(MY) Proboscis monkey haven

[Guest guest]

The Straits Times - Sept 9 2005

 

Jaswinder Kaur

 

SANDAKAN, SABAH,

 

Proboscis monkey haven

 

Proboscis monkeys, endemic to Borneo, are losing their habitat to land

clearing for agriculture and other types of development in parts of Sabah.

Although they are " totally protected " under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation

Enactment 1997, the monkeys and other animals continue to come under threat

due to loss of habitat and illegal hunting.

 

However, there is still hope for proboscis monkeys, following a decision by

Yet Hing Plantations Sdn Bhd to set aside 200ha of its 540ha of land for

conservation of the species nine years ago.

 

Today, proboscis monkeys, silver leaf monkeys and birds like hornbills

thrive at the forested area, which includes mangroves.

 

A new company ?Labuk Bay Resort Sdn Bhd ?was formed to manage what is now

known as Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary.

 

Labuk Bay Resort director Michael Lee said initially, the owners did not

clear the land because they enjoyed watching the antics of the proboscis

monkeys.

 

" We later decided not to plant oil palm here. Now the animals are living

here safely with abundant food.

 

" This effort shows that development and environmental protection can go hand

in hand. Mangroves that we have conserved are also important for shrimp

breeding. Fish in turn feed on shrimps and this provides an income and

protein source for fishermen, " Lee said.

 

He said the Sabah Wildlife Department had shown support for the initiative

and sent a seven-year-old proboscis monkey named " Sam " to the sanctuary last

year. " He has returned to the wild but sometimes we do see Sam. He’s doing

well and has put on weight. "

 

The sanctuary also gets schoolchildren to plant mangrove trees and other

relevant species at areas that have been naturally eroded or destroyed.

 

Lee said the company had started buying small tracts of land from villagers

at the boundary of the sanctuary, to make sure they are not planted with oil

palm trees.

 

" It costs a lot but we are willing to do it for the sake of conservation, "

he said.

 

" More research is needed to better understand the monkey.

 

" We also hope more plantation companies will do their bit. If we do not give

these animals land, they will die. "

 

Although visitors pay a fee, the sanctuary still depends on income from oil

palm to sustain itself.

 

The company has built chalets at the sanctuary, and has received visitors

from as far away as Europe and Australia.