- 8 months ago
Elephant conservation of the estimated 3,800 elephants across the country faces complex economic and socio-environmental challenges.
The recent baby elephant roadkill also highlights a wider crisis: nearly 2,400 wildlife deaths have occurred on Malaysian roads just since 2020, including endangered species. Untouched forests which are critical wildlife and elephant habitats are being threatened by proposed road projects and habitat fragmentation in Peninsular states like Pahang and Negeri Sembilan.
In Sabah, a key issue with Borneo elephant conservation is the ongoing threat of habitat loss, primarily due to deforestation for agriculture, especially oil palm plantations.
The recent baby elephant roadkill also highlights a wider crisis: nearly 2,400 wildlife deaths have occurred on Malaysian roads just since 2020, including endangered species. Untouched forests which are critical wildlife and elephant habitats are being threatened by proposed road projects and habitat fragmentation in Peninsular states like Pahang and Negeri Sembilan.
In Sabah, a key issue with Borneo elephant conservation is the ongoing threat of habitat loss, primarily due to deforestation for agriculture, especially oil palm plantations.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to Nyaga Spotlight with me, Tamina Khaushi.
00:11Nyaga Spotlight takes us through the week in economic analysis and future affairs.
00:15Now this week on future affairs, we're looking at eco-assets and elephant conservation in
00:20Malaysia.
00:22Elephant conservation in Malaysia faces complex economic and socio-environmental challenges.
00:27Now in 2025, an estimated 3,800 elephants or so are believed to live across Malaysia.
00:34The recent elephant roadkill also highlights a wider crisis.
00:38Nearly 2,400 wildlife deaths have occurred on Malaysian roads just since 2020, including
00:43endangered species.
00:45The tragic death of a baby elephant on the East-West Highway on Mother's Day, 11 May,
00:50with heart-wrenching visuals of the elephant mother's grief, underscores the urgent need
00:53for effective mitigation strategies to protect one of our most beloved eco-assets, the Malaysian
00:59wild elephant.
01:01Untouched forests, which are critical wildlife and elephant habitats, are being threatened
01:04by proposed road projects and habitat fragmentation in several states.
01:08In Sabah, meanwhile, a key issue with Borneo pygmy elephant conservation is the ongoing
01:13threat of habitat loss, primarily due to deforestation for agriculture, especially all palm plantations.
01:20Today on Nyaga Spotlight, we have the pleasure of having with us in the studios Dr. Farina
01:24Othman, founder and director of Saratu Atai, leading efforts to protect the endangered
01:29Borneo pygmy elephant in Sabah.
01:31Dr. Wong Ipin, Associate Professor with University of Nottingham, Malaysia and Principal Investigator,
01:36Management and Ecology of Malaysian Elephants, MEME, joins us also to highlight proactive
01:41measures for elephant conservation in Malaysia.
01:45A very good morning to the both of you.
01:46Thank you so much for making time today.
01:48Thank you for having us.
01:49Yes, thank you.
01:51Right, so if I could get started, perhaps Ipin, if you could start off by helping us
01:56to actually identify the fact that Malaysia is actually home to two subspecies of wild
02:02elephants.
02:03Could you give us a quick overview and also what have been some of the ongoing as well
02:08as historic challenges when it comes to conservation?
02:11Yeah, I think Malaysia is very fortunate that we have elephants in Peninsular Malaysia and
02:17also in Borneo, particularly in Sabah.
02:20So maybe Farina will elaborate more on the Borneo elephants here.
02:25So in Peninsular Malaysia, we estimate there's about 1,500 elephants and in Sabah recently
02:32the estimate is about 1,000.
02:34More or less the same.
02:37So in terms of conservation of elephants in Malaysia, I'm glad that the researchers in
02:43Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia, we collaborate very closely.
02:48So we exchange knowledge and data and we discuss on strategies and things like that.
02:56A lot of the stakeholders that we work with are quite similar.
02:59For example, the oil palm plantations, the oil palm plantations that have estates in
03:03Peninsular Malaysia and also in Sabah and elsewhere, and a lot of best practices are
03:08being shared across all this region so that we can increase our ability to have elephants
03:18and oil palms in the same area.
