KOTA KINABALU: Creating grassland tracts is the best option for mitigating human-elephant conflict on Sabah’s east coast, says conservationist Datuk Dr John Payne.
The suggestion was raised by the executive director of Borneo Rhino Alliance (Bora) after discovering that endangered Borneo pygmy elephants are now “addicted” to oil palm as their staple food.
“This eating pattern of our elephants needs to be changed.
“Managed grasslands are the only option, being able to produce 100 times more fresh biomass edible to elephants per hectare annually,” he said yesterday.
Payne was commenting on state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin’s recent statement on the possibility of using satellite collaring on elephants and erecting electric fences as long-term measures to mitigate encroachment into human settlements.
“The minister is on the right track but he mentions only 20% of what is needed as Sabah’s elephants are now addicted to oil palms as their staple food,” Payne said.
He said the challenge was determining where to establish grasslands, such as fast-growing, nutritious Napier and barau varieties, while placing mineral blocks at sites for the elephants.
Payne added that creating managed grasslands along forest reserves and plantations was possible if the state and oil palm plantations provided the necessary space in areas such as the Tabin Wildlife Reserve and Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.
“All sites need to be near the forest edge for easy access for development and maintenance,” he said.
“The question is whether to have these grasslands in the forest reserves or oil palm estates, or both.”
Payne also pointed out the ineffectiveness of electric fences if they were not functioning properly.
“These weaknesses have to be rectified by a thorough overhaul of all existing fencing and their constant maintenance.
“Not just some fences, some of the time. All fences, at all times.”
