The key to Borneo pygmy elephants' survival

KOTA KINABALU: A BETTER understanding of the origins of the Borneo pygmy elephants in Sabah is vital for their survival.

Danau Girang Field Centre researcher Benoit Goossens said understanding the pygmy elephants’ origins and past demography would be useful for the development of a long-term conservation strategy.

He said the centre, together with the Sabah Wildlife Department and other partners, was drafting a 10-year action plan to protect the elephants.

He said there were fewer than 2,000 pygmy elephants living in an increasingly fragmented environment. With regular news of poisoned or dead Bornean elephants, the future is grim for the endangered species.

A recent study by a joint research team, published in Scientific Reports, revealed that the elephants may have arrived on Borneo island at a time of the last land bridge between the Sunda Islands in Southeast Asia.

The research team was led by Lounes Chikhi from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC, Portugal) and CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier (France), Cardiff University (Wales), Sabah Wildlife Department and Goossens.

“Until recently, there are two opposing theories on the origin of Bornean elephants: they could have been introduced by humans, maybe 300 years ago, or they could have diverged from Asian elephants a long time ago.

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How did elephants get to Borneo? Scientists compare theories

Researchers believe they may have solved the mystery surrounding the origins of the Bornean elephant.

A team of scientists from Cardiff University joined forces with other experts from across the globe to tackle the conundrum of how the endangered species of mammal came to live on the south Pacific island.

The group used genetic data analysis and computational modelling to study the history of the elephants and found they might have migrated between the Sunda Islands in Southeast Asia during low sea levels.

The Bornean elephant is a subspecies of Asian elephant that only exists in a small region of Borneo, and until recently there were two opposing theories about their origin.

Dr Benoit Goossens, from Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences, said: “It has been thought that the Bornean elephant could have either been recently introduced by humans around 300 years ago, or they could have diverged from Asian elephants a long time ago.

“Historical records do show that neighbouring Sultans offered elephants as gifts to the Bornean Sultan in the 17th century and therefore current elephants could be non-native elephants that have become feral.

“There is also genetic research that demonstrated that Bornean elephants are very different from that of the other Asian elephants, suggesting that there was an ancient separation, possibly around 300,000 years ago.”

Dr Goossens said there was evidence for both theories but his colleague in the research, Rita Sharma, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, in Portugal, said their study had shown the likely answer was that the subspecies had naturally colonised Borneo around 11,400 to 18,300 years ago.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: How did elephants get to Borneo? Scientists compare theories

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Critical Wildlife Corridor in Borneo Secures Safe Passage for Pygmy Elephants

Rainforest Trust and its local partner in Borneo, HUTAN, announced a critical land purchase at the juncture of the Kinabatangan River and a tributary that is a major pinch-point for migrating Pygmy Elephants in Sabah.

“This small but strategic property safeguards a major pinch-point for migrating Pygmy Elephants in Sabah,” said Rainforest Trust CEO Dr. Paul Salaman.

“This property is one of the most important river crossing points between two protected areas and was at risk of being converted to an oil palm plantation, which would have greatly hindered the passage of over 100 Critically Endangered Bornean Pygmy Elephants.

In fact, in 2016 I had the pleasure of witnessing a family of Pygmy Elephants crossing from this very property that was for sale.”

In an effort to provide a connected landscape for the region’s species, Rainforest Trust’s local partner is working to protect the Kinabatangan Corridor, which links wildlife reserves and provides orangutans and elephants with safe passage in one of Malaysia’s most beautiful tropical rainforests.

This land within the corridor was sought by the oil palm industry, making its protection all the more critical.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Critical Wildlife Corridor in Borneo Secures Safe Passage for Pygmy Elephants

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Ultra-rich and awareness to save Sabah's pygmy elephants

THE latest warning is Sabah's elephants may go the same way of the Sumatran rhino – destined for extinction.

But the heart is going to need the help of a big purse to prevent that from happening, renowned American animal behaviourist, Katerina Pirelli believes.

So what about getting ultra-rich tourists to Sabah for lecture-style eco-tours and at the same time buy up lands deemed the jumbos' critical migration routes to avert extinction?

Yes, that's precisely the idea Katerina is working on by signing a pact with Borneo Conservation Trust on November 22.

