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Star
Thursday September 19, 2013 MYT 8:11:23 PM
Elephants to feel at home in Sabah and Terengganu
KINABATANGAN: The setting up of the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES) was part of the Sabah government’s conservation strategy under the Elephant Action Plan for 2012-2016, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said.
He said that the BES comes with the state’s initiative to place the Borneo elephants under the totally protected species category under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment.
This was following the deaths of 14 elephants at Gunung Rara in Kalabakan earlier this year.
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Meanwhile Sabah Wildlife Department director Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu said that they estimated about 2,500 Bornean elephants still remain in Borneo.
Except for a very small population of not more than 50 elephant residing in north Kalimantan, the rest of the elephants are all in Sabah, Laurentius said.
He said BES will be to elephants as what the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre is to Orang Utans.
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/09/19/elephants-sabah-tganu.aspx
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Star
Wednesday September 18, 2013 MYT 9:23:09 AM
Sanctuary to help protect Borneo pygmy elephants
KOTA KINABALU: The Borneo Elephant Sanctuary, which is set to open tomorrow, will have a key role in protecting and conserving endangered Borneo pygmy elephants in Sabah.
While helping to rehabilitate displaced and orphaned elephants and releasing them back into the wild, the first and only sanctuary in Sabah will be the hub for the conservation of the species and will create public awareness.
Sabah Wildlife Department director Datuk Laurentius Ambu said the sanctuary in the Kinabatangan district in Sabah’s east coast was in a natural habitat and specifically designed to rescue elephants that were injured by humans or in an elephant fight.
“It will also be home to orphaned elephants,” he added.
Sanctuary to help protect Borneo pygmy elephants
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Star
Sunday July 21, 2013 MYT 3:31:52 PM
Borneo Elephant Sanctuary begins second phase
KOTA KINABALU: A safe haven for Sabah’s threatened elephants is taking shape in the wildlife-rich Lower Kinabatangan region on Sabah’s east coast, thanks to seven Japanese groups and companies.
The first phase of the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES) project has seen the construction of an elephant handling paddock, staff quarters and a storage building at a cost of some RM1.8mil.
Helping to make BES a reality is local NGO Borneo Conservation Trust whose head of conservation and research, Raymond Alfred, said that first phase of the sanctuary was due to funding from Asahiyama Zoo, Suraya, Hunting World, Tokio Marine, NTT Data Kirin, Taiseh and Yusen Logistics.
“The endeavour is what the Japanese describes as an ‘Ongaeshi project’ which means ‘giving back to nature’,” explained Raymond.
Raymond said that work on the second phase of the BES on 25 hectares of land had already begun and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The second phase of the project is expected to cost between RM25mil and RM30mil.
“The Malaysia Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has already allocated a funding of RM5.2mil for this part of the project,” he said.
Borneo Elephant Sanctuary begins second phase
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