Elephant conservation and mitigation of human-elephant conflict in Government of Malaysia-UNDP multiple-use forest landscapes project area in Sabah

Abstract

The Bornean subspecies of Asian elephant is mainly restricted to Sabah,
\nMalaysia. Declining revenues from logging in Sabah due to high levels of past extraction,
\nis now leading to conversion of forests to land-uses generating greater short term revenue,
\nsuch as oil palm plantations. However, such forest conversion results in habitat loss,
\nfragmentation and increased human-elephant-conflict. Currently, 261,264 ha of central
\nSabah forests are being brought under a ‘multiple use forest landscape management
\nmodel’. The initiative envisions various developmental activities including oil palm
\nplantations, while attempting to conserve elephants and other biodiversity by protecting
\ncritical landscape segments and improving plantation sustainability