Money and awareness is critical at this juncture, says Katerina, a trainer of animals for 20 years for movies and television on just about any animal, ranging from lions, tigers, bears and kangaroos, reptiles and primates among others.

Daily Express noticed her presence at the Nov 30-31 International Workshop on the Banteng held in Le Meridien Hotel but did not know she was into this bold initiative, until Sabah Nature Club founder, Omar introduced Katerina – founder of Borneo Wildlife Preservation (BWP).

With clear diction, an articulate Katerina expounded her vision and mission.

She said: "Basically, we in Borneo Wildlife Preservation and Borneo Conservation Trust have collaborated with a Memorandum of Understanding to put our efforts together to help progress the Bornean pygmy elephant survival."

Lecture-style eco tours for ultra-rich "We are helping Borneo Conservation Trust to purchase land in fragmented forests to connect fragmented migration routes for the elephants with tree planting projects.

"We are also purchasing land to preserve some lands that are already forests for the migrating elephants along the Kinabatangan river," Katerina said.

To get it off the ground, she said she had been working with one Josephine.

"We have been travelling together throughout Sabah, trying to put together an eco tour – a lecture style eco tour geared towards the ultra-rich to come from Europe and the United States to view some of the rainforests of Borneo."

She noted: "Right now there are luxury cruise coming here on private yachts. They come to Borneo and various parts of the island, including Kota Kinabalu and different parts of Sabah.

"But my idea is to try to bring in more luxury tourists seeking luxury and to help them with conservation efforts with the pygmy elephant, along with the Orangutan and Proboscis monkey, because these three animals are all with the same migration routes."

The big idea – Conservation "The big idea is conservation and protecting these animals because I don't honestly see that poaching is decreasing," she explained her drive to arrest the decline..

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Janice Horton: Adventures in Borneo - Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

We flew from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan in the Sabah region of Borneo to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to see Orangutans in the wild at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre – the precious home of the last wild Orangutans of North Borneo.

The centre, in 43 square kilometres of virgin equatorial rainforest, was set up in 1964 by an English woman called Barbara Harrison and it was the first centre in the world to dedicate itself to the rehabilitation of orphaned (as a result of illegal logging and deforestation) Orangutans or those that have been displaced (due to being caught and illegally kept as pets). 

Today, as well as caring for young orphaned Orangutans, it looks after dozens of other wildlife species including Sunbears, Gibbons, Sumatran Rhinos, and Borneo Pygmy Elephants.

Walking through the jungle to the feeding stations, we managed to spot some pigmy elephants.

The jungle was so dense that we walked along wooden gantry pathways to keep us above ground level and safe from snakes and other dangers.

All around us the trees were so incredibly ancient and tall and it was a fabulous experience to see both young and older Orangutans swinging through the tree canopy above us towards the food station.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics & Vids) at: Janice Horton: Adventures in Borneo - Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre

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Fight to protect most vulnerable elephants in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: The Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre is one of Sabah’s best known tourist attractions and since 2013, it has been the Wildlife Rescue Unit’s (WRU) base in eastern Sabah.

“But in recent times, Sepilok has become home to another makeshift family, one the tourists are largely unaware of even as they are startled by their occasional bellows and hoots — baby elephants, a small clan, intelligent, fast-developing toddlers, normally shy behind their larger, more intimidating mothers and aunts, but these elephants’ matriarch is smaller though equally ferocious when it comes to her babies,” WRU vet Dr Laura Benedict said.

These baby elephants are orphans, and hidden in the quiet, peaceful depths of the Sepilok’s enclosure, on the fringes of the Bornean jungle, Dr Laura and WRU are all the family they have.

“It all started in February 2014,” Laura said.

“We rescued two baby elephants from two different areas, Sg Lokan and Sukau Kinabatangan. Like it or not, we have to find a space to keep these elephants; it’s not their fault they are orphaned.”

In recent years, elephant-orphan situations have become disturbingly commonplace.

The advancement of oil palm plantations and human settlements have fragmented and massively depleted the territories of all Borneo’s wild inhabitants.

Unlike most animals, however, habitat encroachment rarely stops an elephant getting where it wants to go. Their sheer size, voracious appetites, dexterous trunks and tough skin, make palm trees simply another food source, that is, until they find themselves stuck in a man-made maze of paths and fences, or face-to-face with an angry, frightened farmer.

