141
Results
Our findings identified 53 animal species utilised by the Semoq Beri Orang Asli as
shown in Table 1. The animals comprised 10 species of reptiles, nine birds and 34
mammals. All reptiles and birds had been hunted by the Semoq Beri in the last
12 months. However, for mammals, 14 species including the sun bear, Malayan
tiger, Asian elephant and tapir were not hunted. This was because the natives only
utilised animals that provided significantly for their livelihood. Among all the identified wildlife game, four species were critically endangered: the river terrapin
(Batagur affinis), red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta), helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax
vigil) and Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica). Additionally, there were seven endangered species, 12 vulnerable species and six near threatened species (Table 1).
Camera traps captured a relative abundance of 10 large mammals using the viaducts over 6 months (Table 2). The relative abundance, a PCRI for all large mammals, were defined as the number of independent photos (detections) captured.
These estimates were averaged across all camera placements within each study area
to produce respective mean PCRIs. Many of the large mammals observed were
herbivores and omnivores. Carnivores were relatively rare.
Discussion
In Southeast Asia, indigenous communities had been hunting wildlife mainly for
subsistence for at least 40,000 years (Zuraina 1982). In Peninsular Malaysia, the
Orang Asli were known to hunt and utilise various species, including endangered
ones. Wildlife hunting was considered an important subsistence activity for Orang
Asli communities. Regarded as forest people, the Orang Asli could hunt animals
easily using traditional knowledge and methods.
Among all the species, 53% were used for household consumption while 40%
were utilised for trading and 26% were kept as pets. Besides that, the Orang Asli
still relied on animals for medicinal purposes (8%). The parts of a few species were
used for traditional treatment, such as pangolin scales and meat, the hornbill’s
casque and porcupine bezoars (onion-shaped masses of undigested plant material in
the animal’s gut). This finding was supported by a previous study conducted on a
similar sub-tribe (Bartholomew et al. 2016).
For data validation, information on actual wildlife had been documented based
on secondary data. Table 2 shows the taxonomic list of mammals recorded in the
Kenyir forest area. Besides that, data of animals present in Kenyir forest area were
also obtained from previous studies (Yong 2015; Clements 2013; Hedges et al.
2013). There were around 44 species of mammals, one of which was critically
endangered, six endangered, nine vulnerable and six near threatened under the
IUCN Red List (2016). The animals were also categorised as totally protected
(64%) or protected (36%) under the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Act (2010).
Wildlife Hunting Practices by the Indigenous People of Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia
Results
Our findings identified 53 animal species utilised by the Semoq Beri Orang Asli as
shown in Table 1. The animals comprised 10 species of reptiles, nine birds and 34
mammals. All reptiles and birds had been hunted by the Semoq Beri in the last
12 months. However, for mammals, 14 species including the sun bear, Malayan
tiger, Asian elephant and tapir were not hunted. This was because the natives only
utilised animals that provided significantly for their livelihood. Among all the identified wildlife game, four species were critically endangered: the river terrapin
(Batagur affinis), red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta), helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax
vigil) and Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica). Additionally, there were seven endangered species, 12 vulnerable species and six near threatened species (Table 1).
Camera traps captured a relative abundance of 10 large mammals using the viaducts over 6 months (Table 2). The relative abundance, a PCRI for all large mammals, were defined as the number of independent photos (detections) captured.
These estimates were averaged across all camera placements within each study area
to produce respective mean PCRIs. Many of the large mammals observed were
herbivores and omnivores. Carnivores were relatively rare.
Discussion
In Southeast Asia, indigenous communities had been hunting wildlife mainly for
subsistence for at least 40,000 years (Zuraina 1982). In Peninsular Malaysia, the
Orang Asli were known to hunt and utilise various species, including endangered
ones. Wildlife hunting was considered an important subsistence activity for Orang
Asli communities. Regarded as forest people, the Orang Asli could hunt animals
easily using traditional knowledge and methods.
Among all the species, 53% were used for household consumption while 40%
were utilised for trading and 26% were kept as pets. Besides that, the Orang Asli
still relied on animals for medicinal purposes (8%). The parts of a few species were
used for traditional treatment, such as pangolin scales and meat, the hornbill’s
casque and porcupine bezoars (onion-shaped masses of undigested plant material in
the animal’s gut). This finding was supported by a previous study conducted on a
similar sub-tribe (Bartholomew et al. 2016).
For data validation, information on actual wildlife had been documented based
on secondary data. Table 2 shows the taxonomic list of mammals recorded in the
Kenyir forest area. Besides that, data of animals present in Kenyir forest area were
also obtained from previous studies (Yong 2015; Clements 2013; Hedges et al.
2013). There were around 44 species of mammals, one of which was critically
endangered, six endangered, nine vulnerable and six near threatened under the
IUCN Red List (2016). The animals were also categorised as totally protected
(64%) or protected (36%) under the Malaysian Wildlife Conservation Act (2010).
Wildlife Hunting Practices by the Indigenous People of Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia