KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s dwindling Borneo pygmy elephant population is more threatened by conflict with humans amid forest clearing for agriculture than by accidental and natural deaths, says a conservationist. “Every year, we believe there are quite a number of elephants dying due to poisoning or being shot dead by people trying to stop them from destroying their plantations,” he said. “Our forests are fragmented from (Sabah’s eastern) Kinabatangan to (southeastern) Kalabakan in Tawau. “The fragmentation of our forests will continue to create conflict with villagers and planters because these elephants need to find food,” he said. “Their isolated forest is not sufficient for their foraging needs.”“We still need more corridors to link the isolated forests for the elephants to move about and breed,” said Dr Ancrenaz.

Source: The Star September 15, 2016 23:22 UTC