Joint Press Release by the Sabah Wildlife Department, Center for Large Landscape Conservation, IUCN WCPA/SSC Asian Elephant Transport Working Group, and WWF-Malaysia

17 May 2025, Kota Kinabalu: A sobering reminder of the stakes came from a recent tragedy along the Gerik-Jeli Highway in the Malaysian state of Perak, where a baby elephant was fatally hit by a trailer while its mother stood by for hours, desperately trying to save her calf. This heartbreaking scene underscores the urgent need for more wildlife crossing structures, innovative early-warning animal detection systems, traffic calming measures, and shifts in motorist behaviour to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

Against this backdrop, a landmark workshop on constructing wildlife-friendly infrastructure concluded in the Maliau Basin last week, gathering 46 participants from 15 government agencies, NGOs, and technical partners to ensure Malaysia’s road development supports both people and wildlife.

The Sabah Wildlife Department hosted the workshop, co-organised with the Center for Large Landscape Conservation, IUCN WCPA/SSC Asian Elephant Transport Working Group, and WWF-Malaysia. The 6–9 May workshop focused on integrating environmental and ecological safeguards into large-scale road projects, specifically Phase 3 of the Pan Borneo Highway. Key agencies that participated included the Ministry of Works Sabah, Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Environment Sabah, Public Works Departments of Sabah and Pahang, Sabah Forestry Department, Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN), Ministry of Finance Sabah, Sabah Economic Planning Unit, Yayasan Sabah, and the Kalabakan District Office.

The workshop had three key objectives: 1) introducing the “Handbook to Mitigate the Impacts of Roads and Railways on Asian Elephants” as a practical guide to provide specific mitigation measures to address the adverse impacts of linear transport infrastructure, 2) fostering cross-sectoral knowledge exchange on sustainable infrastructure, and 3) co-developing initial recommendations for Phase 3 of the Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah. Discussions focused on leveraging existing resources and knowledge, such as the Handbook, various studies on wildlife movement and behaviour along roads, PERHILITAN’s Wildlife Management Plan, and case studies like the Sungai Yu eco-viaduct implemented by the Public Works Department in Lipis, Pahang, to inform better decision-making for linear infrastructure projects.

Government representatives highlighted the need for a more inclusive and consultative planning process to ensure that environmental and biodiversity considerations are integrated from the earliest stages of road development. “With Phase 3 of the Pan Borneo Highway still under planning, we have a critical opportunity to design infrastructure that coexists with our wildlife and forests,” said Mr Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, Director of the Sabah Wildlife Department. “We must learn from past mistakes, such as in Phase 1B, where the highway alignment was finalised before biodiversity concerns were fully addressed, resulting in a route that cuts through the Tawai Forest Reserve, a Class I Protection Forest.”

WWF-Malaysia echoed the call for sustainable road development that prevents biodiversity loss. “With early intervention, cost-benefit analysis, and proper planning—including budgeting for environmental safeguards and strong political will—we can build roads that serve communities without sacrificing Sabah’s unique forests, elephants, orangutans, and other iconic wildlife,” said Dr Robecca Jumin, Head of Conservation Sabah. “We support progress, but not at the environment’s expense. Infrastructure that avoids environmentally sensitive areas is not only better for nature—it’s also climate-resilient and cost-effective in the long run. Too often, environmental experts are consulted too late to influence road alignments or wildlife crossing designs. We hope the handbook and insights from this workshop will guide more informed, proactive planning and decision-making.”

WWF-Malaysia has long advocated for wildlife-friendly linear infrastructures by introducing the training module, Green Roads and Highways: Protecting Biodiversity in 2023 and the Green Budgeting Checklist in 2024. These works result from a collaboration between WWF-Malaysia, Aurecon Group, and the Ministry of Works Malaysia, targeted at mainstreaming environmental considerations in road and highway projects. All road and highway development projects should apply the mitigation hierarchy to manage environmental impacts responsibly.

First, efforts must focus on avoiding sensitive areas such as high conservation value forests, water catchments, steep slopes, and key biodiversity zones. Where avoidance isn’t possible, impacts should be minimised by realigning routes. Mitigation measures—like viaducts, culverts, and canopy bridges—can then help reduce harm and maintain connectivity. Finally, affected areas should be restored through habitat rehabilitation and reconnection. This approach supports both biodiversity conservation and sustainable infrastructure development.

“Phase 3 of the Pan Borneo Highway offers a crucial opportunity to involve different agencies and sectors early in the planning process, allowing for potential impacts on biodiversity to be identified in advance so that they can be avoided where possible and minimised where necessary”, says Fernanda Teixeira, Linear Infrastructure Ecology Advisor from the Center for Large Landscape Conservation.

Workshop participants reached a clear consensus on the need to integrate environmental screening assessments early in road planning to avoid environmentally sensitive areas and ensure effective mitigation measures. These measures include wildlife-friendly crossing structures such as viaducts and overpasses, anti-poaching safeguards, and speed management measures like rumble strips, speed cameras, optical speed bars, and electronic message signs, particularly in high-risk wildlife crossing zones. Additionally, proper motorist alert signage is essential to ensure the safe movement of both wildlife and road users.

Participants called for strong budgeting mechanisms for pre-construction wildlife assessments, provision of temporary barriers, safeguards during construction, and post-construction monitoring and maintenance works. The workshop reaffirmed the importance of collaborative partnerships, such as Sabah’s Coalition 3H – Humans, Habitats, Highways – where NGOs contribute valuable information on potential wildlife crossing areas and effective mitigation measures.

The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to turning knowledge into action, ensuring that future infrastructure projects are safer for both wildlife and people.

Site visits to various locations along Phase 3 of the Pan Borneo Highway project.
© Sheelasheena Damian / WWF-Malaysia


Site visit to the Maliau Basin wildlife overpass.
© Elbatius Sikul / WWF-Malaysia


Discussion with JKR Sabah at the Maliau wildlife underpass.
© Cheryl Cheah / WWF-Malaysia


Focus group discussions on preliminary recommendations for Phase 3 of the Pan Borneo Highway.
© John Japil / WWF-Malaysia


Participants and organisers of the Constructing Wildlife-Friendly Road Infrastructure workshop.
© Vicculter Denius / WWF-Malaysia
 

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About WWF-Malaysia
World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) was established in 1972 and is part of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the international conservation organisation. Working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature, WWF-Malaysia’s efforts to conserve nature focus on six major themes: forests, oceans, wildlife, food, climate and energy, as well as freshwater. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

Find our latest news here:
https://www.wwf.org.my/media_and_information/media_centre_and_updates/

Sabah Wildlife Department
The Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) is the state agency responsible for enforcing the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 and the sustainable management of wildlife resources across Sabah. With a mission rooted in conservation and stewardship, SWD is committed to preserving the state’s rich and diverse fauna, ensuring that all species continue to thrive in their natural habitats.

Center for Large Landscape Conservation
The Center for Large Landscape Conservation, a nonprofit organization based in Montana, USA, advances ecological connectivity for climate resilience worldwide through science, policy, practice, and collaboration. CLLC works with partners to combat habitat fragmentation and advance wildlife corridors and crossings so communities and ecosystems can thrive.

IUCN WCPA/SSC Asian Elephant Transport Working Group
The Asian Elephant Transport Working Group (AsETWG) was formed in 2018 as a joint collaboration of the IUCN WCPA Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group and the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG). The group is focused on contributing to the improvement of core habitats and Asian elephant movement corridors that are increasingly threatened by the development of linear transportation infrastructure – roads, railways, and canals.