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Bornean Orangutan Population Survey

Bornean Orangutan Population Survey

In order to develop successful conservation measures for Sabah’s wild Bornean Orangutan species, it is essential to have a solid understanding of the size and distribution of populations in Sabah. Multiple surveys have been carried out in the state by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and its collaborators over time to produce accurate estimates of Orangutan population sizes across the state. Evaluating the viability of Orangutan populations in Sabah and determining the effectiveness of conservation efforts made by the SWD and other stakeholders require continuous monitoring of population size and dynamics. This monitoring is vital for assessing the efficiency of conservation activities. Today, about 80% of Sabah’s current wild Bornean Orangutan populations are found within the extensive network of protected forests across the state. However, recent information also shows that the species is increasingly found outside protected areas and forested regions, primarily in oil-palm-dominated landscapes. The Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation has taken the initiative to collaborate with the Sabah Wildlife Department and HUTAN (an NGO) to conduct this population survey project. The main goal of this two-year project is to provide new and updated information on Orangutan distribution and abundance in Sabah, with a focus on smaller populations living in fragmented forests and agricultural landscapes. This new survey data is needed for comparison with baseline information collected about 20 years ago. Updated population data on Orangutans will be used for Sabah’s Bornean Orangutan Action Plan and to develop targeted outreach campaigns and landscape management strategies adapted to the current situation. This project is also designed to serve as a training platform for the field personnel of the Sabah Wildlife Department and related stakeholders on Orangutan survey and monitoring techniques. In addition to ground line-transect surveys to estimate population distribution and size, the project will also involve helicopter and drone surveys to cover areas with difficult accessibility and challenging landscapes.
Bornean Giants Population Survey

Bornean Giants Population Survey

This project is a collaboration between Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation, Sabah Wildlife Department and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). It was known that major threats to the continued survival of Bornean wild elephant species including anthropogenic activities which has caused increasing conversion of natural habitat to human dominated landscapes, bringing elephants and humans into greater contact and conflict. Effective monitoring programs, which involve systematic collection of data on the distribution, size, and trend of elephant populations, as well as threats such as illegal killing, are needed to provide a rational basis for the management of this elephant populations. This three years project’s aim to provide a baseline population estimation for a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of the Sabah’s Bornean Elephant Action Plan (2020-2029). The major goal covered is to provide a baseline elephant population estimate for two elephant populations, Tabin Wildlife Reserve (TWR) and Segaliud-Deramakot-Tangkulap-Tawai Complex (SDTT). These areas were identified for not having sufficient data collection compared to other hot spots area such as Kinabatangan. Previously the number of elephants detected by direct sightings is usually taken as a proxy to indicate the effectiveness and success of different management approaches, but this method is notoriously unreliable in tropical forests. For this current initiative, the project employs dung count-based surveys, elephant satellite collaring and random encounter model methods (using camera trap pictures) to estimate the elephant population size. Dung count-based surveys collect data on dung density, decay and production rated, which will be analyses to estimate elephant population sizes through statistical analysis. The objectives of this project primarily to further refine standard dung count-based survey methods and apply them to estimate the current elephant population size in TWR and SDTT Complex, focusing on building the capacity for Sabah’s young scientists and conservationists in Bornean elephant ecology, monitoring, and conservation. Two Malaysian MSc graduate students are currently registered with Universiti Malaysia Sabah and pursuing their studies under this project.
How wildlife corridors are protecting orangutans in Borneo 🦧

How wildlife corridors are protecting orangutans in Borneo 🦧

Past human activities have broken up large swathes of forests of the Kinabatangan floodplain in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo into fragments. Orangutans and other wildlife are now trapped inside isolated forest patches, with no alternative other than venturing through agricultural land and villages when moving between islands of protected forest. HUTAN's scientific research guide their efforts to create strategic wildlife corridors and to reforest degraded areas with native trees, ensuring safe passage, food and shelter to orangutans and other species. At the same time, Hutan provides environmental education and training to communities and landowners to live side-by-side with wildlife. -- Over the last ten years, the evidence that we face urgent challenges to protect the environment has become indisputable, and it’s clear that the time to act is now. Drawing inspiration from the concept of moonshots, which since the moon landing in 1969 has become shorthand to talk about the most ambitious and ground-breaking goals, Prince William announced The Earthshot Prize: an ambitious set of challenges to inspire a decade of action to repair the planet. We believe in the power of human ingenuity to prove to us all that the seemingly impossible is possible. -- Learn more about The Earthshot Prize here: https://earthshotprize.org/ The Earthshot Prize on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theearthshotprize The Earthshot Prize on Instagram: twitter.com/TheEarthshotPrize The Earthshot Prizes on Twitter: facebook.com/TheEarthshotPrize The Earthshot Prizes on Facebook: instagram.com/TheEarthshotPrize #EarthshotPrize #Nature #orangutan
Protecting Their Home: Malaysia’s Natives Help to Save the Endangered Malayan Tiger

