Global Ecology and Conservation (Aug 2024)
Mapping the distribution of the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) within natural forest in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo
- Elisa Panjang,
- Hong Ye Lim,
- Robert J. Thomas,
- Benoit Goossens,
- Andrew J. Hearn,
- David W. Macdonald,
- Joanna Ross,
- Seth Timothy Wong,
- Roshan Guharajan,
- Azlan Mohamed,
- Penny C. Gardner,
- Sharon Koh,
- Cheryl Cheah,
- Marc Ancrenaz,
- Isabelle Lackman,
- Robert Ong,
- Reuben Nilus,
- Alex Hastie,
- Jedediah F. Brodie,
- Alys Granados,
- Olga Helmy,
- Olivia Magritta Lapis,
- Donna Simon,
- Glyn Davies,
- Siew Te Wong,
- Mark Rampangajouw,
- Hisashi Matsubayashi,
- Chihiro Sano,
- Rebecca K. Runting,
- Symphorosa Sipangkui,
- Nicola K. Abram
Affiliations
- Elisa Panjang
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, Block B, Wisma MUIS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88100, Malaysia; Corresponding authors at: Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK.
- Hong Ye Lim
- Forever Sabah, H30 Gaya Park, Lorong Muntahan 1C, Penampang Road, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88300, Malaysia
- Robert J. Thomas
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
- Benoit Goossens
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, Block B, Wisma MUIS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88100, Malaysia; Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, Block B, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88100, Malaysia; Corresponding authors at: Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK.
- Andrew J. Hearn
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK
- David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK
- Joanna Ross
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK
- Seth Timothy Wong
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin 10315, Germany
- Roshan Guharajan
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin 10315, Germany
- Azlan Mohamed
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin 10315, Germany
- Penny C. Gardner
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, Block B, Wisma MUIS, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88100, Malaysia; RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy SG19 2DI, UK
- Sharon Koh
- WWF-Malaysia, Centre Point Complex, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Cheryl Cheah
- WWF-Malaysia, Centre Point Complex, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Marc Ancrenaz
- HUTAN/Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88874, Malaysia
- Isabelle Lackman
- HUTAN/Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88874, Malaysia
- Robert Ong
- Forest Research Centre, Sabah Forestry Department, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
- Reuben Nilus
- Forest Research Centre, Sabah Forestry Department, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
- Alex Hastie
- Forest Research Centre, Sabah Forestry Department, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
- Jedediah F. Brodie
- Division of Biological Sciences and Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA; Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
- Alys Granados
- Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Olga Helmy
- Division of Biological Sciences and Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Olivia Magritta Lapis
- WWF-Malaysia, Centre Point Complex, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Donna Simon
- WWF-Malaysia, Centre Point Complex, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Glyn Davies
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin 10315, Germany; WWF-Malaysia, Centre Point Complex, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Siew Te Wong
- Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Sandakan, Sabah 90000, Malaysia
- Mark Rampangajouw
- Acacia Forest Industries (AFI), Unit 1, 2nd Floor, Block L, Metro Town, Jalan Lintas, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88300, Malaysia
- Hisashi Matsubayashi
- Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1737 Funako, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0034, Japan
- Chihiro Sano
- Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1737 Funako, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0034, Japan
- Rebecca K. Runting
- School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
- Symphorosa Sipangkui
- Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, Block B, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88100, Malaysia
- Nicola K. Abram
- Forever Sabah, H30 Gaya Park, Lorong Muntahan 1C, Penampang Road, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 88300, Malaysia; Corresponding author.
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 52
p. e02962
Abstract
Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world and are severely threatened by poaching the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of habitat. In Malaysian Borneo, conservation initiatives for the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) are hindered by a paucity of data on their distribution and population size. Using MaxEnt niche modelling and consolidated species location data, we projected the distribution of Sunda pangolins in Sabah. Additionally, we assessed the accessibility of their forest habitats to humans to understand potential threats. Our model indicated that, as of 2015, approximately half of Sabah’s land area (39,530 km²) is suitable for pangolins, with 43% in protected forests, 38% in production forests, and 19% outside of these areas. Alarmingly, our data suggest that nearly all (91%) of these suitable habitats are relatively easily accessible to poachers. Our findings provide a state-level baseline understanding of Sunda pangolin distribution and assess potential threats in Sabah. These can inform short- and long-term conservation management plans for pangolin to safeguard this critically endangered species.
