Wildlife Rescue Unit: 18 wildlife rescue rangers (all local boys), one Senior Supervisor (Terence Junis Johnes), two wildlife veterinarians (Dr Senthilvel Nathan (Senior Wildlife Officer and WRU manager) and Dr Diana Ramirez (Assistant manager) and one senior ranger (Jibius Dausip, assistant manager)
Courtesy of Sabah Wildlife Rescue UnitSHOW THUMBNAILS
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TABIN WILDLIFE RESERVE (LAHAD DATU): A herd of 10 Borneo Pygmy elephants that ventured barely 10 km from Lahad Datu town – where the Tanduo siege is on-going – has been rescued by the Wildlife Rescue Unit from Sabah Wildlife Department.
After collaring the two biggest females with satellite units, all females were translocated to the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, while a young male that suffered a severe injury to its trunk probably from a snare trap, was transferred to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.
“After one month, the two females have not met up yet," said Dr Senthilvel Nathan, Senior Wildlife Officer.
The rescued Pygmy Elephants had strayed more than 45 km from their original range, the Tabin Managed Elephant Range.
The rescue mission was held from January 18 to 25, according to Jibius Dausip, a senior officer with the Wildlife Rescue Unit.
This rescue mission comes hot on the heels of the massacre of an entire herd of 20, less a four-month old calf – at the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve about the same time of this incident. That herd was believed to have been deliberately poisoned.
After collaring the two biggest females with satellite units, all females were translocated to the Tabin Wildlife Reserve, while a young male that suffered a severe injury to its trunk probably from a snare trap, was transferred to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.
“After one month, the two females have not met up yet," said Dr Senthilvel Nathan, Senior Wildlife Officer.
The rescued Pygmy Elephants had strayed more than 45 km from their original range, the Tabin Managed Elephant Range.
The rescue mission was held from January 18 to 25, according to Jibius Dausip, a senior officer with the Wildlife Rescue Unit.
This rescue mission comes hot on the heels of the massacre of an entire herd of 20, less a four-month old calf – at the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve about the same time of this incident. That herd was believed to have been deliberately poisoned.
RELATED LINK: More dead pygmy elephants in Malaysia, toll at 14
"We received a call from a man from Sri Tungku Simpang Ladang Permai, near Lahad Datu, complaining that elephants were roaming near his house," explained Jibius.
"Our team was dispatched to the location and we found 10 individuals together, 9 females of various ages and one young male of about 4 years old. It was most likely a family group that ventured far away from its range."
Dr Diana Ramirez, wildlife veterinarian from Wildlife Rescue Unit and Danau Girang Field Centre, who was also involved in the rescue, said that within eight days, all the elephants were darted and secured.
"We then translocated all females back to Tabin Wildlife Reserve after collaring the two biggest females with satellite units provided by Danau Girang Field Centre," added Ramirez.
"The young male suffered a severe injury to its trunk probably from a snare trap. Without captive intervention it would have minimum chances of survival in the wild, and we decided to transfer him to Low Kawi Wildlife Park," concluded Ramirez.
According to Dr Senthilvel who is also WRU manager, it was impossible to translocate and release the whole group in one day for obvious logistics reasons.
“We are currently studying the possibility of releasing future translocated herds together to prevent the herd from separating," he added.
"That might cost more and it would be logistically more challenging because we would need to set up a pre-release holding area and renting more transporting lorries.
“But our main concern is the elephants' welfare and keep the group dynamic intact," concluded Nathan.
Bikang 1 was translocated on 20 January and Bikang 2 on 23 January and the other individuals soon after.
Meanwhile, Dr Benoit Goossens, Director of Danau Girang Field Centre explained that extensive agriculture through plantations such as oil palm has considerably reduced the habitat of the elephant and other wildlife in Sabah, therefore increasing human-elephant conflicts
"The recent deaths of 14 elephants is most likely a result of human-elephant conflict in elephant ranges and there is an obvious need to better manage the landscape within and around the plantations, by providing routes for wildlife to move from one forest to another," added Goossens.