When a herd of elephants becomes trapped, their lives are in the hands of the people living there. Elephants are a fully protected species under international conservation laws but this has not stopped appalling acts of violence being committed against trapped elephants.

In some cases, the adults are frightened away. In their rush to escape, the weak/sick babies are separated from the adults. In other rarer cases, entire families of elephants have been killed. Lone infants, terrified and traumatised, are discovered attempting to wake up their dead parents.

As ever great expanses of land have been cleared, the problem has only increased. Since 2013, when a baby elephant called Joe was rescued after his whole family was poisoned, the WRU set about taking in orphaned baby elephants at the Sepilok centre, trying to offer them a sense of community, family, and a safe home.

Continue reading at: Fight to protect most vulnerable elephants in Sabah

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Forests outside of protected areas critical for orangutan

KOTA KINABALU: The Lower Kinabatangan has lost almost a third of its orangutan population in the last 16 years, following continued loss of forests outside of protected areas and further fragmentation of their habitat that is home to other wildlife, including the Borneo pygmy elephant and the proboscis monkey.

These forests outside protected areas – including privately owned and state lands – are largely composed of swamp areas that are increasingly becoming threatened in Borneo and which have poor or no economic value for oil palm due to daily or seasonal flooding events.

Long-term monitoring has revealed that the decline of orangutans has not stopped in the Lower Kinabatangan, despite this being identified as a high priority area for the primate in Sabah’s Orangutan Action Plan. It is critical to both address the future of these forests outside of protected areas and to recreate contiguous forest corridors.

The future is bleak for the Bornean orangutan, which last year moved to IUCN’s Critically Endangered category with numbers dropping from 4,000 individuals in the 1960s to 1,125 in 2001 to less than 800 today in the Lower Kinabatangan.

A study published this month in Scientific Reports indicates Sabah’s overall orangutan population has dropped by 20 per cent since the last comprehensive survey in the early 2000s, which had placed their number at 11,000 individuals.

Borneo Futures co-founder Dr Marc Ancrenaz said habitat fragmentation in Lower Kinabatangan remains a major issue with 11,000 hectares of forests outside protected areas lost in under a decade up to 2014, and over 20,000 hectares on alienated and state lands at risk of being converted for agriculture, primarily oil palm, further fragmenting the orangutan population and accelerating its decline.

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The Very Hairy Backpackers: Fantastic Beasts of Borneo and Where to Find Them

After the heat and humidity of Indonesia we decided to visit Borneo (Malaysian side), to experience more heat and humidity.

After a quick stopover in the non descript city of Kota Kinabalu, we ventured to the northernmost tip of Borneo, aptly named ‘The Tip of Borneo’ for a few days of peace and quiet.

The place was very much an unspoilt paradise, where one could have the entire 10km long white sand beach and immerse themselves in the tranquil surroundings.

From the tip of Borneo we made a quick flight over to Sepilok on a plane that Stef thinks she could have piloted.

The flight also gave a great aerial view on the spectacular landscapes and also unfortunately the devastations that palm oil plantations have caused to the once jungled terrain.

To get deep into the Borneo jungle we went the Kinabatangan River and spent a few nights cruising and exploring along the river.

After initially battling through the rain we were able to see the main attraction, a herd of ‘Pygmy’ Elephants, the smallest breed on earth.

The name was misconceiving, as they were still Elephants and looked pretty big to us.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: The Very Hairy Backpackers: Fantastic Beasts of Borneo and Where to Find Them
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VagabondWay: Pygmy Elephants in Borneo being Amazing and Joyfully Cute

“Oh my gosh! There! Can you see them – Pygmy Elephants!”

We’re all trying to be quiet standing on a small floating wooden dock along the Kinabatangan River in Malaysia, Borneo as we peer into the early morning mist.

“I see more! There’s more coming down and oh my gosh, there’s babies!”

Over the next twenty minutes we watched over 30 pygmy elephants swim across the Kinbatangan River.

We later realized just how lucky we were as the guides in the area had not seen elephants for 1.5 months.

Prior to that it had been 3 months since a sighting.

In terms of wildlife viewing, we just had been given a winning lottery ticket.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics & Vid) at: VagabondWay: Pygmy Elephants in Borneo being Amazing and Joyfully Cute

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Sabah scraps Sukau bridge project

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has scrapped a controversial plan to build a second bridge across the Kinabatangan River.

