Tourism players join Kinabatangan Wildlife Patrol Unit

KINABATANGAN: The formation of the Kinabatangan Wildlife Patrol Unit is another important move to protect the wildlife in the Kinabatangan – Corridor of Life (K-CoL) region.

KCoL includes a floodplain stretching from the upland forests of the Deramakot Forest Management Unit to the coastal mangroves at the mouth of the Kinabatangan River.

The 27,000 hectares below the Kinabatangan floodplain was declared a protected area in 1997 and later upgraded to Wildlife Sanctuary in 2001 through the efforts of the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF).

Continuous conservation of this area is important as it is the home to many rare and endangered species, including the proboscis monkey, pygmy elephant, orang utan, rhinoceros, and a variety of avian.

K-CoL is also said to be the last forested floodplain in Asia and Malaysia’s largest floodplain that acts as a water filtering system to the environment and water catchment area to Sabah’s eastern sub-region.

K-CoL also generates income through tourism activities in the district as well as provides job opportunities to locals through the opening of accommodation focused in areas like Kampung Sukau, Bilit, Abai and Sungai Lokan.

The Kinabatangan Wildlife Patrol Unit is an initiative of the Kinabatangan Corridor of Life Tourism Operators Association (KiTA), established in 2008, which is made up of 14 accommodation providers along Hilir Sungai Kinabatangan. The unit was officially launched on Dec 3 by Sabah Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Kamarlin Ombi.

KiTA sponsored 69 staff and tour guides working at the accommodation owned by KiTA members for Kinabatangan Wildlife Tour Guide courses conducted by the Sabah Wildlife Department in November and December 2015.

Another 27 were appointed as Honorary Wildlife Wardens to allow them to participate in enforcement activities and know their roles in protecting the wildlife and natural resources in their area.

KiTA President Alexander Yee said the Wildlife Patrol Unit would assist in monitoring tourism activities and intrusion in wildlife habitats.

He said the unit would work with the K-CoL Riparian Patrol Unit established by the association in October 2015 in collaboration with the Sabah Forestry Department.

“The Kinabatangan Wildlife Patrol Unit is another continuous collaboration with the Sabah Wildlife Department since KiTA was formed.

“This close working relationship will allow KiTA to reach the objective of creating an association to help monitor and implement conservation activities in Hilir Kinabatangan,” he said.

KiTA also contributed a boat to be used by the patrol unit.

Meanwhile, KiTA was formed to promote a sustainable tourism model in the K-CoL to benefit the people and planet. Alexander said this was in line with the stand of the association members to avoid emphasising on profit-making but instead to ensure the implementation of conservation programmes outlined by KiTA.

Among the activities carried out, he said, were tree planting in packages offered to tourists and a RM10 levy contribution from KiTA members for each tourist who stayed at their accommodation.

“The levy collection is a mechanism used by KiTA to generate our own income to assist conservation efforts in the Kinabatangang – Corridor of Life,” he said.

He said the mechanism would allow KiTA to execute many important projects that would benefit the community in Kampung Abai, Sukau, Bilit and Sungai Lokan.

These include tree planting, community medical projects and sponsorship of a guard post for the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) in Kampung Abai.

Sabah Wildlife Department director William Baya said the unit would guide tour operators operating in fragile areas on in regards to wildlife conservation and the environment.

In fact, he said, they could play a role together for the enforcement of the guidelines.

“We have worked hard to find a way to preserve this gift of nature and we are happy that tourism industry players understand and are cooperative with the department,” he said.

He also reminded those appointed as Honorary Wildlife Wardens to perform their duties diligently and with integrity.

“Each of them should understand that they have been given an important task, that is to protect the State’s assets,” said William.

William said they were now in organised groups that act as the eyes and ears to help and protect the area of Hilir Kinabatangan.

The initiative taken by KiTA shows the awareness among tour operators in Hilir Kinabatangan in working hand in hand to preserve nature and wildlife and profit is not their sole motive.

The association also does not neglect the community where accommodation owned by their members operate in Hilir Kinabatangan by providing job opportunities to residents in the area, in addition to activities that benefit the community.

These efforts are timely, especially to ensure that the natural environment and wildlife in Hilir Kinabatangan, remains for the benefit of the generations to come.

Source: Daily Express