KOTA KINABALU: The sight of a herd of endangered Borneo pygmy elephants grazing napier grass left conservationists in Kinabatangan beaming with pride and satisfaction.

The napier grass across Nature Lodge Kinabatangan was planted for the purpose of creating a food corridor for wildlife such as these elephants to minimise human-animal conflicts, said conservationist Alexander Yee.

The chairman of the RESPonsible Elephant Conservation Trust (Respect) said this is a great start and a remarkable achievement after three months of hard work by his team and other volunteers.

“This rewarding sight on Tuesday underscores the success of our project and the positive impact of our efforts,” he said when contacted.

Yee said this planting initiative managed by Respect involved the careful planting of 19,360 stems per acre and 4,840 holes per acre.

“This project is a crucial part of our mission to support the habitat needs of these majestic creatures and to address human-elephant conflicts.”

He added that they aim to reduce the likelihood of elephants straying into agricultural areas and causing damage, which often leads to conflict with local communities, by providing a reliable and nutritious food source.

“Our goal is to create a harmonious balance between wildlife and human activities, ensuring the safety and well-being of both.

“The dedicated efforts of our team have paid off, providing a vital food source for the elephants and supporting the overall balance of the ecosystem,” he said.

Yee stated that ongoing funding is necessary to continue such conservation and environmental work.

Towards this end, he invited the public to join them in this important cause by donating to Respect.

“Every contribution makes a difference in ensuring that these magnificent animals have the resources they need to thrive,” he said.

The public can make their donations or learn more about this project at myrespect.org.

Recently, Borneo elephants, a distinct subspecies of Asian elephants, were classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Primarily found in Sabah, the species, also known as the pygmy elephant, has a small population in Indonesia’s Kalimantan.

The pygmy elephants’ peaceful nature has earned them the nickname “gentle giants”. They have unfortunately lost about 60% of their forest habitat in the last 40 years, mainly due to logging and the planting of commercial oil palm, said the IUCN.

Only an estimated 1,000 are left, including 400 breeding adults.This species is genetically unique, having separated from other elephant populations tens to hundreds of thousands of years ago. They are smaller and have distinct skull shapes compared with mainland elephants.

Over the years, reports of numerous elephant-human conflicts in Sabah have surfaced, with dozens of elephants dying from traps or suspected poisoning while humans were trampled to death in estates.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/25/wildlife-food-corridor-a-success