endangered and about 2,000 remain in Sabah.

The sanctuary will be operated by the Sabah Wildlife Department and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, and consists of a rescue facility and a research and education division.

Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Masidi Manjun has urged people in the state, particularly players in the oil palm industry, to help the government in protecting wildlife and the biodiversity.

He said, lately, the natural habitats of wildlife such as elephants, rhinos and orang utans have become increasingly threatened and smaller in size.

“This is due to the growth of human population that requires more space and food. Widespread activity of clearing forests for various development purposes have also contributed to decreasing wildlife habitat.

“In order to solve this problem, the Wildlife Department with the support of the Malaysia Palm Oil Council and Borneo Conservation Trust as well as non-government organisations like the Hutan-Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme and the Danau Girang Field Centre have organised the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Colloquium,” he said.

By the year 2025, the population in Sabah is expected to grow up to 30 per cent to reach 4.2 million.

“I do not want to think that at the same time, we will face a drop of 30 per cent in wildlife population,” said Masidi.

The two-day Colloquium attracted delegates from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, United Kingdom, United States and Australia.

Meanwhile, Dompok has urged the Malaysian oil palm industry to collaborate with the state government in implementing the Species Action Plan, particularly for the conservation and rehabilitation of Sabah’s three iconic species – the orang utan, the Borneo pygmy elephant and the Sumatran rhinoceros.

“I am optimistic that, with the cooperation of all the parties, the oil palm industry can co-exist in a sustainable manner with the environment, particularly in Sabah,” he said.

Source: http://newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/55179 

Green Sabah says: Hope that the Oil Palm industry within the state will give cooperation to the State government to help conserve and rehabilitate the Orang Utan, Pygmy Elephants and Sumatran Rhinos to prevent them from going extinct. It is possible to transform our local industry to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly. 

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