76,000 wildlife conflict complaints since 2021, says minister

KOTA TINGGI: A total of 76,361 wildlife conflict complaints involving estimated losses of RM58.7 million were recorded nationwide between 2021 and May this year, natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said.

Of the total, 9,063 complaints were reported in Johor, with losses amounting to RM7.5 million.

“Such conflicts must be addressed urgently as they not only cause damage to crops and property, but can also result in injuries and loss of life,” he said when speaking at the Johor Elephant Sanctuary here.

Arthur said human-wildlife conflicts involving macaques, elephants, wild boars, Malayan tigers and tapirs were showing an increasingly worrying trend.

He attributed the situation to habitat loss caused by land-use changes for agriculture, plantations and the development of linear infrastructure, such as roads, dams, human settlements and urban areas.

“For example, elephants require extensive roaming areas ranging from 10 to 250 square kilometres, depending on food availability and herd composition,” he said.

Arthur said the ministry had undertaken various initiatives to address human-wildlife conflicts, particularly those involving elephants.

He was referring to the implementation of the National Elephant Conservation Action Plan (NECAP), the establishment of elephant sanctuaries and the National Elephant Conservation Centre (NECC) in Lanchang, Pahang, as well as the installation of elephant electric fencing systems.

The Johor government had also set up a special committee last year to coordinate efforts to mitigate human-elephant conflicts in the state, he added.

He said collaborative efforts involving the Johor state government, the wildlife and national parks department (Perhilitan), the transport ministry and the Railway Assets Corporation were also crucial in addressing uncontrolled elephant crossings along the Gemas-Johor Bahru Electrified Double-Track Railway, particularly at the Labis-Bekok-Paloh and Mengkibol-Renggam hotspots.

Arthur also presented Wildlife Attack Damage Assistance (BKHT) totalling RM79,600 to nine recipients.