Groups back Sabah wildlife department over cover-up claims

 

The carcass of an elephant found in the Leepang oil palm plantation in Kinabatangan last November.

KOTA KINABALU: Some members of the Sabah Elephant Task Force (SETF) have come to the defence of the state wildlife department after it was accused of trying to hide the actual number of elephant deaths in the state.

These members, who represent non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the task force, have dismissed a report that claimed the department was not practising transparency when it came to sharing data and information on the deaths.

The claim was made by an unnamed local wildlife expert and conservationist to an online portal.

SETF members Nurzhafarina Othman and Benoit Goossens rejected the allegation, saying the government was trying its best to tackle the issue of elephants dying in the wild, especially through the task force.

Nurzhafarina, a Borneo elephant expert and founder of elephant conservation programme Projek Seratu Aatai, pointed out that an “expert” would not hide behind anonymity but would furnish proof to back up the claims.

She also said the SETF meets frequently to discuss priority issues.

“An expert will find a way to improve the system. Write a formal letter to that particular department and seek an explanation.

“I call for all ‘experts’ to be transparent when they make statements. If they go anonymous like this, it will not do any good for anyone,” she told FMT.

The criticism arose after the recent deaths of four elephants in Sabah, all at oil palm plantations, including one dismembered carcass found in the interior Tongod district.

The animal’s limbs had been amputated and its skin peeled off.

Another conservationist in the online report claimed the wildlife department was not keen on sharing such information as it would jeopardise its reputation.

The department was also accused of having spoken about the deaths only after being pressed by the media and news of the deaths had spread on social media.

Goossens, a wildlife expert who heads the research outfit Danau Girang Field Centre, dismissed the notion that the department had tried to keep the deaths hushed, saying it sounded like the so-called expert had a beef with government agencies.

“The department is not hiding from the public. The killing of the bull (elephant) was published in the press and was not kept from the public.

“I’m a member of the SETF and I can promise you that we, including government agencies such as the wildlife and forestry departments, are doing everything we can to tackle the situation.

“But there are some people who call themselves conservationists and who like to criticise and spend time behind their computers attacking those who are actually doing the dirty work,” he said.

FMT has reached out to the wildlife department for comment.

The SETF was formed in 2018 following the alarming rate of elephant deaths in Sabah. It is chaired by the state tourism, culture and environment ministry, with the wildlife department as the secretariat.

The forestry department and a number of NGOs are also members of the task force.

A total of 116 elephants have died between October 2010 and September last year. In that period, 2018 recorded the highest number of deaths with at least 30 cases detected.

The deaths were mainly due to snare traps, lack of food and diseases. - FMT