‘Fragmented forests a big threat’
Orangutan conservationists in Sabah warn that forest fragmentation caused by human development is the primary threat to the species' survival. Experts urge plantation companies to integrate wildlife corridors and riparian forests into their land management to prevent human-animal conflict.
Why it matters
Orangutans are a critically endangered species and a key indicator of ecosystem health in Southeast Asia, making their survival a global conservation priority.
KOTA KINABALU: Fragmented forests due to human activities remain the largest threat to orang utan survival in Sabah, says an expert.
Currently, there are around 11,000 orang utan in Sabah, according to estimates by Hutan, a research and conservation organisation.
Hutan scientific director Dr Marc Ancrenaz said while Sabah still has a lot of protected forests where most orang utans are living, these forests are usually fragmented or in other words separated or dispersed, due to development activities.
He said when moving from one place to another in search of food and carrying out daily activities, more of these species would enter non-forest and non-protected areas, hence getting into contact with humans.
He warned that it would be very difficult to protect and save orang utans if people do not accept their presence in estates and plantations.
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