The Sabah government's decision to scrap the RM223mil Sukau bridge project was announced in London by Sabah Forest Department chief conservator Datuk Sam Mannan.

Mannan said this during his speech at the South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP) dinner Thursday held at the Royal Society in London.

"In making this decision, Chief Minister of Sabah Datuk Seri Musa Aman has taken into consideration all the concerns and opinions expressed related to the bridge, including those from Yayasan Sime Darby, Nestle, scientists and NGO groups and also the opinion of someone who knows the territory better than anybody else – Sir David Attenborough," Mannan said.

In March, the Guardian newspaper published an article highlighting Sir David Attenborough's concerns over the proposed bridge that would span 350m across the Kinabatangan River, threatening one of the last sanctuaries of the rare Bornean pygmy elephant.

"If I may say so, that headline broke the camel's back," Mannan said.

"It made us understand that the issue of a proposed bridge across a protected area for wildlife is now the number one environmental concern not just in Sabah, but globally too, because of the extremely precarious situation of the rich wildlife therein."

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sabah scraps Sukau bridge project

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Spirit Quest with Giraffe: Maliau Basin with Sticky Rice

“Adventure, challenging & amazing” – Hatti, Guide

These three words are the perfect way to describe this unforgettable and unique experience. I would highly recommend the 4 nights, 5 days tour for anyone who is looking for venturing on the path less travelled and for the opportunity to connect with wild Borneo. The team at Sticky Rice are highly professional, helpful and a pleasure to travel with making the experience even more enjoyable and memorable.

What should I expect from this expedition?

Day 1: Kota Kinabalu to Maliau Basin research Centre

Estimated travel time: 5 hours inclusive of transits

Notable Fauna seen on night Safari: fruit bats, flying squirrels, Bear cat, Banded civet, Common Palm/Borneo striped Civet, leopard cat, Sabah Deer

Today is an early start and a travelled filled day if you are departing from Kota Kinabalu. Sticky Rice will arrange transportation pickup from your hotel at around 7am in a modern van. The van is comfortable and the driver friendly and chirpy for the duration of the 2 hour leg to the bus depot where you will change vehicles to a utility truck. From the depot the trip takes approximately 2-3 hours to Maliau Basin Gate. At the gate you will register before having lunch at the Maliau Basin Information centre.

The Maliau Basin Studies Centre is approximately 1 hours drive from the Shell Maliau Basin Gate. The studies centre can only be described as a tranquil retreat nestled within the jungle. Enjoy time in this peaceful paradise before venturing on an afternoon wander to experience the Sky Walk. The Sky Walk is a wonderful opportunity to meander along the tree trope taking in views of the Maliau River and enjoying glimpses of busy squirrels scurrying through the branches.

Your evening will see you watching a short documentary, after a delicious dinner, to inform you of Maliau Basin and all it’s riches. The night adventure proceeding this is an awesome experience to witness the nocturnal wildlife at play. This involves a ride in the back of a utility truck with a spotlight, keeping your eyes peeled for bedding eyes to give away the hideaways of these wonderful animals. See above for a list of creatures we were fortunate enough to see on our adventure before retiring to our comfortable hostel beds.

Day 2: Agathis Camp to Nepenthes Camp formerly ‘Camel Trophy’

Approximate Total distance: 7.5 km Estimated time: 4 hours inclusive of rests

Notable Fauna seen: Mouse Deer, Malay Civet, Roul Roul Patridge, Big Tail Macqua (monkey), Barking Deer, leeches

Agathis Camp got its name from the Borneon species of Agathis tree which can only be found in Maliau Basin. Agathis Camp was destroyed by Pygmy Elephants in 2014 which is now the basis for you to begin your expedition on Day 2. From here you continue along the flowing river, crossing over bamboo bridges before continuing up through undulating forests and climbing steel ladders to reach the rim of the escarpment. This aspect of the journey continues for about 3 km. From about the 2.5 km mark we were welcome by torrential rain which continued to about the 5 km marker.