Protecting Their Home: Malaysia’s Natives Help to Save the Endangered Malayan Tiger

Over the span of over five decades, the Malayan Tiger population has shrunk dramatically from 3000 to a mere 150 fighting for their lives. A non-profit organisation, RIMAU is working to save the tigers by ‘putting boots on the ground’ with a specialised patrol team made up of members of the Jahai tribe who have lived in the Royal Belum-Temengor forest complex for centuries. Dedicated to saving the tiger, RIMAU believes that community efforts are crucial in its long-term conservation goals. These efforts involve empowering the Jahai people with a sense of ownership for their home and at the same time, creating sustainable livelihoods. ____________ Find out more: https://rimau.ngo/ Read the full story: www.ourbetterworld.org/series/a-wild-life/story/saving-the-malayan-tiger ____________ Director: Lydia Lubon Producer: Tan Pei Lin Camera: Wong Chin Hor Sound: Kheng Loon Fung Editor: Vevainedra Hendry Writer: Tan Pei Lin Executive Producer: Ivan Tan ____________________________________________________________________ For more inspiring stories subscribe now! http://bit.ly/14Ohz8G Our Better World - Telling Stories. Inspiring Action. We tell stories of people doing good in Asia to inspire global action. We connect storytellers, the people doing good and the ones who’d love to help but don’t know how. We strive to build an engaged global community sharing skills, resources, time and effort, empowering every person with the conviction that each has the power to make the world better. Our Better World is a digital storytelling initiative of the Singapore International Foundation. We're happy for you to link to or embed our stuff on your site for non-commercial use. We'd appreciate being credited, with a link back to http://www.ourbetterworld.org. or embed our stuff on your site for non-commercial use.
Bornean Orangutan Population Survey
05:15

Bornean Orangutan Population Survey

In order to develop successful conservation measures for Sabah’s wild Bornean Orangutan species, it is essential to have a solid understanding of the size and distribution of populations in Sabah. Multiple surveys have been carried out in the state by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and its collaborators over time to produce accurate estimates of Orangutan population sizes across the state. Evaluating the viability of Orangutan populations in Sabah and determining the effectiveness of conservation efforts made by the SWD and other stakeholders require continuous monitoring of population size and dynamics. This monitoring is vital for assessing the efficiency of conservation activities. Today, about 80% of Sabah’s current wild Bornean Orangutan populations are found within the extensive network of protected forests across the state. However, recent information also shows that the species is increasingly found outside protected areas and forested regions, primarily in oil-palm-dominated landscapes. The Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation has taken the initiative to collaborate with the Sabah Wildlife Department and HUTAN (an NGO) to conduct this population survey project. The main goal of this two-year project is to provide new and updated information on Orangutan distribution and abundance in Sabah, with a focus on smaller populations living in fragmented forests and agricultural landscapes. This new survey data is needed for comparison with baseline information collected about 20 years ago. Updated population data on Orangutans will be used for Sabah’s Bornean Orangutan Action Plan and to develop targeted outreach campaigns and landscape management strategies adapted to the current situation. This project is also designed to serve as a training platform for the field personnel of the Sabah Wildlife Department and related stakeholders on Orangutan survey and monitoring techniques. In addition to ground line-transect surveys to estimate population distribution and size, the project will also involve helicopter and drone surveys to cover areas with difficult accessibility and challenging landscapes.
Bornean Giants Population Survey
05:25

