SANDAKAN: The pangolin, or tenggiling as it is locally known, is one of the world’s most unique mammals but also one of the most heavily poached and illegally traded.
Sabah Wildlife Department Director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar said that although pangolins are fully protected under Schedule 1 of Sabah’s wildlife regulations, they continue to face serious threats.
These include longstanding traditional beliefs, demand in the black market, habitat loss, and a general lack of public awareness.
He said this during the launch of Pangolin Awareness Day: Protecting Endangered Species of Sabah, held at the Sabah State Library Sandakan Branch, recently.
His speech was delivered by Sabah Wildlife Officer Hussien Muin.
The programme was jointly organised by Pangolin Aware and the Sabah Wildlife Department, with support from the Sandakan Branch of the Sabah State Library as the host.
Also present were representatives from Pangolin Aware, Sabah State Library Sandakan Branch, and various wildlife conservation partners, including Orangutan Appeal UK, Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC), Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU), Wildlife Junior Rangers from SM St. Michael Sandakan, as well as teachers and students from SMK Perempuan Sandakan and SMK Merpati Sandakan.
Soffian said that such event was crucial in raising public awareness, especially among students, about their role in protecting wildlife and the environment.
He added that wildlife conservation is not the responsibility of a single agency, but a shared effort that requires ongoing collaboration from all sectors.
He also called on the public to continue working together to protect the pangolin and other endangered species in Sabah. It was also established that the decline in pangolin population resulted in increase in termite populations.