Throughout the journey you will notice that the rainforest scenery changes from Lower Mountain forests, Hilly Forests to mossy forests before reaching Karangis forest (Eucalyptus). From the mossy forests you will witness an array of Pitcher Plants (Nepenthes species) for you to view. Maliau Basin is home to all 6 species of Pitcher Plants inclusive of the Hybrid species Stenophylla (red and brown splotchy). The Veitchii Nepenthes is only found in Maliau.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Spirit Quest with Giraffe: Maliau Basin with Sticky Rice


Check Out: Maliau Basin Excursions

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The Inside Track: The wildlife of Borneo

Borneo, the third largest island in the world, was once covered in dense rainforest. While the size of the rainforest has unfortunately decreased over the years what remains is still a bio-diverse haven holding many marvellous creatures.

Unfortunately, with their diminishing habitat comes dwindling numbers of wildlife making it harder to spot them in the wild. However, if you journey into the rainforests and jungles of Borneo hopefully you’ll be rewarded with some incredible sightings of these incredible creatures in their natural habitat.

Bornean orang-utan

Meaning ‘person of the forest’ in Malay, the name orang-utan perfectly suits these human relatives who spend 90% of their time in the trees. Asia’s only great ape, they use their enormous arm span which can reach up to seven feet to swing from branch to branch.

Walking through the national parks and hearing their ‘long call’ echo through the trees, the rustling of the leaves above you as you catch a glimpse of their tufty dark red hair is an incredible Borneo experience.

Nicknamed the ‘gardeners of the forest’ due to their part in spreading seeds throughout the area, their decreasing numbers is having a huge effect on the other animals and people of the rainforest.

Pygmy elephant

The pygmy elephants of Borneo, also called Borneo elephants, are the smallest species to be found on the continent and have been likened to cartoon versions of Asian elephants.

With baby faces, huge ears, short trunks, round bellies and long tails, which trail to the ground in-between their stumpy legs, they have a much gentler temperament than their mainland counterparts.

With less than 1,500 in the wild, not much is known about the Borneo elephant and they were once believed to be extinct before being re-discovered on the island in 2008.

Proboscis monkey

One of the areas slightly weirder looking animals, the proboscis monkey is a very unique species and is indigenous to Borneo, never deviating far from the island’s rivers, swamps and mangroves.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: The Inside Track: The wildlife of Borneo

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Pea and Moss: Borneo Part 2

The 5am wake up gong is sounded and The Kinabatangan Nature Lodge guests with sleepy eyes start to make their way to the small jetty for the first of the days river cruises along the great Kinabatangan river in hope of spotting some of Borneo’s most famous primates and the other inhabitants of this amazing, but fragile eco system.

Following on from our post Borneo Part 1, wildlife was never really in the itinerary, until we came to Borneo that is. 

If you had said to us we would be sitting in a boat in the pouring rain for 2 hours trying to get get a glimpse of a Proboscis monkey or the smallest elephant in the world, the Pygmy Elephant, I would have said “nah, we’ll meet you at the bar”, but this is what happened and we both loved it!

We arrived from Sepilock in a minibus with 14 other visitors, down a rough dirt track we stopped with our luggage being unloaded, with nothing around us we all looked at each other a bit confused.

We were directed to a jetty and instructed to get in a boat to cross the river which would take us to The Kinabatangan Nature Lodge.

We checked into our cabin for the next two nights and met up with the rest of the group to find out what was in store for us. Hot on everyones lips was the Pygmey Elephant who only lives near the shore of the Kinabangtan River, constantly moving from the mouth of the river to the deepest depths of the rainforest and back again.

We were soon told that the elephants had been through the camp 2 weeks earlier and would not be back for at least 3 months. So unfortunately, that ended those hopes!

The gong would sound whenever it was meal time, coffee break or when one of the many activities was about to start.

Not being one for ‘organised fun’ we were both skeptical and at first felt like we were at some sort of summer camp however, having everything organised for you was actually a refreshing change!

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Pea and Moss: Borneo Part 2

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Bornean elephant with backwards-pointing tusks found in Tawau

TAWAU: A Bornean bull elephant with its tusks pointing backwards was found near the Felda Umas plantation in Tawau yesterday.

The Sabah Wildlife Department has sent its Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) rangers to translocate the unique animal from the plantation.

Department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said this was the second elephant he had seen with tasks pointing backwards.

