Census time: Upcoming research will determine orang utan, pygmy elephant numbers in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Efforts are in the pipeline to ascertain the Bornean pygmy elephant and orang utan populations in Sabah.

This follows the signing of two research agreements involving several organisations on Wednesday (Sept 6).

The elephant research agreement was signed by Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s (UMS) Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC), the Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation (MPOGCF) dan Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD).

As for the orang utan survey, the memorandum of understanding involved MPOGCF, SWD and Hutan, a grassroots wildlife research and conservation programme.

In a statement on Friday (Sept 8), UMS said the Bornean pygmy elephant research will be undertaken from this year until 2026.

“This project will be spearheaded by ITBC senior lecturer Dr Nurzhafarina Othman with an allocation of RM1.16mil from MPOGCF,” it said.

The signing ceremony involved UMS deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) Prof Dr Rosalam Sabartly, MPOGCF acting general manager Hairulazim Mahmud and SWD deputy director Roland Oliver Niun.

The orang utan research will be conducted from this year to 2025, with funds of RM1.23mil allocated by MPOGCF.

“Both projects are aimed at surveying and updating research data on the actual population of the pygmy elephant and orang utan in Sabah which were last updated between nine and 14 years ago.

“There is also a need to study the human-wildlife conflict particularly involving these two species.

“The results of these studies will help SWD frame a new paradigm in the implementation of future awareness programmes,” UMS said.

The projects will also prioritise the capacity development of local experts by providing training to a new generation of Malaysian scientists in the field of ecological and wildlife conservation in Sabah.

Those involved in the field work comprise master of science degree students at local universities.

Also present during the signing ceremonies were Hutan scientific director Dr Marc Acrenaz, Sabah oil palm and sago development division secretary Severinus Tukah and IBTC director Assoc Prof Dr Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim.

According to WWF-Malaysia, the population of orang utan in Borneo dropped to 104,700 in 2016 from 288,500 in 1973.

As for Sabah, a 2019 population study by WWF estimated that there were some 11,000 of the primates in the wild.

The situation for the Bornean pygmy elephants is even more critical with only between 1,000 and 1,500 estimated to be roaming Sabah's forests.