TONGOD: More than 500 participants, including local communities, students, NGOs, and government agencies, gathered in Tongod on Thursday to mark World Elephant Day, focusing on strengthening human–elephant coexistence.
The event, led by the Tongod District Office, Sabah Wildlife Department, Earthworm Foundation, and partners, featured cultural performances, awareness activities, and a forum on the role of community patrol groups in managing elephant encounters.
Students also joined poster and colouring contests, while local initiatives adopting the 3P (Monitoring, Management, and Escort) guidelines were recognised.
Tongod District Officer Yuesri Ismail Yusof stressed the urgency of conservation, warning against repeating the fate of the extinct Sumatran rhinoceros.
Kuamut Assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah highlighted the need to balance protecting elephants with safeguarding smallholders’ livelihoods.
Sabah Wildlife Department Director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar underlined that coexistence depends on empowering local communities, while Earthworm Foundation’s Kiah Hui Ooi called for expanding community-led patrol efforts across Sabah.
The celebration reflects growing collaboration to protect Bornean elephants while supporting sustainable development for locals.
