Guardians of Sabah elephants to form RESPECT to conserve habitat

 By Olivia Miwil - January 29, 2021 @ 5:00pm

Kinabatangan Corridor of Life Tourism Operator Association (KiTA) president Alexander Yee said RESPECT, which stands for Responsible Elephant Conservation Trust, will consist of like-minded people to better protect the species. - Photo courtesy of Alexander Yee.

KOTA KINABALU: A trust, dubbed "RESPECT", will be set up to protect the natural habitat of elephants in Sabah.

Kinabatangan Corridor of Life Tourism Operator Association (KiTA) president Alexander Yee said RESPECT, which stands for Responsible Elephant Conservation Trust, will consist of like-minded people to better protect the species.

"In our effort to work together with the Sabah Wildlife Department and Sabah Forestry Department, we have submitted the required documents for the setting up of a trust focusing on elephant habitat management," he said in a statement, adding he would chair RESPECT.

Yee also suggested the setting up of a website focusing on elephant deaths in the state.

The website should also include the locations of incidents and offer rewards for those who lead to the capture of culprits.

Yee said the public were very concerned over reports of elephant deaths in recent days.

The latest incident involved the killing of a Bornean pygmy elephant last week at a Tongod plantation in central Sabah. The animal was found shot and brutally hacked into several parts. Two other recent cases of elephant killings in the state involve a calf in the Bahagad area of Lahad Datu, and another in Kinabatangan.

"It once again raises the need for every stakeholder and the people to play their role in helping the conservation of our endangered elephants.

"The responsibility is for everyone to play a role in helping build awareness on the serious need for conservation and not just leave it to the authorities.

"There is a need for people, especially in the east coast areas of Sabah where the elephants roam, to come forward and provide information on poachers or other individuals who might be directly or indirectly involved in the deaths (of these elephants)," he added.

On allegations by an anonymous "expert" that Sabah Wildlife Department is covering up the elephant death cases, Yee begged to differ.

Having worked with the Sabah Wildlife Department for over 10 years in Kinabatangan, he said the department has been transparent about cases related to elephant deaths in the state.

"I believe that everyone in the field is helping out in the conservation of our elephants and are aware of all efforts involved in saving the elephants.

"The Wildlife Department is rather transparent. We just need to engage with them more."