Bornean Giants Population Survey

This project is a collaboration between Malaysian Palm Oil Green Conservation Foundation, Sabah Wildlife Department and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). It was known that major threats to the continued survival of Bornean wild elephant species including anthropogenic activities which has caused increasing conversion of natural habitat to human dominated landscapes, bringing elephants and humans into greater contact and conflict. Effective monitoring programs, which involve systematic collection of data on the distribution, size, and trend of elephant populations, as well as threats such as illegal killing, are needed to provide a rational basis for the management of this elephant populations. This three years project’s aim to provide a baseline population estimation for a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of the Sabah’s Bornean Elephant Action Plan (2020-2029). The major goal covered is to provide a baseline elephant population estimate for two elephant populations, Tabin Wildlife Reserve (TWR) and Segaliud-Deramakot-Tangkulap-Tawai Complex (SDTT). These areas were identified for not having sufficient data collection compared to other hot spots area such as Kinabatangan. Previously the number of elephants detected by direct sightings is usually taken as a proxy to indicate the effectiveness and success of different management approaches, but this method is notoriously unreliable in tropical forests. For this current initiative, the project employs dung count-based surveys, elephant satellite collaring and random encounter model methods (using camera trap pictures) to estimate the elephant population size. Dung count-based surveys collect data on dung density, decay and production rated, which will be analyses to estimate elephant population sizes through statistical analysis. The objectives of this project primarily to further refine standard dung count-based survey methods and apply them to estimate the current elephant population size in TWR and SDTT Complex, focusing on building the capacity for Sabah’s young scientists and conservationists in Bornean elephant ecology, monitoring, and conservation. Two Malaysian MSc graduate students are currently registered with Universiti Malaysia Sabah and pursuing their studies under this project.
How wildlife corridors are protecting orangutans in Borneo 🦧
02:34

How wildlife corridors are protecting orangutans in Borneo 🦧

Past human activities have broken up large swathes of forests of the Kinabatangan floodplain in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo into fragments. Orangutans and other wildlife are now trapped inside isolated forest patches, with no alternative other than venturing through agricultural land and villages when moving between islands of protected forest. HUTAN's scientific research guide their efforts to create strategic wildlife corridors and to reforest degraded areas with native trees, ensuring safe passage, food and shelter to orangutans and other species. At the same time, Hutan provides environmental education and training to communities and landowners to live side-by-side with wildlife. -- Over the last ten years, the evidence that we face urgent challenges to protect the environment has become indisputable, and it’s clear that the time to act is now. Drawing inspiration from the concept of moonshots, which since the moon landing in 1969 has become shorthand to talk about the most ambitious and ground-breaking goals, Prince William announced The Earthshot Prize: an ambitious set of challenges to inspire a decade of action to repair the planet. We believe in the power of human ingenuity to prove to us all that the seemingly impossible is possible. -- Learn more about The Earthshot Prize here: https://earthshotprize.org/ The Earthshot Prize on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theearthshotprize The Earthshot Prize on Instagram: twitter.com/TheEarthshotPrize The Earthshot Prizes on Twitter: facebook.com/TheEarthshotPrize The Earthshot Prizes on Facebook: instagram.com/TheEarthshotPrize #EarthshotPrize #Nature #orangutan
Protecting Their Home: Malaysia’s Natives Help to Save the Endangered Malayan Tiger
06:41

Protecting Their Home: Malaysia’s Natives Help to Save the Endangered Malayan Tiger

Over the span of over five decades, the Malayan Tiger population has shrunk dramatically from 3000 to a mere 150 fighting for their lives. A non-profit organisation, RIMAU is working to save the tigers by ‘putting boots on the ground’ with a specialised patrol team made up of members of the Jahai tribe who have lived in the Royal Belum-Temengor forest complex for centuries. Dedicated to saving the tiger, RIMAU believes that community efforts are crucial in its long-term conservation goals. These efforts involve empowering the Jahai people with a sense of ownership for their home and at the same time, creating sustainable livelihoods. ____________ Find out more: https://rimau.ngo/ Read the full story: www.ourbetterworld.org/series/a-wild-life/story/saving-the-malayan-tiger ____________ Director: Lydia Lubon Producer: Tan Pei Lin Camera: Wong Chin Hor Sound: Kheng Loon Fung Editor: Vevainedra Hendry Writer: Tan Pei Lin Executive Producer: Ivan Tan ____________________________________________________________________ For more inspiring stories subscribe now! http://bit.ly/14Ohz8G Our Better World - Telling Stories. Inspiring Action. We tell stories of people doing good in Asia to inspire global action. We connect storytellers, the people doing good and the ones who’d love to help but don’t know how. We strive to build an engaged global community sharing skills, resources, time and effort, empowering every person with the conviction that each has the power to make the world better. Our Better World is a digital storytelling initiative of the Singapore International Foundation. We're happy for you to link to or embed our stuff on your site for non-commercial use. We'd appreciate being credited, with a link back to http://www.ourbetterworld.org. or embed our stuff on your site for non-commercial use.
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