"After one month of satellite monitoring, we can confirm that the two females have been exploring the reserve and have not (yet) ventured in plantations around Tabin.
“If they ever return in the vicinity of Lahad Datu, we will be able to analyse their migratory pattern and advise the plantation owners on how to fence their land to avoid any more intrusion," said Goossens.
"While establishing corridors within plantations and between forest reserves can be a solution to mitigate conflicts, there is also an urgent need to stop any land conversion in elephant ranges as stated in the recently launched State's Elephant Action Plan.
“All forest reserves in elephant ranges should be upgraded to Class One, providing a haven for elephants," added Goossens.
"Elephant translocation is part of a long-term programme that Sabah Wildlife Department and Danau Girang Field Centre kick-started last year to tackle human-elephant conflicts in agricultural plantations such as palm oil.
“Funding is currently provided by The Asian Elephant Foundation and Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund," concluded Goossens.
Danau Girang Field Centre is a field study centre located within the Kinabatangan. It is a collaborative project between the Sabah Wildlife Department and Cardiff University. The Sabah Wildlife Rescue Unit was established by SWD with funds from the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort.
"We received a call from a man from Sri Tungku Simpang Ladang Permai, near Lahad Datu, complaining that elephants were roaming near his house," explained Jibius.
"Our team was dispatched to the location and we found 10 individuals together, 9 females of various ages and one young male of about 4 years old. It was most likely a family group that ventured far away from its range."
Dr Diana Ramirez, wildlife veterinarian from Wildlife Rescue Unit and Danau Girang Field Centre, who was also involved in the rescue, said that within eight days, all the elephants were darted and secured.
"We then translocated all females back to Tabin Wildlife Reserve after collaring the two biggest females with satellite units provided by Danau Girang Field Centre," added Ramirez.
"The young male suffered a severe injury to its trunk probably from a snare trap. Without captive intervention it would have minimum chances of survival in the wild, and we decided to transfer him to Low Kawi Wildlife Park," concluded Ramirez.
According to Dr Senthilvel who is also WRU manager, it was impossible to translocate and release the whole group in one day for obvious logistics reasons.
“We are currently studying the possibility of releasing future translocated herds together to prevent the herd from separating," he added.
"That might cost more and it would be logistically more challenging because we would need to set up a pre-release holding area and renting more transporting lorries.
“But our main concern is the elephants' welfare and keep the group dynamic intact," concluded Nathan.
Bikang 1 was translocated on 20 January and Bikang 2 on 23 January and the other individuals soon after.
Meanwhile, Dr Benoit Goossens, Director of Danau Girang Field Centre explained that extensive agriculture through plantations such as oil palm has considerably reduced the habitat of the elephant and other wildlife in Sabah, therefore increasing human-elephant conflicts
"The recent deaths of 14 elephants is most likely a result of human-elephant conflict in elephant ranges and there is an obvious need to better manage the landscape within and around the plantations, by providing routes for wildlife to move from one forest to another," added Goossens.
"After one month of satellite monitoring, we can confirm that the two females have been exploring the reserve and have not (yet) ventured in plantations around Tabin.
“If they ever return in the vicinity of Lahad Datu, we will be able to analyse their migratory pattern and advise the plantation owners on how to fence their land to avoid any more intrusion," said Goossens.
"While establishing corridors within plantations and between forest reserves can be a solution to mitigate conflicts, there is also an urgent need to stop any land conversion in elephant ranges as stated in the recently launched State's Elephant Action Plan.
“All forest reserves in elephant ranges should be upgraded to Class One, providing a haven for elephants," added Goossens.
"Elephant translocation is part of a long-term programme that Sabah Wildlife Department and Danau Girang Field Centre kick-started last year to tackle human-elephant conflicts in agricultural plantations such as palm oil.
“Funding is currently provided by The Asian Elephant Foundation and Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund," concluded Goossens.
Danau Girang Field Centre is a field study centre located within the Kinabatangan. It is a collaborative project between the Sabah Wildlife Department and Cardiff University. The Sabah Wildlife Rescue Unit was established by SWD with funds from the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) and Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort.
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