03:21Exactly.
03:22Of course, we'll go deeper into discussing a bit of that.
03:24I just wanted to ask as a matter of curiosity, there isn't actually much specific data available
03:30for elephant populations in Sarawak.
03:33Any thoughts around how perhaps that could be made more available?
03:37Could that also be more helpful to the overall elephant conservation work which is happening
03:42in Malaysia, do you think?
03:45So currently we do not have elephants in Sarawak, but maybe in the past we had a long time ago
03:51because during the Ice Age, this whole continent over here, the Borneo and Peninsular, we are
04:02actually connected.
04:05Yes, thank you Farina, you're able to walk from Peninsular Malaysia to Borneo and vice versa.
04:11If I can add to that, not many people know that Borneo is the third largest island in
04:20the world, but the Bornean elephants are only found in the north part, which is in Sabah.
04:25That's right, correct.
04:26So there are still a lot of discussions and debates around that, why we only have elephants
04:35in Sabah, not in other parts of Borneo, but there is really more like an academic debate
04:41right now.
04:42The most important thing is that we have elephants and we have to find a way to manage and conserve
04:47them.
04:48And speaking of ways to conserve them, first and foremost, of course, wanting to congratulate
04:54Seratu Atai on your recent recognition by the Whitley Conservation Fund.
04:59Tell us a little bit more, Dr. Farina, about what you have noticed through your work with
05:04Seratu Atai and partners about Borneo pygmy elephant and the most critical issues that
05:09you feel need to be highlighted.
05:11All right, so first of all, I would like to just create some awareness that our Bornean
05:18elephants, they are not pygmy, because a lot of people thought we have very small elephants,
05:23but no, our elephant is quite big.
05:26Okay, so let's dispel that.
05:27So why has it become a commonplace, well, layperson term to actually refer to them as
05:33pygmies?
05:34They are the smallest subspecies of Asian elephant for sure, but they're not pygmy.
05:40I think it's just to give some kind of a nice attraction, because at the beginning, when
05:49in starting 2003, people still not knowing what is Bornean elephant.
05:54So I guess some group of researchers, they started to learn about elephants and they
05:58want to attract people to get to know these species, then they started to call us pygmy
06:06elephants.
06:07Right, okay.
06:08So it kind of stuck, even though it is not exactly ecologically accurate.
06:13Yeah, but they are like the smallest subspecies of Asian elephants.
06:17And according, of course, to the recognition for Seratu Atai by the recent Whitley Award,
06:24are there approximately how many of these elephants in Sabah area?
06:28So right now, just because estimation can be, you know, we won't get the actual numbers.
06:33That's correct.
06:34Yes, always estimates.
06:37And now we have about like 1500, so 1500 Bornean elephant.
06:42The biggest challenge is that they are ranging distribution is very limited to the east coast
06:48of Sabah.
06:49Right.
06:50Where, you know, this area also very, very good for oil palm plantations and other socio-economic
06:56growth activities.
06:58So this is where it's very important to, you know, everyone comes together and try to integrate
07:06elephants in the landscape.
07:08Correct.
07:09Can I ask that, well, traditionally speaking, have elephants always been towards this side
07:14of the coast?
07:15When it comes to habitat restoration and community engagement, what are some of the features
07:21that you've noticed?
07:23So elephants are always since the beginning only found in the east coast of Sabah.
07:29And I think in terms of habitat restoration, we tend to neglect the nature of elephants.
07:35They are a species, a wide range species, they need a mix of, you know, habitats.
07:42Elephants, I think is more suitable for species like orangutan that needs trees and things
07:48like that, because most of the restoration that we're doing right now is planting, you
07:52know, like, yeah, like native trees.
08:00Right.
08:01Right.
08:02But elephants, they prefer more like grasses.
08:05And so it's very important for us to, for elephants, it's not, first of all, we first
08:10need to think that don't destroy first their habitats.
08:13Yes, number one.
08:14And then when we try to restore, it's about connectivity, it's about trying to expand
08:18their ranging area so that they can move and, you know, right now their traditional route
08:22has been disturbed and sometimes they are stuck in an area because we have, you know,
08:28we put a lot of barriers, for example, we put a lot of, we try to stop them basically
08:33so they're stuck in one area, then it will create more conflicts.
