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Borneo Conservation Trust Completes First Phase Of Bornean Elephant Sanctuary
Borneo Conservation Trust Completes First Phase Of Bornean Elephant Sanctuary
22/07/2013 (Bernama) - The Borneo Conservation Trust (BCT) has completed the first phase of the Bornean Elephant Sanctuary (BES) project worth RM1.8 million.
According to BCT head of conservation and research Raymond Alfred, the first phase of the BES received financial support from its Japanese conservation partners which were the Asahiyama Zoo, Suraya, Hunting World, Tokio Marine, NTT Data Kirin, Taiseh and Yusen Logistics.
"The endeavour is what the Japanese describe as an 'Ongaeshi project' which means 'giving back to nature," said Raymond in a statement, here, today.
The first phase of the BES project comprising the construction of an elephant handling paddock, staff quarters and a storage building was completed on June 28.
With the completion of the first phase, Raymond said work on the second phase of the BES, costing RM25 million to RM30 million, on 25 hectares of land had begun and was expected to be completed by the end of this year.
"The Malaysia Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has already allocated RM5.2 million to fund the second phase of the project. At the moment, MPOC is our major funder for the BES project in Sabah and is also providing financial support for the preparation of the BES master plan at Lot 8 of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.".
He said MPOC's contribution and support for the project was very important as the project would involve the clarification and verification of the land parcel that needed to be acquired, and transparent consultation with oil palm companies that were found to have encroached into riparian reserves and come up with win-win solutions.
"It will also involve consulting the local communities for the development of long-term tourism programmes associated with the re-establishment of the wildlife corridor reserve and conducting a consultation with the relevant government departments to review any existing policy that will enhance the implementation of its monitoring and enforcement programmes to secure biodiversity, the wildlife corridor and protect the habitat.
"However, the overall development of the corridor master plan which covers the area from the Lot 8 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary to Batu Putih and Segaliud Lokan Forest Reserve is expected to cost more than RM60 million."
He added that so far, they had yet to receive any allocation to support the conservation project from both the federal and state governments.
"But I believe the federal and state governments will render their support to the development of the sanctuary as it will become a tourism centre as well as a model of conservation in Sabah," said Raymond.
Meanwhile, Sabah Wildlife director Datuk Laurentius Ambu said BES would be able to accommodate 12 to 16 elephants at any one time.
He said the role of BES was to nurse injured elephants back to health before they were released back to the connecting forest and wildlife reserves.
Aside from elephants, BES will also serve as a transit centre to treat injured sun bears, proboscis monkeys, orang utan, clouded leopard and the banteng (wild cattle).
"The main role of the sanctuary is to support the implementation of the Elephant Conservation Action Plan in Sabah and provide treatment and care for injured elephants. BES will also function as an education and awareness centre on our elephant conservation programme," said Laurentius.
He said BES was crucial as the key habitat areas of the Bornean elephants in Sabah were fragmented while the key ecological corridor had been converted for other land use.
According to BCT head of conservation and research Raymond Alfred, the first phase of the BES received financial support from its Japanese conservation partners which were the Asahiyama Zoo, Suraya, Hunting World, Tokio Marine, NTT Data Kirin, Taiseh and Yusen Logistics.
"The endeavour is what the Japanese describe as an 'Ongaeshi project' which means 'giving back to nature," said Raymond in a statement, here, today.
The first phase of the BES project comprising the construction of an elephant handling paddock, staff quarters and a storage building was completed on June 28.
With the completion of the first phase, Raymond said work on the second phase of the BES, costing RM25 million to RM30 million, on 25 hectares of land had begun and was expected to be completed by the end of this year.
"The Malaysia Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has already allocated RM5.2 million to fund the second phase of the project. At the moment, MPOC is our major funder for the BES project in Sabah and is also providing financial support for the preparation of the BES master plan at Lot 8 of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.".
He said MPOC's contribution and support for the project was very important as the project would involve the clarification and verification of the land parcel that needed to be acquired, and transparent consultation with oil palm companies that were found to have encroached into riparian reserves and come up with win-win solutions.
"It will also involve consulting the local communities for the development of long-term tourism programmes associated with the re-establishment of the wildlife corridor reserve and conducting a consultation with the relevant government departments to review any existing policy that will enhance the implementation of its monitoring and enforcement programmes to secure biodiversity, the wildlife corridor and protect the habitat.
"However, the overall development of the corridor master plan which covers the area from the Lot 8 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary to Batu Putih and Segaliud Lokan Forest Reserve is expected to cost more than RM60 million."
He added that so far, they had yet to receive any allocation to support the conservation project from both the federal and state governments.
"But I believe the federal and state governments will render their support to the development of the sanctuary as it will become a tourism centre as well as a model of conservation in Sabah," said Raymond.
Meanwhile, Sabah Wildlife director Datuk Laurentius Ambu said BES would be able to accommodate 12 to 16 elephants at any one time.
He said the role of BES was to nurse injured elephants back to health before they were released back to the connecting forest and wildlife reserves.
Aside from elephants, BES will also serve as a transit centre to treat injured sun bears, proboscis monkeys, orang utan, clouded leopard and the banteng (wild cattle).
"The main role of the sanctuary is to support the implementation of the Elephant Conservation Action Plan in Sabah and provide treatment and care for injured elephants. BES will also function as an education and awareness centre on our elephant conservation programme," said Laurentius.
He said BES was crucial as the key habitat areas of the Bornean elephants in Sabah were fragmented while the key ecological corridor had been converted for other land use.