Elephants graze in food corridor, giving hope to Sabah conservationists
Elephants graze in food corridor, giving hope to Sabah conservationists
Muguntan Vanar, The Star
January 25, 2025
A herd of elephants seen grazing on Napier grass along the Kinabatangan
River has reassured conservationists that the plant is a viable component
of a food corridor for the animals.
The 15 animals seen in Kampung Bilit late Monday (Jan 21) dispelled
scepticism that the simple measure of planting grass could effectively
reduce human-elephant conflict, the conservationists said.
The sighting was made just hours after Sabah Tourism, Culture and
Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew launched the elephant food
corridor plan at the same village.
"It is a good omen coming with the launch," Responsible Elephant
Conservation Trust (Respect) chairman Alexander Yee said when contacted
Wednesday (Jan 22).
"We see it as a positive sign in our efforts to push through the food
corridor along lower Kinabatangan as these herds enjoy feeding on the
Napier grass.
"We have been seeing successes in plots where we have grown the grass.
Elephants came and stayed longer," he added.
Respect was given the task of putting the food corridor in place, with the
state government getting the support of Japanese company Saraya Corporation
which will provide up to RM1mil in funds over the next five years for the
project.
Yee said time will tell if the project succeeds in the long term, after
previous NGOs had taken different approaches such as putting up electrical
fencing, planting fruit trees, or fitting satellite-linked collars to
reduce conflicts and elephant deaths.
But deaths from poisoning, poaching and at times brutal killings continue
to occur despite efforts by stakeholders to reduce conflicts where
elephants encroach on plantations and villages to forage.
"No one knows what is the best solution or how best to move forward. We
need to try and learn along the way," said veteran conservationist Datuk Dr
John Payne, who is also a Respect trustee.
At the corridor launch, Liew said the Napier grass project along the
Kinabatangan River was to create an alternative food source for Bornean
pygmy elephants to guide their movements away from human settlements and
agricultural areas.
Liew said grasslands had dwindled along the river and the idea was to plant
grass in areas where there were no trees.
Conservationists are also considering planting wild fig trees, which
elephants and other animals enjoy.
Liew dismissed claims that planting grass would result in more elephants
and more problems managing them.
She argued instead that each day an elephant spent grazing in the food
corridor meant another day that it would not stray onto a plantation and
eat the crops.