(MY) wildlife problems

[Guest guest]

Monday September 11, 2006-the star

 

WWF finds practical solutions to problems with wildlife

 

YOUR report, " Seven deaths stalk programme " (*The Star,* Sept 7) quoted

Natural Resources and Environment Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk

Sazmi Miah as saying in the Dewan Rakyat that seven people have died as a

result of WWF-Malaysia's tiger conservation work in Jeli, Kelantan. This is

not true.

 

Because of a history of tiger attacks in Jeli and on the advice of the

Kelantan Government and the Wildlife and National Parks

Department(Perhilitan), WWF started scientific research and

awareness-building work there in 2004.

 

Since then there has been one human casualty. More recently, we have helped

the community with practical solutions to the problem, including building a

pen for the protection of cattle at night because tigers are attracted by

cattle and they do attack domestic livestock if they have the opportunity.

 

Our work in Jeli is based on earlier work carried out in Jerangau Barat,

Terengganu, from 1998 to 2004 where there was a history of tiger attacks on

cattle at a rate of about 50 per year.

 

We helped the community to bring that down to an average of less than one

attack per year.

 

If we are to maintain our magnificent wildlife habitats, there will always

be places where humans and potentially dangerous animals come into contact

with each other.

 

Historically, this has led to the tragic loss of human life, loss of

economically important livestock and crops, and the killing of many wild

animals in defence of these things.

 

Our tiger work uses good science and a sound understanding of the problems

from the communities' point of view to focus on helping the villagers with

practical solutions, while allowing the animals to survive in their natural

habitat.

 

The alternative is to make no attempt to resolve human-wildlife conflicts

and instead to wipe out all the potentially dangerous wild animals over vast

areas. We think that such an approach is unacceptable.

 

Breeding programmes have their place and some problem animals will no doubt

have to be captured and relocated either to more remote areas or to zoos.

 

But these measures, while necessary, do not address the overall management

of our forests, which are ecosystems in which the natural balance is

maintained through the interplay of all their plant and animal species,

large and small alike.

 

WWF-Malaysia will continue to apply good science, practical common sense and

partnerships with government agencies, local communities and other bodies

for the conservation of our magnificent natural heritage.

 

 

 

*DATUK DR MIKAAIL KAVANAGH ABDULLAH,

 

Executive Director,

 

WWF-Malaysia,

 

Petaling Jaya.*