“It’s very unusual,” he said, adding that the elephant could be part of a herd from central Sabah that eventually moved towards the east coast.

Wildlife officials are discussing with other experts about the possible cause of the unusual tusks, including in-breeding.

Dr Sen said the bull elephant is among three pachyderms that the WRU is translocating from the plantation to an undisclosed location.

Department director William Baya said human-elephant conflicts have been on the increase in recent years at elephant habitat areas in the central and south eastern parts of Sabah, including Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Beluran, Lahad Datu, Tawau, Nabawan and Pensiangan.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Bornean elephant with backwards-pointing tusks found in Tawau

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Kinabatangan elephants threatened by bridge and road development

KINABATANGAN: A female Bornean elephant was fitted with a satellite collar on August 3 near Danau Girang Field Centre, in Lot 6 of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary (LKWS) as part of a collaborative project between the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC).

Elephant Family, Houston Zoo and Columbus Zoo have supported collaring operations in the Kinabatangan for eight years.

Malaysian PhD student Nurzhafarina Othman (registered at Cardiff University and attached to DGFC) and Malaysian wildlife veterinarian Dr Pakee Nagalingam from the Wildlife Rescue Unit led the collaring operation.

Danau Girang Field Centre director and project leader Dr Benoit Goossens disclosed that DGFC and SWD have collared 14 elephants in the Kinabatangan since 2008, providing crucial information on the movements of the large resident herd: along the river, into the different forest fragments, into oil palm plantations, and in the vicinity of human settlements such as Sukau, Bilit, Abai and Batu Putih villages.

He said the data accumulated over the years from those 14 elephants clearly showed that Sukau is a hotspot for elephant movements and major conflicts in the area could be anticipated if the construction of a road bridge bisecting the wildlife sanctuary goes ahead,.

“The road bridge will undermine efforts from several organisations, not excluding the government of Sabah itself, to maintain natural habitat connectivity and healthy wildlife populations – especially those of large and endangered mammals such as elephants, orangutans, sun bears, proboscis monkeys and clouded leopards,” he said.

Goossens added the State Government declared the Lower Kinabatangan as Sabah’s “Gift to the Earth” in 1999, then gazetted it as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 2005, in order to restore natural habitat along the longest river of the state, reduce illegal wildlife hunting, encroachment, and to keep wild animals safe and accessible to a large tourism industry.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Kinabatangan elephants threatened by bridge and road development

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Bridging elephant populations in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Bornean elephants show a low significant degree of genetic differentiation among populations and securing connectivity between spatially distinct population and avoiding further fragmentation within population being an absolute necessity if we want to conserve the species.

This is one of the main conclusions of a paper published online on Tuesday in the scientific journal Biological Conservation by a team of scientists from Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC, Sabah), Cardiff University (UK), the NGO HUTAN (Sabah), Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (Portugal), the Institute for Systems Genomics (USA), the CNRS (France), and Sabah Wildlife Department.

The Darwin Initiative for the Survival of Species, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Elephant Family, Houston Zoo, Columbus Zoo and the Portuguese Science Foundation mainly funded the study.

“Back in 2005-2007, our team spent several months collecting dung samples from all elephant ranges in Sabah, then analysing their DNA to provide an insight in their genetic diversity and determine the degree of population fragmentation and isolation of the existing herds.

“It was alarming to detect reduced gene flow levels among elephant populations in Sabah and significant genetic differentiation between populations, especially between ranges such as the Kinabatangan, Tabin and Central Sabah (Malua, Ulu Segama, Kalabakan, Kuamut, Gunung Rara Forest Reserves),” explained Dr Benoit Goossens, Director of DGFC and the lead author of the study, in a statement here, yesterday.

Interestingly, he said the Kinabatangan population appeared to be the most genetically diverse, leading to two critical recommendations – reconnecting the Kinabatangan population to other populations in the state and to strictly avoid any fragmentation of the Kinabatangan population.

Continue reading at: Bridging elephant populations in Sabah

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Three U.S. zoos team up to save rare Borneo elephants

Three U.S. zoos announced a new agreement Jan. 21, 2016, with Borneo-based wildlife organizations to protect the endangered Borneo pygmy elephant. The first partnership of its kind, the effort will provide support for solutions to the frequent and sometimes deadly conflicts between people and elephants on the Southeast Asian island of Borneo.

