KUCHING: The tech-savvy younger generation can play a major role in influencing friends and family about wildlife conservation advocacy.
And this influence could have a positive impact on occasions such the upcoming Gawai celebration from June 1-2.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Malaysia’s Head of Conservation Sarawak, Dr Jason Hon said that youths can drive a positive change towards a sustainable Gawai celebration as they can spread the word about wildlife conservation through social media.
He said youths have the power of technology at their fingertips and can spur change with a swipe on their smartphones or from their desktops.
This influence can be used to spread the word against eating wildlife meat of protected species or buying and selling wildlife parts.
“The change can go both ways, good or bad. A simple, yet impactful, post on conservation can go ‘viral’ and spread faster and further than expected.
“Recently, a Facebook post showing a group of men posing with a dead clouded leopard in Alor Gajah, Melaka went viral and they received backlash from netizens,” he said in a statement.
He said netizens reacted angrily and sent out positive messages by highlighting why it was important to protect biodiversity and how people could help.
The effects were also seen when social media hashtags such as #PowerShiftMsia created platforms that promoted conversations among youths and actions on climate change and conservation.
“Social media, when wrongly applied, can backfire. However, if we use social media effectively, we can help spread messages about conservation and the need to protect wildlife.”
Dr Hon was speaking in conjunction with the upcoming Gawai on June 1-2 and World Environment Day on June 5.
He said what happened in Alor Gajah to the clouded leopard could occur in Sarawak.
The clouded leopard is a totally protected species in Sarawak and listed as “vulnerable” in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Citing a case closer to home, Dr Hon said, the death of the much-loved Pied Hornbills at the Piasau Nature Reserve in 2013 triggered an immediate reaction by people in Miri, who used social media to express their shock, anger, and sadness and called for greater efforts by the authorities to step up conservation measures.
He said Sarawak’s pride – the hornbills- have now become rare.
The helmeted hornbill, he said, is now listed as critically endangered because they are poached for their feathers and casques which are used in traditional costumes and traded illegally.
“Up to four rhinoceros hornbills have to be sacrificed just to make a traditional dancer’s hand display. Although these feathers have now been substituted with non-hornbill materials, we must have in the past over-hunted hornbills that they have now become rare.
“If we are not careful with other wildlife species such as bearded pigs or sambar deer, which are still in abundance now, their fate, may go the same direction as many of our wildlife species that have become rare.”
Dr Hon said that youths who are aware of the need to keep our wildlife alive and forests healthy, can influence the attitudes of their families and friends.
He said these youths can be influential, and they are listened to within their spheres of influence, which also includes their family members.
He said family gatherings during festive seasons like Gawai are good opportunities for these committed youths to speak out to encourage their families to consume responsibly and sustainably. He believed that in time, families and friends will understand and consequently change their eating habits.
“We call on our youths in Sarawak, who will one day be the leaders of the country, to help spread positive messages to conserve our wildlife this coming Gawai,” he said.
The public can report suspicious activities concerning wildlife trade to the Forest Department Sarawak’s hotline at 1800-88-7777, or Sarawak Forestry Corporation’s (SFC) hotline at 019-8859 996 (Kuching), 019-8290994 (Miri), 019-8266096 (Bintulu) and 019-8290992 (Sibu).