Monday, September 24, 2007

Concerns over future of Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary


When we spotted a herd of Borneo Pygmy elephants at the banks of the Lower Kinabatangan river at Danau Girang in Sabah recently, we were overcome excitement and sadness.

We were excited and exhilarated because we had a close look at the giants of this forest, almost face to face at a distance of about 4m.

There were three newborn calves closely guarded by their mothers and gracefully nibbling the green leaves. A bull elephant was guarding the herd a short distance away, watching every movement of the intruders.

However we were sad and worried because such endangered species may soon disappear if corrective measures were not taken quickly, for the forest reserve or the corridor of life at one side of the riverbank had been encroached by oil palm plantations, leaving little room for movement for wildlife.

Such is the scenario witnessed by a group of journalists, environmentalists and non-governmental organisation members when they were taken on a Wildlife Expedition at Lower Kinabatangan through the Nature Conservation Programme under the auspices of the School of Biology and Tropical Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

Continue reading (incl. pics) at: Concerns over future of Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

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