The entire population of the little-known Asian elephant subspecies has been reduced to around 2,000 in the wild, where deforestation — largely driven by logging and palm oil production — threatens their survival. Agricultural workers sometimes kill or injure elephants that raid their plantations, and the clashes can also separate calves from their herds. Houstonians are more familiar with Borneo pygmy elephants’ larger cousin the Asian elephant which are also endangered.

“When you are a local villager and you see your crop completely destroyed overnight, you will not be inspired to save the elephants,” said Dr. Marc Ancrenaz, scientific director for Borneo-based conservation organization Hutan. “Elephants need forests to survive, and people need to convert the forest into other types of land uses, like agriculture, to survive — hence the conflict. If we can’t make peace there, extinction is inevitable.”

The partnership, formed by the Houston Zoo, Oregon Zoo and Seattle-based Woodland Park, will focus on researching how human-elephant conflicts arise and mitigating those conflicts through community outreach, policy, technology and in some cases, elephant relocation. The work is carried out in Borneo by the Sabah Wildlife Department and conservation organizations HUTAN KOCP and Danau Girang Field Centre.

“The health of the forest is in many ways connected to healthy elephant populations,” said Peter Riger, vice president of conservation and education at the Houston Zoo, which has supported Borneo conservation programming since 2004. “Their need for protected areas and migration corridors literally protects hundreds of species, including amphibians, insects, mammals, birds and many others. In turn, the health of the landscape supports human communities in their livelihoods.”

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Three U.S. zoos team up to save rare Borneo elephants

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Malaysia plans road expansion through dwindling elephant, orangutan habitat

Tucked in the northeast corner of the island of Borneo, the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary is home to some of the densest populations of megafauna in Malaysia. The tenuous patchwork of protected habitat along its namesake river is also surrounded by immensely profitable oil palm plantations on what was rainforest decades ago. Now, the federal government of Malaysia plans to build a bridge near the sanctuary and pave a road through part of it this year, raising the objections of NGOs and scientists who work in the region.

A source familiar with development in the area but who asked to remain anonymous told Mongabay that the construction of the road will “block movements of animals, including the elephants, and will bring in unregulated development of the surrounding land.”

A growing raft of research has shown that road construction in tropical forests globally can lead to deforestation, illegal hunting and a host of other problems.

The 26,000-hectare Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary supports a fledgling ecotourism industry centered on the town of Sukau in the state of Sabah. There, visitors stay with families and travel by boat through the surrounding floodplains to see Borneo’s unique subspecies of pygmy elephants (Elephas maximus borneensis), as well as 11 species of primates including orangutans, gibbons, and proboscis monkeys.

But a 2008 federal plan for what’s known as the Sabah Development Corridor to stimulate growth and economic activity in the state includes building a bridge between Sukau on the west bank of the Kinabatangan River and an existing gravel road, slated to be paved as part of the project, on the east bank that cuts through oil palm plantations and the wildlife sanctuary.

Currently, the Morisem Ferry runs between Sukau and the existing gravel road, which was built by an oil palm company.

“Of course roads are necessary” to connect communities, Isabelle Lackman told the Borneo Post in November. Lackman is a primatologist and founder of the NGO HUTAN focused on the study of the roughly 800 Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) left in the Kinabatangan. But she also echoed the concerns of others in the community that the highway and bridge could undo attempts to make wildlife habitats contiguous in Kinabatangan.

Though details on the project are scarce, the road would connect Sukau with the communities of Litang and Tomanggong, a town that sits about 42 kilometers to the southeast, according to measurements on Google Earth.

John Payne questions why the project was even considered in the first place, as he doesn’t see the benefits it will provide.

Payne is currently the executive director of the Borneo Rhino Alliance, an NGO known as BORA trying to halt the extinction of the critically endangered Sumatran rhino. In 2015, Masidi Manjun, Sabah’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, acknowledged that Borneo’s forests probably no longer hold any Bornean rhinos (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni), a subspecies of the Sumatran rhino. The wild population had dwindled to just 10 individuals by 2013.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Malaysia plans road expansion through dwindling elephant, orangutan habitat

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Landmark Protection for Borneo’s Endangered Wildlife

Thanks to Rainforest Trust donors, a major logging concession in Sabah, Borneo, has been converted into a 168,032-acre permanent sanctuary for wildlife that links two of the most important reserves in Asia – the Maliau Basin and Danum Valley – saving one of the most critical stretches of lowland rainforest remaining on the island.

