Orang utans of Malua branch out
2011/08/24
A healthy male orang utan at the Malua Biobank in the Ulu Segama area between Kinabatangan and Lahad Datu.
An international expert, Dr Marc Acrenaz said the area, also known as Malua Biobank, supports one of the highest densities of the species.
"The Malua Biobank is critically important for the survival of the orangutan," he said, adding that the species were slowly becoming endangered due to habitat loss.
"For an orang utan to survive, it is important to preserve large contiguous blocks of lowland rainforests," Dr Acrenaz added. Sabah Forestry Department Malua Wildlife Unit Leader Hadrin Lias said the discovery was made following recent ground and aerial surveys.
"The area is one of the most important refuge for orang utans in Borneo," he said, adding this was the result of conservation efforts.
Hadrin said revealed that logging in the area ceased in 2007 and was has been regularly patrolled by the authorities. A second 'wildlife' bridge was recently constructed across the Malua river to allow orang utans from outside the plot to enter.
The bridges, made up of chains, provide the primate hand and footholds to cross the river, mimicking overhanging tree branches.
The Malua Biobank is a pioneering public-private partnership to restore and protect endangered lowland rainforests, established in 2008. It also manages environmental credit sales, which in turn, would be utilised to run its conservation activities.
It is a joint venture between the Sabah Forestry Department, the Sabah Foundation or Yayasan Sabah and the EcuProducts Fund.
Darius Sarshar, director of New Forests Asia, the company that manages the Malua Biobank, said the results reinforced the significance of the initiative.
Killed in the past, orang utans are now swinging with hope
2011/08/02
Orang utans, such as these at the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre in Sandakan, carry an iconic status as a flagship tourism product.
Ten-Ten, barely a month old then, was rescued on Oct 10 in Keningau, just days after it was found abandoned in the interior jungles of Pensiangan.
In the past, it would have been ignored, chased away or even killed.
In a few years, after it learns how to feed itself in the jungle, Ten-Ten will join the 11,000 orang utan population in 16 protected forests in Sabah.
State Wildlife director Dr Laurentius Ambu said the perception, or rather, appreciation of orang utans, which carry an iconic status as a flagship tourism product, had changed for the better.
"The government, villagers, corporations and non-governmental organisations are all for the protection of the species."
Ambu said the orang utan population was healthy in Sabah and "it shows that management of our resources are on the right track, along with sound policies".
He attributed the success to the department's 4,300ha centre, which pioneered animal preservation efforts since it was opened in 1964.
Orang utans are also kept in captivity at the Lok Kawi Zoological Park but most of them are those that were domesticated or abandoned.
"One key factor are government policies on the preservation of flora and fauna.
"According to standards set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, at least 10 per cent of the land mass should be protected.
"In Sabah, we protect 15.5 per cent of our land mass, which is dedicated to the preservation of flora and fauna."
On threats of agricultural land clearing against the species, he said the issue did not arise because all 16 locations where the primates were concentrated were forest reserves.
"On top of that, orang utans are versatile animals because they can survive in secondary forests and they can eat many plants, including oil palm kernels.
"There are some orang utans outside the main habitats, say, at the edge of a village in one of the districts where, in the past, they would have been chased away.
"But, with people now more aware of orang utans, they'd get top class attention and protection."
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