Research on jumbos’ social life

The Star
September 15, 2008

SANDAKAN: A conservationist is now studying the social structure of Sabah’s Borneo elephants after past research had focused on genetics.

“We do not yet understand their actual family structures and group dynamics,” said Nurzhafarina Othman, a biologist at Danau Girang Field Centre.

Nurzhafarina, whose reasearch would be based on actual observations, would be working with the Elephant Conservation Unit (co-founded by French non-governmental organisation Hutan and the Sabah Wildlife Depart-ment).

DNA information would also be collected via the faeces of the elephants.

The data gathered would assist the department in managing the Kinabatangan elephant population.

As the elephants have lost much of their habitat due to land conversion, they need to “zig-zag” across the land to find food, Nurzhafarina said.

“And of course this includes the need to cross rivers to get to feeding grounds.

“However, river crossings are quite stressful for elephants, especially the young, which have to contend with strong currents and the dangers of crocodiles,” said Nurzhafarina.

Wildlife experts worldwide often speak about the protective and nurturing nature of elephants, which are quite regularly seen in the wild.

The Sabah population of Bornean Elephant was estimated at about 1,500 in a 2002 study lead by the department.