KOTA KINABALU: More efforts must be taken to protect Sabah’s critically endangered banteng (wild buffalo) with illegal hunting and snare traps continuing to be major threats.
The state Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said though collaborative efforts were being made to protect the estimated 325 remaining bantengs, the threat remains.
“We must continue to work harder together to protect the bantengs,” she said at Sabah’s first Banteng Day Celebration in Tungku Lahad Datu.
The ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary Mary Malangking delivered her speech in the Aug 9 event.
During her speech, Liew announced Sabah’s participation in the Global Wildlife Program Malaysia and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment through initiatives such as habitat restoration, population monitoring, and enforcement operations.
Led by the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with USD$1.5mil (RM6.34mil) from 2025 to 2028, the project focuses on conserving the banteng and its habitat in the Greater Maliau Basin.
It will include regular population monitoring, enhanced patrol and remote sensing capabilities, and community-based conservation and sustainable livelihood programmes in the Greater Maliau Basin–Sapulut area.
The Ministry also expressed its intention to nominate Banteng Day to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for international recognition, with this year’s celebration laying the groundwork for that effort.
Sabah Wildlife Department Director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar said the banteng is a lesser known but ecologically vital species, and raising public awareness about its conservation was crucial.
He expressed appreciation to all parties involved, especially WWF-Malaysia, the Lahad Datu and Tungku District Offices, and the many contributors who ensured the success of the celebration.
Head of Conservation for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia (Sabah) Dr Robecca Jumin said the Bornean banteng is a symbol of Sabah’s rich biodiversity, and its protection requires strong collaboration between government, communities, and conservation partners.
During the event, a wide range of stakeholders including government agencies, local communities, conservation partners, and sponsors, were brought together in a united effort to protect the critically endangered Bornean banteng (Bos javanicus lowi).
A key moment of the event was the launch of two important conservation documents - the Mid-Term Review of the Sabah Banteng Conservation Action Plan and a research and monitoring manual titled ‘Identification, Age Classification and Profiling Methods’.
The mid-term review offers updated guidance to enhance conservation strategies and address emerging threats to the species while the manual provides essential tools for field monitoring and species profiling, supporting more effective data collection and analysis in the wild.
