Minister moots ecological corridors to address human-elephant conflict
KUALA LUMPUR : Connecting wildlife habitats, especially those of elephants, through ecological corridors is among the long-term measures that can be implemented to deal with human-wildlife conflict, says natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
He also said that elephant corridors could be established near habitats, including in plantation areas, on private land, and in forested areas.
Nik Nazmi said oil palm plantation companies would need to work together to create a network of mini corridors within their respective plantations.
'Planting natural food sources for elephants in corridor areas (also needs to be implemented) to reduce dependence on commercial crops,' he said in a statement today.
Nik Nazmi also proposed the formation of an elephant sanctuary covering at least 10,000 hectares, in addition to the installation of street lights at main elephant crossing locations.
However, he emphasised that a long-term solution would require close cooperation between the federal and state governments, as the forests which are the primary habitats of elephants fall under state jurisdiction.
Nik Nazmi said the federal government was providing additional financial incentives to state governments to protect and conserve protected areas under the Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT) programme for biodiversity conservation.
To date, RM800 million has been provided under the EFT, including RM250 million this year, with the gazettement of 90,000 hectares of terrestrial protected areas.
'Of this amount, there was an increase in the area of permanent forest reserves by more than 14,000 hectares. However, addressing this issue requires more than just financial and technical intervention,' Nik Nazmi said.
He said the government would continue to lead efforts through comprehensive policies and implementation, but that its success would depend on the joint commitment of plantation owners, project implementers, local communities, and road users.
Regarding the death of a calf elephant due to an accident with a 10-tonne lorry on the East-West Highway on Sunday, Nik Nazmi said it was not just a tragic accident, but reflected a major challenge in the relationship between humans and nature, especially in efforts to maintain the survival of wildlife.
He said a study in 2016 found that elephant habitats had decreased by 68% due to land use changes for agriculture, plantations, as well as infrastructure development such as roads and settlements.
Based on records from the department of wildlife and national parks, 4,919 complaints of human-elephant conflict were reported from 2020 to 2024, involving property losses estimated at RM39.4 million.
Over the past five years, Nik Nazmi said a total of eight elephants were recorded as dying due to road accidents in Peninsular Malaysia, with three of these cases occurring this year.
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