KOTA KINABALU: Over 500 participants gathered in Tongod district recently for a vibrant celebration of World Elephant Day, underscoring a growing commitment across Sabah to safeguard both Bornean elephants and local communities.
The event, spearheaded by the Tongod District Office, Sabah Wildlife Department and Earthworm Foundation, brought together students, community members, government agencies and NGOs to promote proven strategies for coexistence.
Building on the successful momentum set when the annual occasion was marked in Beluran last year, the commemoration in Tongod saw a strategic expansion of the movement, engaging new communities and strengthening cross-sector collaboration across Sabah.
The event showcased community-led solutions through cultural performances and conservation awareness activities by the Wildlife Junior Rangers. It also featured a forum titled ‘Elephants and Community: The Role of Community Patrol Groups in Elephant Coexistence’.
The forum, moderated by Earthworm Foundation, shone insights from the Community Elephant Ranger Team (CERT), Aki Keramuak Ranger Team and 7Team.
Interactive elements, including student poster and colouring contests, highlighted the role of education.
A key initiative recognised was the adoption of the community-developed 3P standard operational procedure.
The 3P stands for “pemantauan, pengawalan dan pengiringan” (monitoring, management and escorting).
This practical guidelines, created jointly by Earthworm Foundation, the Seratu Aatai biodiversity outfit and the Wildlife Department, equip community rangers with best practices during elephant encounters.
In his address, Tongod District Officer Yuesri Ismail Yusof stressed the urgency of conservation, drawing a sobering lesson from recent history.
“The Bornean elephant is an irreplaceable part of our natural heritage,” he said. “We must not allow it to follow the fate of the Sumatran rhinoceros, which has recently gone extinct in Sabah.
“Protecting elephants today means safeguarding our biodiversity, culture, and the well-being of future generations.”
Echoing this call for shared responsibility, Sabah Housing and Town Development Board chairman Datuk Masiung Banah, who is the Kuamut state assemblyman, said: “Protecting elephants while safeguarding our communities is a challenge we must face together.
“Initiatives like today’s celebration show that when government, NGOs, and communities unite, we can find solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.”
The Wildlife Department emphasised that effective coexistence depends on strong local partnerships.
Its state director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar said: “By providing training, recognition and platforms such as this, we empower local people to take active roles in conservation. This event reflects our commitment to a more inclusive and collaborative approach.”
For Earthworm Foundation, the event represents a critical step in building a stronger foundation for community-led conservation.
“We are proud that Tongod is launching this initiative. With support from government agencies and local leaders, we hope to replicate this empowering approach across Sabah,“ said its country representative Kiah Hui Ooi.
“Empowering communities is key to ensuring long-term coexistence. I call on all stakeholders to join us in realising this vision across the landscape.”