A beautiful bull banteng in one of the forest reserves in Sabah. Bull bantengs are poached for meat and trophy (courtesy: DGFC)
KOTA KINABALU: After the Bornean pygmy elephant, another of Sabah's iconic wildlife species is in urgent need of protection after the banteng or native cattle was listed as critically endangered worldwide.
In Sabah, the Bornean banteng, a subspecies (Bos javanicus lowi), is currently the most endangered large mammal in the state.
The banteng, wild cattle native to South-East Asia, was previously categorised as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
ALSO READ: Sabah drawing up 10-year action plan to fight illegal wildlife trade
The decline is largely attributed to unabated pressures from illegal hunting and habitat loss.
The Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) said in a statement on Tuesday (Oct 29) that a mere 500 animals currently survive in four isolated sub-populations in the north (Paitan-Sugut), east (Kulamba-Tabin), central (Central Forest) and west (Sipitang) of the state.
Female banteng shot by poachers in the vicinity of Maliau Basin in October 2017. – courtesy DGFC
The scale of decline varies between populations but overall, an expert assessment suggests that the global banteng population has decreased by 81% over the past two decades, it added.
“Declines are primarily driven by illegal hunting for meat and trade in horns, from by-catch in traps set for other species, and extensive habitat loss and degradation across much of its range," the statement read.
ALSO READ: Wildlife corridor to be set up in Sabah
SWD director Roland Niun said to reverse the negative trend, the state came up with the Bornean Banteng Action Plan for Sabah 2019-2028, and carried out its mid-term review in June.
“The main actions are increasing enforcement at the state level; establishing and maintaining connectivity; and developing and maintaining pastures within and near the home ranges of existing herds.
“(Also, to) set up a Bornean banteng captive breeding programme in Sabah,” he said.
In June, the Bornean elephant, a distinct subspecies of the Asian elephant, was classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
ALSO READ: Sabah's iconic banteng staring at extinction, says WWF Malaysia
Primarily found in Sabah, the elephant, also known as the pygmy elephant, also has a small population in Indonesia’s Kalimantan.
In total, there are estimated to be just 1,000 left, including 400 breeding adults.
A female banteng and her calf. The adult carries a snare wound on her back foot. – courtesy DGFC
Dr Thomas Gray, a co-author of the assessment and the landscape recovery lead WWF's Tigers Alive programme, said the tragic decline in banteng numbers was a manifestation of the Asian snaring crisis.
He said thousands of indiscriminately set traps litter key banteng habitats, particularly in mainland South-East Asia.
IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group chairman James Burton called on all stakeholders to collaborate and take urgent action to reverse the downward trend.
ALSO READ: Rapid response teams formed to fight wildlife crime in Sabah
“Increasing effectiveness of protection from hunting, as well as maintaining and expanding suitable habitat and connectivity, are essential for long-term population viability – the future of the banteng,” he said.
The captive breeding programme is still in its infancy and the development of pastures is being implemented by NGO Bringing Back Our Rare Animals (Bora) in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve.
Sabah's wildlife and forestry authorities have been active in increasing enforcement in the state.
The Forestry Department has set up Protect, a special enforcement team, with the support of WWF-Malaysia and Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) and funding from the Sime Darby Foundation.
ALSO READ: Captive breeding of endangered banteng needed amid constant threat of poaching
“At the same time, SWD has been working with DGFC to boost enforcement and forensic capacity to deter wildlife crimes by setting up our own intelligence unit and forensic laboratory,” said SWD deputy director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar.
He added this was done with funding from the US State Department through its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
“More recently, SWD set up rapid response teams (RRT) to improve effectiveness in reducing wildlife crimes, especially poaching, in the state.
“The emphasis of the RRT is tackling online-related modus operandi and protecting key areas such as the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary and Tabin Wildlife Reserve.
“This has led to arrests and prosecutions including cases involving some totally protected species including the Bornean banteng,” he added.