On December 21, 2015, Rainforest Trust received news from its local partner in Borneo that the Sabah State Assembly formally approved the permanent protection of 168,032 acres of the Kuamut logging concession as a Class I Forest Reserve. This status confers the same level of protection as a national park.

The new protected area – nearly four times the size of the District of Columbia –strategically links two of Borneo’s largest protected areas, which are vital to protecting one of the planet’s last remaining strongholds of biodiversity.

Rainforest Trust in collaboration with Bornean partners Yayasan Sabah Foundation, the Royal Society South-East Asia Rainforest Research Program (SEARRP), and Permian Global worked with Sabah’s state government to formally establish the new Kuamut Forest Reserve.

Its protection comes after intense pressure to open these forests to repeated logging and oil palm development.

“The Kuamut Forest Reserve is a crucial link in a huge protected area complex extending across more than 77 miles of lowland rainforest and encompassing a wide variety of habitats for wildlife,” said Dr. Paul Salaman, CEO of Rainforest Trust. “After a struggle against logging and oil palm companies and their desire to open up these forests to development, we have finally secured protection for this exceptional area. The declaration of the Kuamut Forest Reserve is one of the greatest refuges for biodiversity in all of Borneo.”

The lowland forests in Danum Valley are among the world’s most important – and threatened – biodiversity hotspots. The area supports 340 species of birds, including the Critically Endangered Helmeted Hornbill and numerous endemics. Over 60 species of amphibians, 75 reptile species, and 40 fish species are found in the area.

The valley is also home to Borneo’s Pygmy Elephant. Numbering less than 1,000 total individuals, this is the smallest elephant in the world and it depends upon Kuamut for its survival. Studied for less than a decade, it remains one of the least understood elephant species in the world.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Landmark Protection for Borneo’s Endangered Wildlife

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First run to save Bornean elephants in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: The first “Save the Bornean Elephants Run” to create public awareness on the importance of conserving the habitat for Bornean elephants in Sabah attracted around 2,500 runners here yesterday.

The event, organised by Wildlife Alliance (Borneo) Sdn Bhd and Valiant Event Entertainment, was officiated by Sabah Wildlife Department deputy director Jumrafiah Abd Shukor and KTS Plantation Sdn Bhd executive director Ngu Ngiong Hieng.

It was also jointly supported by KTS Plantation Sdn Bhd, Felda Global Venture (FGV), Kwantas Corporation Berhad, Jurukur Luaran and Associates, Directors, Proboscis Lodge Bukit Melapi, Montanic Adventures and Shangri-la's Rasa Ria Resort and Spa.

The 11km run took place along the beautiful coastal roads in Kota Kinabalu yesterday, starting at the Likas Stadium parking area to the roundabout near Jesselton Hotel and then to the roundabout near the Likas Mosque before returning to Likas Stadium.

The categories were Mens Open, Womens Open, Veteran Mens Open (41 years old and above), Veteran Womens Open (41 years and above), Boys Below 17 Years and Girls Below 17 Years.

Fabian Daimon Osman won the Men’s Open, Wincentbert Latius second and Imaldy Zakin third. The top three winners of the Womens Open were Katie OBrien, Roziana Ramlee and Mailin Salungin respectively.

The Mens Veteran winner was Yusop Tunkob with Guianus Salagan and Ahmadul Tahir the first and second runners-up respectively. Taking the first prize in the Women Veteran was Kona Liau with Chong Vun Lung second and Hamisah Antahar third.

Refson Tirip, Gregory Cornelius and Elvin Lazarus were the top three winners of the Boys Below 17 Years and Erristiana Joel, Jenny Kissin and Dewanty David the winners of the Girls Below 17 years.

The overall winner of the school category was SMK Tanbunan.

Dr Raymond Alfred, the race director and programme advisor, said that the aims of the charity run were to enhance the knowledge of the public in wildlife conservation, especially the Bornean elephants through information dissemination.

It was also to raise fund to support the publication of the research and reference book on Population, Ecology and Conservation of Bornean Elephants.

Continue reading at: First run to save Bornean elephants in Sabah

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