MIRI – The clearing of forests for massive logging and plantation projects is killing the orangutan population.
Hence, it was never about orangutans killing humans, said environmental activist Peter Kallang.
“It is shocking for a federal minister to say that orangutans will kill humans as that is the farthest from the truth.
“There have been absolutely zero cases of orangutans killing humans in Sarawak.
“Humans killing orangutans yes, but not orangutans killing humans.
“Orangutans shy away from humans.
“They do not go around looking for humans or attacking them.
Politicians, especially those holding such important positions like ministers at federal or state levels, should know their facts. Don’t simply say anything in public events, even if it is just a casual remark, as what the minister said is totally incorrect.
“(It is) absolutely wrong and she cannot give any excuse for saying things like that,” he said.
Kallang is chairman of Save Sarawak Rivers – a non-governmental body concerned with the depletion of forests and destruction of water systems due to human development projects in the state.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin had said during a national seminar on palm oil that oil palm industries had not harmed the orangutans but that orangutans will kill humans during an encounter.
She later said her statement regarding the matter was taken out of context.
Nonetheless, nature lovers and experts on wildlife have pointed out that what Zuraida said was factually wrong.
Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) chief executive officer and state wildlife controller Zolkipli Mohamad Aton said the corporation had never found any cases of orangutans attacking or killing humans.
“Orangutans are known to be quite gentle and timid animals.
“In our years of fieldwork, we find them to be introverted, shy, and tend to sit and watch the humans gawking at them when they sit up high among the trees.
Due to their nature, our wildlife researchers and even guides consider it an absolute blessing to encounter an orangutan in the wild.
“Until today, there have been no reports of people being killed by orangutans in Sarawak,” he said in his social media posts yesterday.
Zolkipli said orangutans are gentle big apes, adding that they will never attack anyone and are unlikely to even try to chase humans.
“If you get to see them in their natural habitat or our Semenggoh Wildlife Centre (near Kuching city), you’ll notice that they like to spend lots of time sitting quietly and do not show any signs of aggressiveness.
“They don’t bother anyone. They don’t want to have anything to do with us. They’re too busy getting on with their lives,” he said.
Zolkipli said according to folklore stories on Sarawak orangutans and the local Iban communities, the orangutans had rescued the Ibans.
“One legend has it that the Iban group or tribe almost became extinct as the expectant father would often cut open their pregnant wife to extract the child during childbirth.
“This was stopped after the orangutans taught the Ibans how to give birth naturally and thus saved the pregnant mother,” he said.
Zolkipli also highlighted an unexpected surprise during the 2020-2021 Covid-19 Movement Control Order period.
We do have great news in that we are expecting another three young orangutans that should come into our Semenggoh semi-wild population in 2022.
“This marks the first time Semenggoh Wildlife Centre (SWC) will have so many births within a year.
“Perhaps the reduction of tourists into SWC is an added benefit as the orangutans are able to get on with their own lives, thus increasing our endangered population of orangutans in the state,” he noted.
In Sarawak, orangutans are a Totally Protected Wildlife and listed under the Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1998, and have been accorded total protection, he said.
In fact, conservation of orangutans in Sarawak dates back much earlier, even to the 1940s, he added.
For more information on orangutans, please click on the link on SFC’s previous post on the gentle big ape. – The Vibes, January 23, 2022
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