SANDAKAN: The Sabah Wildlife Department has welcomed the RM15 million allocation under the 2020 Budget for the protection of endangered species, including the orang utan.
Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre director Augustine Tuuga said the fund will help the Sabah government implement the Orang Utan Sabah Action Plan 2020-2030, which includes efforts to study the species; and initiatives to carry out enforcement and awareness programmes.
“It is good news indeed.
"We hope the allocation will help us in effforts to conserve the endangered species. Based on WWF-Malaysia’s survey in 2017, the orang utan population in Sabah was estimated at (just) 11,000,” he said when contacted.
Augustine added that there is also a need to acquire lands to establish a linkage of habitat for the orang utan.