08:37So for elephants, the most important thing is to try to expand their ability to move
08:44from one area to another area, which is very challenging.
08:48Absolutely.
08:49And I think often when it comes to a crisis point, the challenge actually ends up being
08:53unfortunate, our wildlife and elephant road kills, which is what we recently saw.
08:58I think a lot of attention has come to the issue, but let's dig a bit deeper, Dr. Ifin.
09:04Let's look at balancing logging, palm oil cultivation, as well as, you know, elephant
09:09conservation at the medium to long term in sustainable manners.
09:14Yeah.
09:15So the scenario in Peninsular Malaysia is slightly different from Sabah.
09:20So the elephant range in Peninsular Malaysia is shrinking.
09:24In the past 40 years and now, we have lost about around 60% of elephant range in human
09:31dominated landscape.
09:33So right now, the effort is actually to try to retain the elephant range in Peninsular
09:39Malaysia.
09:40And for that to happen, we need to work with the stakeholders on the ground, which is including
09:45the forest plantations, the oil palm plantations, and of course, the state parks and national
09:53parks and all.
09:55Yeah.
09:56Exactly.
09:57So, of course, outside of the forest, the only area which the wildlife and elephants
10:02are also able to survive then actually conflicts with humans, right?
10:07Yes.
10:08So, elephants, they like a lot of monocots, grasses, bamboos, grazing areas, grazing areas.
10:16Yeah.
10:17Unfortunately, oil palm is also a monocot and they are attracted to young palms.
10:22So that is why for us to conserve elephants, it's very important for us to be able to work
10:28with the oil palm plantations to find ways how can elephant and people live together
10:33in the same landscape.
10:35Yeah.
10:36So tackling the conflict, minimising some of the damages, allowing elephants to move
10:42safely from one feeding ground to the other feeding ground.
10:45So these are some of the efforts that we are trying to carry out together, yeah, with all
10:49the elephant researchers.
10:51Understood.
10:52And when it comes to the palm oil plantation stakeholders themselves, especially the ones
10:56in Peninsula, even, have they actually been proactive and interested?
11:01Because also the palm oil industry, the agricultural sector, is facing a lot of certification and
11:08upgrading, right?
11:09How does that come into this landscape?
11:11Okay.
11:12So this is the economic aspect, yeah?
11:14Sure.
11:15So oil palm is a very heavily scrutinised industry.
11:19I think Marina will agree, right, all the campaigns on orangutans, elephants and all.
11:26Often they paint oil palm as the bad guy, yeah?
11:29So in this narrative, we are trying to give another perspective, saying oil palm plantations
11:35too can help support wildlife conservation of endangered species.
11:39There's a lot of efforts done by the orangutan researchers in Sabah, yeah, Marina?
11:45And also the elephant researchers.
11:47So coming up with best practices for oil palm plantations, how can we manage the conflict
11:54at the same time, allow this endangered species to live?
11:58Yes.
11:59Exactly.
12:00And I picked up on something which you mentioned earlier, which is that basically the young
12:04palms are more targeted because that is the elephant's preferred diet.
12:08So what has been perhaps some of the feedback that has been noticed from the oil palm stakeholders
12:14about maybe recommendations which have come in from researchers like yourself for perhaps
12:20protecting the young oil palms, since the mature oil palms seem to do well.
12:24But of course, the issue is that they want all the oil palms to mature, right, without
12:28any conflict with the elephants in the area.
12:31Michelle?
12:32Yes, sure.
12:34So for example, I think we have to understand that oil palm, they have a lot of groups,
12:41if I can make it simple.
12:42Sure, please do.
12:43You have the small holders, you have the medium size, you have the big players, and the resources
12:48that they have also very different.
12:50They vary really.
12:51Exactly.
12:52So the big players, they are very committed to certification, for example, they understand
12:56the importance of sustainability.
12:59But if you imagine the small holders that have only very small land, and each trees
13:06mean everything to them, right?
13:08Naturally, yes.
