Kota Kinabalu: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) urge all authorities concern to prioritise the needs of Borneo pygmy elephants in all development plans, following the animal’s official recognition as an endangered species.
UMS senior lecturer cum leader of elephant conservation NGO Seratu Aatai Dr. Nurzhafarina Othman said the Bornean elephant previously lacked a specific endangered status.
“However, its recent classification as a subspecies of the Asian elephant under the updated IUCN Red List of Threatened Species underscores the critical need to consider their plight in all development planning.”
She stressed that everyone must now take concrete action to protect these elephants.
