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In Malaysian state Sabah, the success of environmental efforts has facilitated the planting of thousands of trees and the green rehabilitation of 5,400 hectares, part of a broader initiative targeting more than 11,600 hectares of degraded forest, thus establishing a critical sanctuary that now supports nearly 400 orangutans.

Sabah is in the northern part of Borneo, which is the only island of its kind that covers three countries: Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

It is one of the two Malaysian northern Borneo states, with the other being Sarawak. Sabah was part of the British protectorate of North Borneo until 1963.

Mountainous and jungle-covered, with astounding flora and fauna, Sabah's nickname — the land below the wind — stems from its location: just south of the typhoon belt, in the equatorial doldrums. There are about 11,000 orangutans in Sabah.

The world's largest arboreal animals are thriving in Sabah's Bukit Piton Forest Reserve, thanks to concerted efforts to conserve the great ape's habitat between government agencies and the private sector.

Sabah Wildlife Department's Deputy Director Roland Oliver Niun said conservation efforts supported by organizations like Yayasan Sime Darby, or YSD, at the forest reserve in the Lahad Datu District have significantly increased the usable habitat for orangutans.

He said habitat restoration has been supported through the planting of native tree species, adding it has also accelerated natural forest recovery.

"Now, there is evidence that orangutans are able to travel through, find shelter, and access food resources in areas previously inaccessible to them," he said during the International Orangutan Day 2024 event in Sandakan, Sabah, on Aug 19.

The green measures have effectively contributed to Sabah's achievement of having 80 percent of its orangutans thriving in protected forests, Niun said.

"They make use of these newly restored forests, thus avoiding negative interactions and the need for translocations," he said.

"With YSD's ongoing support, we will continue to build on these successes and collaboratively address the remaining challenges to ensure the protection of orangutans throughout the region," Niun said.

He was speaking during the Sandakan event that was held in collaboration with the Sabah Forestry Department and the Sabah Wildlife Department at the Rainforest Discovery Centre.

This year's in-person event, the first following a virtual celebration in 2021, commemorates 15 years of YSD's commitment to orangutan conservation.

It spotlights the foundation's decade-long 25 million ringgit ($5.75 million) initiative in the Bukit Piton Forest Reserve, formerly known as the Northern Ulu Segama Forest Reserve, a key effort in Sabah's conservation landscape.

The celebration also marks the continuation of YSD's work with the Human-Orangutan Coexistence Project, now progressing into its second phase with the South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership.

The project illustrates the importance of multi-sector collaboration for effective orangutan conservation in Sabah.

Sabah's chief conservator of forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, said a 10-year partnership with SD Guthrie and YSD has significantly advanced the forestry department's forest conservation technical expertise.

This is, he said, while rehabilitating highly degraded forest which is an important orangutan habitat area in Sabah.

"The successful rehabilitation of the Bukit Piton Forest Reserve has revitalized critical habitats for orangutans and engaged local communities in meaningful ways.

"This initiative is a prime example of how collaborative efforts lead to real change," Kugan said.

"As stewards of Sabah's natural heritage, our focus remains on applying what we have learned to expand forest conservation across Sabah, safeguarding biodiversity, and enhancing the ecological services that benefit all of Sabah."

Building on over a decade of efforts, YSD's support was instrumental in the reclassification of the Northern Ulu Segama Forest Reserve as a Class 1 Protection Forest Reserve in 2012.

This was a milestone achieved in coordination with the forestry department, permanently safeguarding the area from logging and ensuring a fully protected habitat for orangutans.

The success has meant thousands of trees planted and 5,400 hectares rehabilitated, part of a broader initiative targeting 11,612 hectares of degraded forest to help provide a major sanctuary for nearly 400 orangutans.

The Human-Orangutan Coexistence Project supported by YSD is under the leadership of Felicity Oram, who brings a wealth of experience in orangutan conservation.

The project also emphasizes the capacity building of local researchers, offering scholarships, comprehensive training and exposure to ensure sustainable orangutan conservation practices.

The second phase of the project will extend scientific monitoring of orangutans across an additional 10,000 hectares while maintaining the existing monitoring network of 30,000 hectares established in the first phase.

YSD's chief executive officer, Yatela Zainal Abidin, said it was heartwarming to see orangutan nests in the thriving trees they planted together in Bukit Piton.

At the same time, she added that best management practices were adopted in plantation estates, fostering harmony with orangutans.

"I am proud of the orangutan conservation strides we have made since 2010 with various stakeholders in Sabah … Our efforts have rehabilitated highly degraded natural habitats, and we are now focusing on human orangutan coexistence management," she said.

The Star