‘It’s okay, it’s okay! I’ve a shock for you.’
We’re zipping alongside the Kinabatangan River in a metallic longtail boat. It’s 4 pm and the solar nonetheless has some sting to it, nevertheless it’s the right time for wildlife recognizing in Borneo. The engine is loudly buzzing behind us however we’re all completely silent. The one voice we are able to hear is that of our wildlife river information, Nelson.
Sitting in the back of the boat, I can see everybody leaning ahead in anticipation, with their heads all angled in a barely completely different route and pointing exterior to wildlife within the bushes. On the entrance of the boat, everybody has their eyes locked straight down the centre of the river, able to see no matter seems on the opposite aspect of every river bend. In the midst of the boat, heads are turned outwards to the financial institution on the left and proper aspect, binoculars on the prepared.
Straight forward, there’s greater than 10 pygmy elephants alongside the riverbank, flapping their large ears and swinging their lengthy tails whereas feeding on the river grass.
‘Calm down, calm down. Every thing is underneath management. You’ll see,’ Nelson says.
I hold glancing over my left shoulder to see Nelson standing tall together with his hand on the engine, making an attempt to comply with his gaze with mine as he steers us alongside the river’s edge. He’s completely relaxed, smiling and proper at residence on the Kinabatangan, a spot he’s referred to as residence for over 30 years. He is aware of precisely what he’s on the lookout for however in the meantime, I’m making an attempt to learn him for any clues – only a sneak peek of what’s coming.
‘AHHHAAA!’ he says, simply as we fly across the river bend earlier than abruptly stopping.
Straight forward, there’s greater than 10 pygmy elephants alongside the riverbank, flapping their large ears and swinging their lengthy tails whereas feeding on the river grass. It is a second I’ll always remember.
‘I do know these ones nicely,’ Nelson laughs. ‘They at all times steal the bananas from my farm!’
Bornean elephants are in danger
In keeping with WWF, it’s estimated that there’s fewer than 1500 Borneo pygmy elephants left within the wild. Habitat loss is considered one of their largest threats. That’s the place RESPonsible Elephant Conservation Belief (RESPECT), a accomplice of The Intrepid Basis, comes into the image.
I received along with a couple of mates and spoke to them in regards to the thought, however at the moment, planting meals for any form of wildlife, for any form of conservation effort was fairly extraordinary.
On the finish of my 11-day journey by way of Borneo on the Sabah Journey, I had the possibility to fulfill with Alexander Yee, chairman of RESPECT, to study extra about these unbelievable creatures – and why creating meals sources is so essential.
A child elephant walked into a faculty canteen…
This isn’t the beginning of a foul joke. It’s the beginning of an important thought.
‘In 2018, I bear in mind studying within the information a couple of child elephant that went right into a main faculty and walked into the canteen,’ Alexander explains. ‘In order that made me suppose, why did this elephant go to the varsity? He went in there on the lookout for meals.’
Just like the herd we noticed on the river – the identical ones that steal Nelson’s bananas – Borneo’s pygmy elephants are all going through the identical drawback. Meals shortages. Or worse, human-elephant battle the place elephants proceed to make their means into close by villages when trying to find meals as a result of habitat loss. Sadly, to guard the crops (and supply of revenue) inside these villages, small traps are set as much as deter the elephants, and generally trigger hurt.
‘That gave me the concept of desirous to plant grass as an alternative to the weight loss program of the elephants,’ Alexander continues. ‘I received along with a couple of mates and spoke to them in regards to the thought, however at the moment, planting meals for any form of wildlife, for any form of conservation effort was fairly extraordinary.’
Many individuals have been skeptical, however finally, a belief was arrange: RESPECT. The primary challenge began by rising grass close to the varsity – the place the child elephant was as soon as noticed.
‘The location we selected was very barren and was once a sawmill web site,’ Alexander explains. Not solely was the soil not fertile, however there was additionally a thick layer of timber offcuts that prevented the primary batch of grass from rising.
‘So, the 2 years weren’t profitable, however that gave us nice perception on enhance,’ he provides.
New meals options in new locations
Alexander was born in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and has owned and managed mattress and breakfasts within the capital for years, and extra just lately, that prolonged to an eco-lodge close to the Kinabatangan River.
‘I used to be wanting to maneuver the grass planting web site someplace close to me,’ he says. ‘I assumed someplace close to Kinabatangan could be extra appropriate, as there was additionally analysis understanding there are some herds in Kinabatangan.’
Alexander discovered a web site close to the lodge in a fertile space and floodplain, making it completely appropriate for planting napier grass, which is understood to be an important supply of vitamin and complement an elephant’s pure weight loss program.
Whereas there are nonetheless elephants, let’s do our half. After we nonetheless have sure sorts of birds, sure forms of sea creatures, sure animals, let’s do our half to guard them.
In Could 2024, group members from the Intrepid workplace in Kota Kinabalu and The Intrepid Basis participated in a ceremony on the lodge to interrupt floor collectively and plant the napier grass. Because the first planting, the grass has grown 5 toes tall.
‘Now we’re simply ready for the elephants to return by now. Simply at the moment there’s a sighting of a herd – if they arrive by, we would like them to proceed coming again to the positioning,’ Alexander explains.
‘What I look most ahead too, is now that the grass has grown to measurement, I would really like the herds within the space to seek out the grass,’ he says. ‘Elephants have such good reminiscence and can bear in mind the place to seek out meals, so the positioning we’ve got cleared and planted can be identified to them as a meals supply. I hope they stumble throughout it, and I do know they’ll prefer it and are available again.’
Caring for the locations the wildlife name residence
‘I believe once you see any type of wildlife, for me, particularly the elephants, in case you see the younger ones, the actually small, cute ones, you’ll most likely are likely to marvel how finest to ensure this little creature survives. That’s the place the meals supply is available in,’ says Alexander.
To guard the locations we go to on our travels, Alexander emphasizes that we have to ‘make sure that it’s there for future technology.’ He goes on so as to add it’s everybody’s accountability to preserve and shield the earth. ‘It’s not simply the muse or RESPECT, however each considered one of us performs a small and main position in ensuring the place we’re dwelling in is a greater place.’
As our dialog wraps up, Alexander says, ‘whereas there are nonetheless elephants, let’s do our half. After we nonetheless have sure sorts of birds, sure forms of sea creatures, sure animals, let’s do our half to guard them.’
Later that day I opened a WhatsApp message from Alexander with a video of elephants discovering their method to the napier grass block. The swinging tails, flapping ears and leftover grass is a primary step in the fitting route. The elephants will (hopefully) always remember the place to seek out this new meals supply, simply as I’ll always remember my expertise seeing wild elephants on the Kinabatangan River.
Be taught extra in regards to the conservation being undertaken by RESPECT and the way The Intrepid Basis helps them. You possibly can plant grass for pygmy elephants on the Borneo Household Vacation Consolation journey, considered one of our new and revamped household journeys. Discover out what else is new for 2025 with The Items.