13:09A hundred trees, meaning all hundred need to be fruiting.
13:11And some of them, they don't even have a hundred trees.
13:14And you have, so how to convince, you know, one farmer that really depend the entire livelihood
13:22of the family depend on that one single trees.
13:26So the approach need to be, to be, you know, also different to which groups that we are
13:32dealing with.
13:35And right now, we forget that when we look at in human elephant conflict, there is actually
13:41another component, which is human-human conflict, that is more challenging for us to deal with.
13:47Let's talk about that.
13:48Okay, yeah, sure.
13:49So right now, I feel that the blame that we get is because we don't really understand
13:56how the industry work.
13:58They are planters, so they have different kind of goal and mission.
14:02And now you are putting all the responsibility on them to manage the ecological side.
14:08That's why we have to work together right now.
14:10And I'm happy that in Peninsular Malaysia and in Sabah, we are in the right path.
14:14We are working together.
14:15There are more and more positive collaboration with, between industry and also conservation
14:21to do.
14:22It's very positive.
14:23Yeah.
14:24Exactly.
14:25Would you mind telling us a little bit more about, in particular, Seratu Atai's experience,
14:29particularly working in the lower Kinabatangan area?
14:32Why first of all, is this area so valuable when it comes to conservation issues?
14:38So Kinabatangan is a very fragmented, for me, it's crowded with people and, but at the
14:45same time, it sustains so many different kind of species, endangered species, endemic species
14:50of Borneo.
14:51Economically, it's very important for tourism activities, because that's the best place
14:57for you to be able to see wild elephants in their natural habitats, you know, we are talking
15:03about, you see elephants on the riverbank eating their, their natural feeding, you know,
15:09the orangutan on the trees, building the nest.
15:11So this is the, like, like a heaven for people who love to see wildlife.
15:15But at the same time, there are a lot of pressure, Kinabatangan itself is a corridor.
15:20So all the wildlife, they live in the corridor.
15:22So there are more pressures, we need to be able to balance between the, you know, the
15:29needs for economic and also to preserve the wildlife.
15:33Yeah, so what we're trying to do at Seratu Atai is right now trying to look at how we
15:39can do this at the landscape level, rather than on a, you know, like, individual land
15:44or individual stakeholders, or how all of us can work together.
15:47That's why Seratu Atai means bersatu hati, which we want to try to bring everyone together.
15:52Correct.
15:53Now, clearly, collaboration is going to be a big part of the landscape, not just moving
15:59forward.
16:00But the, tell me a little bit more, Ethan, about the existing synergy of MIMS work, collaborating
16:04also with researchers in Sabah.
16:06Yes, in fact, for the first workshop we have in Peninsular Malaysia that we organise on
16:11human elephant conflict and coexistence, I actually invited researchers from Sabah like
16:16Farina, Datuk John Payne, to come and share what they are doing there with the groups
16:24here in Peninsular Malaysia.
16:26And later on, I have subsequent other workshops, two other, three other workshops, actually.
16:33And then we start to develop our path and we decided for the place that we're working
16:37in, the corridors and food banks are very important.
16:41And this synergise with also national policy like Centre for Spine Masterplan for Peninsular
16:46Malaysia to try to reconnect some of these forest habitats.
16:51And yet, we are trying to find win-win solutions whereby, you know, the elephants can move
16:58and find food.
16:59At the same time, the plantation are able to protect their vulnerable sites, such as
17:05the young palms or their residential area or their meals, places with high density of
17:11people.
17:12So, we're trying to encourage, to attract elephants to use the pathway near to the forest
17:18so they are still familiar to go back to the forest and then maybe just go to some grassland
17:24area or grazing area prepared for them and to feed on.
17:29So, in this way, we hope we can try to lower some of the conflict between people and elephants.
17:35Exactly.
17:36And perhaps if I could have a quick comment, especially from Meem's side, looking at the
17:40fact that there is not so much available data about the Asian elephants from our region
17:47and how it actually adds on to not only the regional but the global wealth of knowledge.
17:54I think the Sundaic elephants, there's the elephants in this region, not much is known
18:00about them actually.
18:01So, the work that the researchers in Sabah, what Farina is doing and others, very, very
18:06important.
