Call for SWD to set up website on elephant deaths

SANDAKAN, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- The Responsible Elephant Conservation Trust (Respect) has called on the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) to set up a website on elephant deaths in the state so that the people could keep abreast on the developments of cases involving the endangered species.

Its protem chairman, Alexander Yee, said the website should contain information on elephant deaths, locations of carcass discovery and whether there will a reward for informants who provide leads to catch the culprits.

“The responsibility is for everyone to come forward by playing their role in helping build awareness on the serious need for conservation and not just leave the task to the authorities and place the blame on any single authority or individual.

“There is a need for people, especially in the east coast of Sabah where elephants roam, to come forward and provide information on poachers or other individuals who might be directly or indirectly behind the deaths,” he said in a statement here today.

Yee said Respect was concerned over reports on the deaths of elephants in the state, especially the discovery of a dismembered and skinned jumbo at an oil palm plantation in Tongod, Kinabatangan on Jan 20.

He said the discovery of the dead elephant once again raised the need for every stakeholder and people to play their role in helping the conservation of Sabah's endangered elephants.

On recent allegations that SWD had not been transparent in providing data on elephant deaths, Yee said he believed that everyone in the field of Sabah's wildlife is helping out in the conservation of Sabah's pygmy elephants and are aware of all efforts involved in saving the species.

“The Wildlife Department is rather transparent. We just need to engage more with them.

“I have had close collaborations with SWD for over 10 years in Kinabatangan through the Kinabatangan-Corridor of Life Tourism Operators Association (KiTA) where I am also president,” he added.

-- BERNAMA