Saving endangered wild cattle

SABAH’S endangered Borneon wild cattles, the banteng, risk facing extinction due to habitat loss, forest fragmentation and heavy poaching.

The cows are highly sought-after for their meat and horns.

Their current population is estimated to be between 400 and 500, making the Borneon banteng the most endangered large mammal in Sabah, according to the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC), a collaborative research and training centre jointly managed by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and the University of Cardiff, Britain.

In 2012, Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) partnered with SWD on the Borneon Banteng project, a programme managed by SWD through DGFC.

The programme aims to pursue a statewide strategy to conserve and manage endangered species in Sabah.

YSD scholar Lim Hong Ye, 28, was the field manager and researcher for the Bornean Banteng project from 2014 to 2017.

For two years, Lim carried out camera trap surveys in several forest reserves in Sabah, with the main objectives of mapping the banteng’s habitat suitability across Sabah, highlighting areas with high conservation value for the species, exploring environmental factors that influence the current distribution of the banteng using spatial predictors, and identifying potential corridors between identified suitable habitat.

His research and results are crucial for the Bornean Banteng Action Plan which is currently being drafted by DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens, who is the principal investigator on the Bornean Banteng project.

Lim shares about his work and how it contributes to banteng conservation:

What were the key findings from your three-year survey and research?

From the survey and habitat suitability analysis, only a small extent (approximately 16%) of Sabah’s landscape is suitable for the Bornean banteng, of which the majority (75%) is confined within the boundaries of forest reserves and protected areas.

In reality, the extent (of this suitable) landscape could be much smaller. Nonetheless, this suggests that management of forest reserves and protected areas should be strengthened, as they are the stronghold of the banteng.

We also found that the banteng would encounter many difficulties when travelling from one site to another. While there are several factors contributing to this pattern, the key factor is land clearance for agricultural purposes.

From the survey, we understand that the Bornean banteng population in Sabah is spread into four groups due to severe fragmentation, with the group in central Sabah being the largest, correlating with the area’s forest cover (central Sabah has the largest extent of forest cover in the whole state).

However, the groups in north-eastern and south-western Sabah have a small population size and could easily go extinct if poaching does not cease in the near future.

How does your work influence or contribute to the Bornean Banteng Action Plan?

The purpose of my study is to understand the distribution of banteng habitats at present, as well as connectivity among them. The identification of the banteng habitats may facilitate the Bornean Banteng Action Plan in prioritising forested areas for banteng conservation and habitat management.

As for connectivity, the key findings from the study can be incorporated into the action plan for connectivity management, especially Central Sabah, or (potential) corridor restoration between forest fragments containing banteng herds.

From your research, what are the key threats to the survival of the endangered banteng population?

Based on my study, the key threats to the banteng population are deforestation, habitat fragmentation and poaching. Land clearance for agricultural activities, highways and human settlements have altered the boundaries and fragmented forested landscapes.

As the banteng are confined within the boundaries of forested areas, they are then unable to move to other forest fragments.

This may lead to inbreeding, which makes the population susceptible to diseases. Apart from that, the close proximity of agricultural land and human settlements increases the chances of human encounters in the forest, thus increasing the risk of hunting.

What needs to be done urgently to ensure the survival of this species?

To ensure the survival of the banteng, poaching has to be stopped now. We have seen banteng with missing or swollen hooves due to snaring.

It is therefore important to stop unwarranted human access (via walking, motorbikes or 4x4s) in forest reserves, and implement forest patrolling to reduce these incidents. This should be done (together with) the action plan for an effective long-running conservation.