18:07And the work that is produced by Meem, my organisation, and also other researchers from
18:12Pelitan, WCS, WWF, are all very important for us to know more about Asian elephants
18:21in the rainforest.
18:22Because a lot of what we know about elephants is from Africa, India, Sri Lanka.
18:28So, what we have is still relatively mysterious and cryptic.
18:34And I really admire the work of the researchers in Sabah and I'm very happy that we are able
18:39to collaborate together in this aspect.
18:42Thank you for the discussion so far.
18:43We take a quick break.
18:44Don't go anywhere.
18:45We'll be right back with Nyaga Spotlight, focusing on our eco-assets and elephant conservation
18:50around Malaysia.
19:10Welcome back to Nyaga Spotlight with me, Tamina Kowsji.
19:13So, today we've been discussing eco-assets and looking at elephant conservation in and
19:18around all areas of Malaysia.
19:20Now, continuing the conversation, perhaps we were also looking at the fact that there
19:25is a need to look at the loss of about 60% of Bornean elephant habitats in the last 40
19:31years.
19:32So, is it perhaps maybe some innovative ideas or strategies which you have had, Dr Farina,
19:40looking at your work in Sabah, but at the same time, perhaps, there wasn't the available
19:45funding for it?
19:46If you, let's say, had the available funding and the available, you know, collaboration
19:51and synergies all in place, would there be some specific areas that you would want to
19:55jumpstart already?
19:57And what would they be?
19:58Right.
19:59So, for conservation, for elephant conservation, the most important thing is to try to, again,
20:07we really, I started Surat O Ata at the beginning because I feel frustrated we are trying to
20:13stop elephant.
20:15Every time it's about elephant have to adopt, have to change.
20:19That's right.
20:20For us.
20:21Not the other way around, right?
20:22Exactly.
20:23So, I would like to come back to the human-human conflicts that we're having.
20:26So, right now, we can put all the technologies, but without people tolerance towards the elephant,
20:34we cannot go far.
20:36Elephants, they can learn, they make decisions, they have personality, but if we keep looking
20:43at them as just being animal, whatever technologies that we use will never work.
20:49So, for us right now, it's more building the trust with the communities, with the stakeholders.
20:56Always try to follow through all the plans that we do together and always come with a
21:05solution together.
21:06It's not like me going to them and tell them you have to do A, B, C, D. It's about like,
21:10okay, now you are the owner of the land, you understand, and I know a bit of elephant's
21:15behavior.
21:16Right.
21:17How we can.
21:18Let's talk.
21:19Let's try to find the solution together.
21:21So, it's a marathon.
21:24A lot of people expect one solution overnight.
21:28Time for it to happen overnight.
21:29Exactly.
21:30And then, like you say, this is very seasonal.
21:33When there is a situation, then people.
21:35Exactly.
21:36So, that's why we need a group of, team of people that can work with the stakeholder
21:43and tell them that there is someone with you to walk this journey with you.
21:50And maybe we'll not get a big success, but small success, you know, like, for example,
21:56having integrated electric fence that, you know, everyone put the resources together.
22:01For us, Corridor, for example, it's not only trying to expand connectivity for elephants,
22:06but it's a unity, it's a sign of unity of the stakeholder sharing the landscape together
22:11that we are sharing this issue together, you know.
22:15So, I think that's the most important thing for elephant conservation.
22:18Exactly.
22:19So, basically along each stretch of land, then you're able to slowly integrate until
22:23hopefully it becomes normalized, right?
22:26And I would like to add to that, that, for example, if a plantation is doing a good thing,
22:32nobody really celebrate that.
22:34They only highlighting the issues.
22:37So, right now, for example, if they give up their land for Corridors, they never get any
22:42incentive, for example, that they're doing business and they are paying, for example,
22:48tax, for example, taxes.
22:50How can they, you know, come up with...
22:52Receive acknowledgement for that.
22:54Exactly.
22:55So, we have to also start talking about how we can support the oil pump that are committed,
23:00really sincere to make difference.
