KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has launched the Captive Elephant Management Plan (CEMP), which marks a significant step forward in improving the standards of elephant care in the state.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said the plan was also one of the key outputs of the Bornean Elephant Action Plan, reinforcing the state’s commitment to ensure best ex-situ practices for elephant management and long-term conservation efforts.
“Our goal is clear – we want our captive facilities, such as the Bornean Elephant Sanctuary and Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, to be recognised internationally as centres of excellence,” she said when launching the plan and officiating at the Bornean Elephants Conservation Symposium here today.
Sabah is the home of Bornean elephants (Elephas maximus borneensis), which are classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species due to their small and declining population, estimated at around 1,000 in the wild.
Also known as the Bornean pygmy elephant, this subspecies of the Asian elephant is distinguished by its smaller size, with males growing up to 2.5 metres compared to the mainland Asian elephant’s three metres.
The Asian elephant was declared endangered under the IUCN Red List in an assessment on Sept 18, 2019, and published in 2020; while the subspecies Bornean elephant was declared as endangered under the IUCN Red List in an assessment on Nov 17 last year and published last year.
According to Liew, these captive facilities provide a haven for elephants that cannot be immediately released into the wild while also supporting rehabilitation and eventual reintroduction, particularly at the Bornean Elephant Sanctuary.
“Proper training, resources and recognition for elephant keepers are essential to their work. Investing in better infrastructure will enhance elephant welfare and elevate the tourism experience,” she emphasised.
The minister added that the CEMP’s implementation would strengthen conservation efforts while boosting Sabah’s tourism appeal, attracting visitors eager to support ethical wildlife conservation.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the symposium, Liew said human-elephant conflict is a reality that we must face together, but instead of seeing it as a burden, ways must be explored to turn this challenge into a positive impact, especially for local communities.
“Community-based conservation, ecotourism initiatives and compensation schemes are some avenues worth exploring. Local communities can play an important role in efforts to curb poaching and illegal killings,” she said.
As such, she said local communities could assist the effort by channeling information to the authorities about the recent headless carcass of a Borneo pygmy elephant found in Tawau.
“The case is still being investigated, but I believe the people know the culprits. I need to talk with the Sabah Wildlife Department about this. The people really love elephants, so we must encourage them to help conserve these magnificent creatures,” she said.
