Wildlife rangers from SWD’s rescue unit with elephant calves at the Bornean Elephant Sanctuary.
THE urgent need to protect the Asian elephant, a keystone species that symbolises the balance of tropical ecosystems, was reaffirmed at the 2025 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Congress in Abu Dhabi, the UAE.
During the gathering of wildlife experts and conservation policymakers, Malaysia drew attention as one of the few countries with two significant wild elephant populations, one in Peninsular Malaysia and the other, a unique subspecies − the Bornean elephant − in Sabah.
Recent data estimates that Malaysia’s wild elephant population ranges between 2,100 and 3,100 including around 1,200 to 1,500 in the peninsula and over 1,000 in Sabah.
While these numbers remain relatively stable compared to some neighbouring countries, long-term trends indicate a gradual decline caused by habitat loss, forest fragmentation and increasing human-elephant conflict.
In many regions, agricultural expansion, settlements and infrastructure projects have disrupted natural elephant migration routes.
When ecological corridors are blocked, elephants often enter nearby farms and oil palm plantations in search of food, leading to crop damage, injuries and occasionally fatal encounters.
In the peninsula, elephant conservation is led by the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), which implements the National Elephant Conservation Action Plan 2023 to 2032.
The plan outlines various initiatives, including translocation of elephants by specialised teams, installation of satellite collars to track movement patterns, construction of standard electric fences, and public education programmes.
Likewise, the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) leads conservation efforts for the Bornean elephant found only in Sabah and parts of Kalimantan, with an estimated population of around 1,000.
SWD implements the Bornean Elephant Action Plan 2020 to 2029, coordinates GPS telemetry studies with non- governmental organisations (NGOs) and manages the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary.
The conservation of elephants cannot depend solely on government agencies, they noted.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) is a vital link between the palm oil sector, government bodies, and local communities.
Established to strengthen biodiversity conservation within the palm oil landscape, MPOGCF is now one of the leading organisations working to mitigate human- elephant conflict on the ground.
Over recent years, MPOGCF has supported strategic planning and funded the installation of electric fences in high-risk plantation areas such as Sungai Ara in Johor, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan and Telupid in Sabah, as well as in districts across Pahang and Terengganu.
These initiatives have significantly reduced intrusions.
MPOGCF also collaborates closely with Perhilitan, SWD and strategic partners to analyse GPS collar data, identify conflict hotspots and maintain natural wildlife corridors that are crucial because elephants travel over large distances.
Without connected forest areas, populations become isolated, increasing the risk of genetic decline and further conflict.
Therefore, MPOGCF’s support for mapping the Central Forest Spine in Peninsular Malaysia and the Sabah Ecological Corridor in Borneo represents an important long-term investment in conservation.
MPOGCF also emphasises education, safety training and the development of standard operating procedures for plantation workers.
Awareness programmes for communities and industry players are designed to encourage ethical management of human-elephant conflict without harming protected species.
MPOGCF is also exploring green financing mechanisms such as Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), which rewards plantations that preserve habitats and help reduce conflict.
MPOGCF’s IUCN membership is a significant step forward.
Through this global network, MPOGCF contributes data, shares best practices and accesses internationally recognised scientific frameworks to check species status and habitat management.
This membership places Malaysia and its palm oil industry in global conservation discussions and demonstrates the sector’s readiness to be part of the solution to the biodiversity crisis rather than the cause.
For the period of 2026 to 2030, MPOGCF has outlined five key priorities: expanding large-scale human-elephant conflict mitigation projects, completing nationwide elephant corridor mapping and integrating it into land use planning for the palm oil industry, establishing a Malaysian Elephant Conservation Trust Fund to support research and habitat restoration, developing a real-time national data system for conflict monitoring and strengthening awareness campaigns and certification for elephant-friendly plantations.
These initiatives align with the spirit of the IUCN congress, which emphasises harmony between development and conservation.
They also present an opportunity for Malaysia to prove that the palm oil industry can be part of a sustainable future.
With continued collaboration, there remains hope for the survival of the Asian elephant if we continue to manage this iconic species with science, empathy and long-term commitment.
Hairulazim Mahmud is the general manager of the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF).
