An assessment of Asian elephant population status in the main forest complexes of northern Peninsular MalaysiaTools Or, Oi Ching (2026) An assessment of Asian elephant population status in the main forest complexes of northern Peninsular Malaysia. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
AbstractThe Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is recognised for its important ecological role in maintaining the health of forest ecosystems as well as its cultural importance in many countries. Various causes, including habitat loss and fragmentation, human-elephant conflicts, and inadequate comprehension of their population dynamics, have been identified as threats to their existence and obstacles to conservation initiatives. Malaysia has the potential to protect this endangered species, but effective conservation requires a comprehensive understanding of its population and environment. This study focuses on the forest complexes in the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia that are known to be habitats for elephants. This study aims to provide scientific evidence to support the national elephant conservation action plan, with three main objectives: i) population density estimates; ii) habitat use prediction; and iii) population viability assessment in four main forest complexes across northern Peninsular Malaysia. The mean density estimate for wild elephants in the Greater Ulu Muda Forest Complex (GUMFC) is 0.17 elephants per km2 (CI 95%, 0.11-0.25), and the population size ranges from 185 to 420 elephants in an area of 1,629.31 km2. The findings highlight the significance of GUMFC as a vital landscape that supports the elephant population in the north. Habitats use predictions for three forest complexes (i.e., Gunung Inas-Bintang Hijau Forest Complex (GIBHFC), Royal Belum State Park (RBSP), and Temengor Forest Complex (TFC) proved that almost all areas in these forest complexes are suitable for elephants, but with a different degree of suitability. The ‘elevation’ and ‘distance to plantations’ showed a negative correlation with elephant habitat utilisation. Distance to the settlement was negatively associated with elephant habitat use in a quadratic manner. Finally, the population viability analysis conducted for the elephant population in GUMFC based on 52 scenarios revealed that it is at risk of extinction, mainly due to changes in carrying capacity (due to forest cover) and the removal of elephants from the landscape. This study emphasises the importance of elephant conservation initiatives to prioritise the preservation and conservation of elephants’ natural habitats, and develop effective human-elephant conflict management strategies, to ensure the viability of elephants in Peninsular Malaysia.
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