MCO blessing in disguise for Orangutans
SANDAKAN: The Movement Control Order (MCO) during Covid-19 pandemic is a blessing in disguise for the endangered orangutans of Sabah.
The MCO from March 18 which has been extended under by Conditional Movement Order (CMCO) until June 9 has forced Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre near here to close to keep the great apes safe from the virus.
Centre manager Sylvia Alsisto said this is the first time the centre has closed its doors in 55 years since it opened, affecting the collection from entry fees.
She said there is adequate financial allocation from the Sabah government to run the facility, one of the longest-surviving rehabilitation centres in the world.
Alsisto said the ‘men in the jungle’ share 96 per cent of human
DNA sequence.
“Orangutans are therefore susceptible to the same diseases as humans,” she told Bernama.
Echoing a joint statement by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Wildlife Health Specialist Group and the Primate Specialist Group Section on Great Apes, Alsisto said it is not known yet if great apes like orangutans are susceptible to the Covid-19 virus.
However, there is enough scientific evidence to show that great apes are susceptible to human respiratory pathogens and it is safe to assume that the primates can contract Covid-19, she explained.
“It is crucial that immediate steps are taken to control the risks because of the low number of orangutans and its status as critically endangered,” she said.
Alsisto said during MCO, the 60 orangutans at the centre are well looked after by the in-house veterinarians and keepers though only half the staff are working. 20 orangutans are free-roaming with 40 under the care of the centre.
Asked whether the centre will remain closed to the public after the MCO is lifted, she said the decision lies with the state government who will determine if additional precautionary measures need to be taken.
Meanwhile, Orangutan Appeal UK (OAUK) founder and chairman Datuk Susan Sheward stated that the existence of the orangutans is important to the survival of the ecosystem of the rainforests.
“Without orangutans, the ecosystem stands little chance of survival and without a suitable rainforest home, the orangutans will become extinct in the wild.
“Without the orangutans, the lungs of the earth will struggle to breathe,” she said.
Sheward said OAUK is doing everything it can to assist the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre ensure the primates there stay healthy and safe.
“Covid-19 can be fatal for the already critically-endangered orangutans.
It is a risk that we cannot afford to take,” she said.
A scientific study in which Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia was involved found a 30 per cent decline in the number of orangutans at the lowlands of Sabah between 2002 and 2017.
It also showed that following the implementation of effective forest management practices, the primate population remained stable with more than 70 per cent found in the state’s totally protected areas.
According to the study, there were 5,933 Orangutans in 2017.
Sabah has remained Malaysia’s stronghold in the conservation of orangutans which number just over 71,000 spread throughout Borneo and Sumatra. — Bernama
Orangutans are susceptible to the same diseases as humans. — Sylvia Alsisto, Centre manager