Borneo Pygmy Elephant Killings Spark Urgent Calls for Action in Sabah

In a disturbing trend that has alarmed conservationists, another Borneo pygmy elephant has been found killed and beheaded on the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. The carcass, discovered in the Tibow-Sapulut area near Tawau, marks the second such incident in just three months, intensifying calls for stronger enforcement and accountability in a region where these endangered animals are supposed to be protected.

A Troubling Pattern in Protected Areas

The latest killing, reported on April 7, 2025, follows a similar incident in January along the Kalabakan-Sapulut road. What makes this case particularly alarming is its location within a designated protected area, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of current conservation measures. Sabah elephant ecologist Dr. Nurzhafarina Othman, founder of the elephant conservation NGO Seratu Aatai, expressed deep concern over the apparent brazenness of the perpetrators.

“I’m very concerned, especially when this happens in places that are supposed to be safe. It’s like the perpetrators aren’t afraid anymore” said Dr. Othman when contacted on April 6. She noted that the elephant was not among those monitored or collared, complicating efforts to track its movements or gather critical data. This lack of monitoring underscores a broader challenge in safeguarding untracked populations of the Borneo pygmy elephant, a subspecies unique to the island and listed as fully protected under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.

Dr. Othman emphasized the need for a more serious approach to investigations, highlighting the absence of effective deterrents for those committing these crimes. “We must treat this case seriously and step up how we carry out our investigations. At the moment, there’s no real deterrent for those committing these crimes” she said. Her concerns will be among the key issues discussed at the upcoming mid-term review of Sabah’s Elephant Action Plan, scheduled for April 9 to 11 at the Sabah International Convention Centre in Kota Kinabalu. Organized by the Sabah Wildlife Department with support from various NGOs and funding from Oregon Zoo, the event aims to reassess strategies for protecting these iconic animals.

Enforcement Failures on Visible Routes

Wildlife conservationist Shavez Cheema, founder of 1StopBorneo Wildlife, was equally outspoken about the incident, describing himself as “absolutely appalled” by the killing. He questioned the effectiveness of existing enforcement measures, particularly in areas that are not remote jungles but rather accessible highways. “People always say there’s enforcement in the jungle. But what about the highways? These elephants are being killed in areas that are visible” he said when contacted.

Cheema’s personal experiences on the Kalabakan route paint a grim picture of the challenges facing wildlife in Sabah. Recalling his travels, he described encountering armed individuals in four-wheel drives, suspected of hunting under the cover of darkness. “Kalabakan road at night is basically a hunting highway. I’ve seen it with my own eyes” he said. His observations suggest that illegal hunting is not only rampant but also conducted with a degree of impunity that current patrols have failed to address.

To counter this, Cheema urged authorities to implement more random night patrols along key roads known to be wildlife corridors. Such visible enforcement, he argued, could serve as a much-needed deterrent to poachers and hunters who exploit these routes. His call for action highlights a critical gap in conservation efforts: while protected areas are often the focus of policy, the highways and corridors that elephants traverse remain dangerously under-patrolled.

The Plight of the Borneo Pygmy Elephant

The Borneo pygmy elephant, a smaller relative of the Asian elephant, is an iconic species native to the rainforests of Sabah and parts of Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo. With a population estimated at fewer than 1,500 individuals, the species faces multiple threats, including habitat loss due to deforestation, human-elephant conflict, and illegal hunting. Under Sabah’s Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, harming or killing these animals carries severe penalties, including hefty fines and imprisonment. Yet, as recent incidents demonstrate, enforcement remains a significant challenge.

The beheading of elephants, as seen in the Tibow-Sapulut case, often points to poaching for ivory or other body parts, though no official confirmation of motive has been provided in this instance. Conservationists warn that each loss represents not just an individual tragedy but a blow to the genetic diversity and long-term survival of the species. The fact that these killings occur in protected areas further compounds the issue, suggesting either a lack of resources for monitoring or a failure to instill fear of legal consequences among perpetrators.

Broader Implications for Sabah’s Conservation Efforts

The recurring deaths of Borneo pygmy elephants are a stark reminder of the broader environmental challenges facing Sabah, a state celebrated for its biodiversity but plagued by competing interests between development and conservation. Palm oil plantations, logging, and infrastructure projects have fragmented elephant habitats, pushing them into closer contact with human populations and increasing the risk of conflict. Meanwhile, illegal hunting—whether for trophies, ivory, or retaliatory killings—continues to erode the fragile gains made by conservation programs.

The mid-term review of Sabah’s Elephant Action Plan offers a critical opportunity to address these systemic issues. Dr. Othman and other conservationists hope the event will lead to concrete commitments, such as increased funding for patrols, better technology for monitoring uncollared elephants, and stronger collaboration between government agencies and NGOs. There is also a pressing need for community engagement initiatives to reduce human-elephant conflict and foster local support for conservation efforts.

Public sentiment, as reflected in discussions on platforms like X, reveals growing frustration over the government’s perceived inaction. Many users have echoed Cheema’s call for visible enforcement, with some suggesting that Sabah’s reputation as a wildlife tourism destination could suffer if such incidents persist. While tourism revenue—often tied to attractions like Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, where young elephants like the three-month-old “Joe” have been housed in the past—provides an economic incentive for conservation, it has yet to translate into robust protection on the ground.

Looking Ahead: Can Sabah Turn the Tide?

As Sabah grapples with the loss of yet another Borneo pygmy elephant, the path forward remains uncertain. The upcoming review of the Elephant Action Plan will be a litmus test for the state’s commitment to wildlife conservation, particularly in balancing economic development with environmental stewardship. For now, conservationists like Dr. Othman and Cheema continue to push for immediate action—more patrols, stricter penalties, and a renewed focus on protecting not just the jungles but also the highways that have become deathtraps for these gentle giants.

The killings in Tibow-Sapulut and Kalabakan are not isolated incidents but symptoms of deeper systemic failures. As Sabah stands at a crossroads, the question remains: will the state muster the political will and resources to safeguard the Borneo pygmy elephant before it’s too late?