23:02And this is one of the things that Serato Atak is hoping we are engaging with, you know,
23:07like different MSPO and other, hopefully, you know, MPOB, the Ministry of Commodity
23:14to try to understand if there is a way that we can incentivize the plantation for doing,
23:21you know, a good job at conserving wildlife in their landscape.
23:25Exactly.
23:26And because each of you also separately did raise the importance of the elephants having
23:32diversified diet and especially things which they prefer to eat.
23:36What about perhaps some solutions around elephant powered agroforestry?
23:41Of course, they are, you know, incredible animals and they have a wide ranging landscape
23:46that they travel each and every day for food and around the habitat.
23:51Are we already integrating some of these solutions in the areas that you have both have work
23:55experience in?
23:57You want to go first?
24:00So for us, it's because right now there is no yet a mechanism how to, so right now it's
24:11all everyone is like experimenting which is working and which is not working.
24:17So planting the food bank for elephants and so that's why it's very important for us researchers
24:27to monitor and evaluate what is the success, what are not working and what is working.
24:33And usually that's take, you know, quite sometimes.
24:38So right now there is no, I think, one yet, you know, very successful.
24:42No one-size-fits-all.
24:43Exactly, exactly.
24:44And like I say, elephant learns and that's why we also have to be dynamic and flexible
24:52as well.
24:53Yeah, exactly.
24:54If I can add on to that.
24:56So for my research project, we did do some elephant feeding behaviour of, we released
25:03the elephant from captive facilities into a forest patch and we observed what kind of
25:08the plants that the elephant choose to eat, yeah?
25:11And what is available there.
25:12Right, and observing that, yeah.
25:13By observing that, we noticed the result that elephants really like monocots.
25:18They like palms and possibly that's why there is the conflict between the oil palm plantation
25:24and elephants.
25:27That's why the work done by the researchers in Sabah and Peninsular is so important to
25:31try to breach that conflict, try to move away from that narrative that elephants and oil
25:37palm cannot coexist.
25:38If we can show that elephants and oil palm can coexist in that area, then I think the
25:44oil palm industry will set a standard that is really good to show that we can balance
25:49development and conservation of nature at the same time.
25:52So I think it's a beautiful message that Malaysia can share with the world.
25:56Absolutely.
25:57I think we should be looking at solutions and especially, let's move back into, of course,
26:02the most recent case, Dr. Ifan.
26:05Now this isn't, of course, the first time that vehicle elephant collisions have occurred
26:09on that specific highway.
26:11Some thoughts around that and mitigation strategies, at least for the near future.
26:17Because meanwhile, all the good work is happening in the forest, in the background, researchers
26:21are working on identifying preferences for the elephant's well-being, but also the reality
26:27remains that quite often elephants get caught in the middle of the highway.
26:32So some thoughts around that.
26:34So in Peninsular Malaysia, yes, we have this issue of elephant vehicle collision from time
26:40to time.
26:41Some years we have a few cases at one go and some years there's none.
26:46So for the particular case in Grigjali Highway, that particular stretch of road, I'm quite
26:52familiar with it because this is one of my study sites.
26:56That road cut across a mountainous range.
26:59So even in normal circumstances, that road is considered, can be dangerous to drivers
27:05if they are tired or they are not paying attention, or if there's rain, the road is slippery.
27:10We have seen cars, you know, turning turtle or knock the banks and things like that, even
27:17without elephants' presence on the road.
27:20So if visibility on that road is low, for example, there's mist or there's not enough
27:27light, and with elephants' presence, their behavior is they like to cross the road at
27:33night, about 80% of them, of the crossing occurs at night.
27:38Daytime, there's about 20% of the crossing.
27:41Yeah.
27:42And of course, the visibility for drivers would, of course, be higher at the morning.
27:47In the morning, so they can react in time.
27:50So in this particular case, Grigjali Highway, a lot of, how do I say, uproar, yeah, came
27:59up from that incident.
28:01Everybody's pushing, well, what is the solution?
28:03There's a lot of efforts that have been tested, signboards, flashing LED lights by the authorities,
28:11and they even put in a verduck and all that.
28:15But all these measures can help, you know, maybe increase awareness and reduce some of
28:20it, but it doesn't resolve or take away the risk completely.
