Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES)

SABAH > SANDAKAN DIVISION > SANDAKAN > PLACES OF INTEREST > Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES)

Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES) is located in lot 8 of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kinabatangan District, 2KM from the main road connecting Sandakan and Lahad Datu. A 25-hectare site has been identified for BES which has a capacity for keeping between 40-50 elephants

Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES) would become the centre of conservation for the Borneo Pygmy Elephants in Sabah by 2020, providing world-class resources and training related to conservation and ex-situ management of Asian elephants

Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES) development will include facilities for elephants including night stalls, exercise yard, bathing area, holding area, elephant treatment Centre (clinic, pharmacy, sick bay and quarantine, laboratory and post mortem facilities), office building and training and Interpretation Centre (multipurpose room, AV room, library and exhibition/information/reception)

Elephant found shot dead in Tawau
An officer from the Sabah Wildlife Department (Tawau), Soffian Abu Bakar said the carcass of the elephant, estimated to be between 18 and 25 of age, was found on a road in the Felda Umas Oil Plantation.

He said the department received a call from the plantation manager about 9am on Friday 15th August 2014, that its officers had stumbled upon a dead elephant in their area.

- See more at: www.themalaymailonline.com

Jumbo was felled by gunshot
The adult male elephant around 18-25 years old that dropped dead along a road inside the Felda Umas Oil Palm Plantation, in Tawau, on Friday 15th August 2014, was found to have been shot.

Tawau Wildlife Department Officer Soffian Abu Bakar said the department received a call from Felda Umas plantation manager at around 9am that day stating they had stumbled across a dead elephant in their area. www.dailyexpress.com.my

Sandakan is situated at east coast of Sabah and is the second largest town in Sabah and main gateway to nature and wildlife. Sandakan can be access 40 minutes flight from Kota Kinabalu and about 6 hours by road.

Sandakan has a famous eco-tourism destination such as Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, Rainforest Discovery Center, Sepilok Mangrove Forest, Turtles Islands Park, Sugud Conservation marine conservation area (Langkayan Islands), Gomantong caves and Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary as the last remaining forested floodplain in Asia and important area for elephant, rhinocerous, tembadau, orangutan and water birds and other animals and forest

New activities to be introduced in Sandakan to attract higher tourism spending:
• Development of Borneo Elephant Sanctuary in Kinabatangan
• Upgrading of existing tourist accommodation and provision of high end accommodation

Key OUTCOMES OF THE EPP/ KPIS

• Increase length of tourist stay in Sandakan and Kinabatangan areas

• Overall improvement to existing products and services will increase tourist arrivals to Sandakan and Kinabatangan from 142,146 (2010) to 279,623 (2020) and increase tourist spending from RM1,849 to RM3,675, creating 447,490 room nights and 503 (inclusive of BES) number of jobs.

• BES will be a new unique nature wildlife adventure experience contributing to RM7.7 million to overall Sandakan tourism GNI in 2020

• Promote good image of Malaysia as a conservation conscious country at international level

• Add value to existing product and diversify tourism productactivity/products with a new unique and meaningful attraction

KEY CHALLENGES
• Poor public transportation and road access to nature area

• Lack of naturalist (birds watching, biodiversity, flora and fauna)

• To make tourists to stay overnight in Sandakan town (usually day trip from KK to visit Sepilok only)

• Lack of night life and entertainment activities

• Development and maintenance of 2km access road to Borneo Elephant sanctuary

• Private sector “Buy-In” to upgrade/maintain their product/ facilities

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?
• Increase marketing for Sandakan/Kinabatangan

• Support from state and federal government to construct and maintain the access road to BES

• Support from NGO/investor to fund operational and maintenance cost of BES

• Improve standard of products and services in Sandakan/Kinabatangan

• Upgrade existing tourism products MITIGATION PLAN

• Attractive Tour packages – development of new tour package and repackaging of existing product for Sandakan/Kinabatangan

• Marketing campaign required to target market such as local and international tour and travel agent or volunteer program to establish market awareness of the BES

• Upgrading of Sandakan Airport

• Proposed redevelopment of Sandakan Town ie improved public access and tourism use of the Sandakan Waterfront

• Bus operator to Kinabatangan area (private)

• Apply certification for Kinabatangan as GBH (Global Biodiversity Hub)

The town of Semporna is the starting location of sea journeys to these fairytale islands.

Butterfly Park
Kuala Lumpur
... located in Lake Gardens on the edge of downtown Kuala Lumpur

In this garden is a dense, humid, tropical forest, netted against birds and other predators, where 6,000 butterflies filled the air like the living chips of a kaleidoscope.

GO FURTHER

ANIMALS

Wildlife and Environmental Protection in Sabah

ENVIRONMENT

Environment of Tawau

HISTORY & CULTURE

Tawau Cultural Festival

TRAVEL

Tourism in Sabah