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SM Mohd Idris

The sight of an elephant and calf walking across the Gerik-Jeli highway as reported in the local daily maybe an awe inspiring sight, but it spells disaster for the elephants. It is a clear indication of yet another species losing its home grounds. One can only wonder what is to become of a species that is sadly clutching onto a shrinking habitat.

Scenes like these are worrisome and it brings to mind the construction of highways and roads eating into wildlife habitats without any thought or concern for our wildlife species.

Not only are these elephants in a vulnerable situation, they also pose risks to road users. In most cases, it is the animals which end up as victims of motorised vehicles.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia has addressed this problem of wildlife crossings previously through letters to the ministry concerned, but to our disappointment, no effective efforts have been initiated by those involved in the planning and construction of our highways.

Clearly, not enough is being done to ensure the safety of our wildlife species. The fragmentation of the animals' habitats by roads is being severely overlooked by engineers, planners and policymakers. As traffic volume increases and development continues to sprawl across the landscape, fragmentation and animal-vehicle collisions will continue to increase.

After nearly a decade of increased road building there have been virtually no studies carried out on how to incorporate wildlife crossing structures. No measures are being taken to reduce wildlife crossings and maintaining or improving habitat connectivity to increase driver safety while protecting wildlife areas.

Studies by the Western Transportation Institute in Montana State University, US, have shown that wildlife use crossing structures. However the level of use varies between species of wildlife, locations and landscapes. Therefore careful research and study has to be carried out in wildlife areas focusing on mitigating wildlife mortality and habitat fragmentation due to transportation infrastructure.

To avoid or reduce animal-vehicle collisions, basic data needs to be recorded and analysed which can illustrate the magnitude of the problem and potential changes over time. More importantly, the need is to prioritise and focus efforts to avoid or reduce collisions.

Unfortunately, road planners and engineers have neither borne in mind nor considered the fact that wildlife were there before the roads, during the planning stage of road building. And roads and highways cause forested areas to become fragmented, breaking up the animals' traditional ranges, besides allowing access to both wildlife and poachers.

Adequate forest is the most important requirement in maintaining a viable population of these mammals, for this will ensure the survival of most of the other species found within its large home range.

Connecting national parks, wildlife reserves and multiple use forest areas through corridors will provide for elephant movements and preventing pocketed elephant herds and genetic degradation of their populations.

Long term planning must be part of conservation efforts for elephants and all large mammals. Until and unless governments work together to ensure sustainable development and balanced co-existence with our wildlife, there remains the danger that Malaysia's magnificent mammoth marvels will be lose forever.


The writer is president, Sahabat Alam Malaysia .

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