28:24Noted.
28:25Yeah.
28:26So because that road is an important road that connects between Perak and Kelantan.
28:31It's a natural crossing in a sense.
28:33So yeah, high number of vehicles and also trucks and all that.
28:39So is it okay if I propose what I feel is a good potential solution for this situation?
28:47Absolutely.
28:48So based on my observation on the ground, I feel perhaps one important step that we
28:54could take is actually to reduce the number of big trucks at night, reduce the traffic
29:02and that can allow, how do you say, reduce the danger of people driving at a slippery
29:12slope or, you know, the high, oh, so sorry.
29:15Exactly.
29:16Because also when it comes to the size of these lorries and other big vehicles, they
29:20may, of course, naturally be more difficult to control at night with, let's say, a tired
29:24driver behind the wheel.
29:26When it comes to Perhilitan, for example, and their set of recommended safety instructions,
29:32have you noticed also whether or not, in general, we are following all of the recommendations
29:37or is there room for improvement, Dr. Ifin?
29:43I think, yes, for drivers, this is, they're talking about people's behaviour.
29:48Yeah.
29:49Whenever you put up a new signboard, maybe they pay attention, but after a while it become
29:54part of the landscape and they will ignore the sign.
29:58In a sense, yeah.
30:01So that's the part of the challenge.
30:03How do we influence people's behaviour as they drive through that road?
30:08And that road cut across the Belum-Tumago Rainforest, meaning both sides of the road
30:13there are forests, there are wildlife crossing, many paths along the 120 kilometre highway.
30:21So if we can reduce the traffic at night, if we can perhaps suggest that the large trucks,
30:30maybe after certain hours, they have to park at the rest stop, in Bersia, in Grig, or in
30:38Geli, so that we reduce the number of trucks at night along that road.
30:45But that also means the light vehicles, yeah, they shouldn't start speeding up because the
30:50road is clear.
30:51So there's also another danger that could happen.
30:53It has to happen concurrently.
30:54Yeah.
30:55So we can, we also need to impose speed limits on the other vehicles so that they will slow
31:00down and pay attention to the surroundings.
31:03Yes, measures like, you know, making sure they have enough rest, making sure they are
31:08vigilant on their surroundings.
31:11And if they do encounter elephants, for them to actually slow down and let the elephant
31:16pass.
31:17Yeah.
31:18So all these measures are very important.
31:19Yeah.
31:20Absolutely.
31:21And when it comes together all in an integrated circle, that's perhaps where we actually start
31:25to see calculable differences in elephant populations, right?
31:29Dr. Farina, could I get some last thoughts from you regarding Borneo elephant conservation
31:35before we end?
31:37I think right now the Borneo elephants, I think you might know that it's already listed
31:44in the Red List, IUCN Red List.
31:49So we must put all the efforts and put more resources to be able to, because we are dealing,
31:57I mean, what happened in Peninsular Malaysia, touchwood, I hope will not happen in Sabah
32:03because we also have a highway that is being developed right now.
32:08There are a few structures that is very sensitive.
32:12So we hope that we can learn from what happened in Peninsular Malaysia.
32:16And as much as we can put all the planning starts from now.
32:22So I'm very sad that an elephant have to be, I mean, sacrificed to teach us a lesson.
32:30It's always like that.
32:31Exactly.
32:32It's always ad hoc.
32:33And I'm very grateful for the juvenile elephants because he's sacrificed now.
32:41We learn so much.
32:42It really opened a lot of eyes and heart to do better at conserving elephants.
32:48And what I hope that we just don't look them as a wildlife.
32:51They are also part of the landscape.
32:53They're living creatures like us and they have a needs that we have to tolerate with
32:57them.
32:58Yes, absolutely.
32:59Integrating and living together.
33:00Thank you very much, Dr. Farina and Dr. Ifan.
33:03Well, that's all we have time for today on Nyaga Spotlight, looking at conservation efforts
33:07for one of our grandest and most precious eco assets in Malaysia, the Malaysian wild
33:12elephant.
33:13We'll see you again next week with more economic analysis and insights.
33:16Here's to a productive week ahead.
Be the first to comment