Editing Sabah (section)

==== Conservation issues ====
[[File:District-Tawau Sabah Logging-Trucks-01.jpg|thumb|right|A lorry carrying timber in Tawau. Logging has contributed over 50% of the state revenue.<ref name="logging">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=20000701&id=cRwrAAAAIBAJ&pg=4032,4382687&hl=en |title=Official: Forests in Sabah depleting fast due to logging |newspaper=New Straits Times |date=1 July 2000 |access-date=25 May 2016}}</ref>]]
Since the post-World War II timber boom driven by the need of raw materials from [[Developed country|industrial countries]], Sabah forests have been gradually eroded by uncontrolled timber exploitation and the conversion of Sabah forest lands into [[palm oil]] plantations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ww2.sabah.gov.my/jpas/issues/Environmental_Issues.pdf |title=Environmental Issues in Sabah |publisher=Sabah State Government |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525054412/http://ww2.sabah.gov.my/jpas/issues/Environmental_Issues.pdf |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> Since 1970, forestry sector have contributed for over 50% of the state revenue, of which a study conducted in 1997 revealed the state had almost depleted all of its [[Old-growth forest|virgin forests]] outside the conservation areas.<ref name="logging"/> The state government were determined to maintain the state biodiversity while to make sure the state economy continue to alive.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=104524 |title=Respect Sabah's forestry rights, Department tells Minister |newspaper=Daily Express |date=17 November 2015 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525045642/http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=104524 |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> While in the same time facing hard task to control such activities although there is laws to prevent it.<ref name="forestry laws"/> The need for development and basic necessities also became an issue while to preserving the nature.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/borneo_deforestation/ |title=Threats to Borneo forests |publisher=World Wide Fund for Nature |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525051215/http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/borneo_deforestation/ |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=107421 |title=Protest over NGOs' meddling |newspaper=Daily Express |date=8 March 2016 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525051709/http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=107421 |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> Mining activities had directly released [[Toxic heavy metal|pollutants of heavy metals]] into rivers, reservoirs, ponds and affecting groundwater through the leaching of mine [[tailings]]. An environmental report released in 1994 reported the presence of heavy metal at the Damit/Tuaran River that exceeded the water quality safe levels for consumption. The water in Liwagu River also reported the presence of heavy metal which was believed to be originated from the [[Mamut Mine]].<ref name="env">{{cite web |url=http://ww2.sabah.gov.my/jpas/programs/ecd-cab/background/SoE2306.pdf |title=A report on the State of the Environment in Sabah |author1=Eric Juin |author2=Yabi Yangkat |author3=Carsten Hollaender Laugesen |publisher=Sabah State Government |year=2000 |access-date=28 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528151202/http://ww2.sabah.gov.my/jpas/programs/ecd-cab/background/SoE2306.pdf |archive-date=28 May 2016 }}</ref> [[Wildfire|Forest fire]] also have become the latest concern due to drought and fires set by irresponsible farmers or individuals such as what happened in the [[2016 Malaysian haze|2016 forest fires]], where thousands of hectares of forest reserves in [[Binsuluk Forest Reserve|Binsuluk]] on the west coast of Sabah were lost.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.forest.sabah.gov.my/discover/conservation/forest-fire-management |title=Forest Fire Management |publisher=Sabah Forestry Department |access-date=17 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160717101149/http://www.forest.sabah.gov.my/discover/conservation/forest-fire-management |archive-date=17 July 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/04/137239/small-fires-farmers-causing-sabahs-choking-haze |title=Small fires by farmers causing Sabah's choking haze |author=Olivia Miwil |newspaper=New Straits Times |date=4 April 2016 |access-date=17 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160717101752/http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/04/137239/small-fires-farmers-causing-sabahs-choking-haze |archive-date=17 July 2016 }}</ref>

[[File:Ranau-Sabah-MamutCopperMine-03.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of [[Mamut Mine]] with water that has filled the mine. Its water is reported to be dangerous for consumption due to the high presence of [[Toxic heavy metal|heavy metals]].]]
Rampant [[blast fishing|fish bombing]] has destroyed many coral reefs and affecting fisheries production in the state.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/04/13/cutting-the-fuse-of-fish-bombing/ |title=Cutting the fuse of fish bombing |newspaper=The Borneo Post |date=13 April 2014 |access-date=31 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531083916/http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/04/13/cutting-the-fuse-of-fish-bombing/ |archive-date=31 May 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2014/jul/01/blast-fishing-borneo-bombs-coral-reefs |title=Blast fishing in Borneo: 'bombs are quick, but they kill the coral reefs' |author=Johnny Langenheim |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=1 July 2014 |access-date=31 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531094840/http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2014/jul/01/blast-fishing-borneo-bombs-coral-reefs |archive-date=31 May 2016 }}</ref> Moreover, the illegal activities of the extraction of river sand and gravel in the rivers of Padas, Papar and Tuaran had become the latest concern along with the wildlife and marine hunting and [[poaching]].<ref name="env"/> Due to severe deforestation along with massive wildlife and marine poaching, the [[Sumatran rhinoceros|Sumatran rhino]] have been declared as extinct in early 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.mongabay.com/2015/04/officials-sumatran-rhino-is-extinct-in-the-wild-in-sabah/ |title=Officials: Sumatran rhino is extinct in the wild in Sabah |author=Jeremy Hance |publisher=Mongabay |date=23 April 2015 |access-date=25 May 2016 |page=7 (9/34) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525060836/https://news.mongabay.com/2015/04/officials-sumatran-rhino-is-extinct-in-the-wild-in-sabah/ |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> Some other species that was threatened with extinction is [[banteng]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/02/11/banteng-next-on-extinction-list-after-rhino-in-sabah/ |title=Banteng next on extinction list after rhino in Sabah? |work=Bernama |publisher=The Borneo Post |date=11 February 2015 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525064938/http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/02/11/banteng-next-on-extinction-list-after-rhino-in-sabah/ |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> [[Bornean bearded pig|bearded pig]],<ref name="wpd">{{cite web |url=http://www.ums.edu.my/ibtpv2/images/publication/JTBC/JTBC-VOL-9/anna%20wong%20et%20al.pdf |title=A study on hunting activity of Sambar deer and Bearded pig in Paitan Forest Reserve, Pitas, Sabah, Malaysia |author1=Anna Wong |author2=Yong Huaimei |author3=Christopher Wong |author4=Jumrafiah Abd Shukor |work=Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation, Sabah Wildlife Department |publisher=Universiti Malaysia Sabah |year=2012 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525092328/http://www.ums.edu.my/ibtpv2/images/publication/JTBC/JTBC-VOL-9/anna%20wong%20et%20al.pdf |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> [[clouded leopard]], [[dugong]],<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://eprints.ums.edu.my/1122/ |title=Indigenous use and trade of Dugong (Dugong dugon) in Sabah, Malaysia |journal=Ambio |volume=35 |issue=5 |pages=266–268 |author1=Leela Rajamani |author2=S. Annabel Cahanban |author3=Ridzwan Abdul Rahman |year=2006 |access-date=25 May 2016 |doi=10.1579/05-S-093.1|pmid=16989512 |bibcode=2006Ambio..35..266R |s2cid=3168817 }}</ref> [[Borneo elephant|elephant]], [[false gharial]], green turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, [[Bornean orangutan|orangutan]], [[sunda pangolin|pangolin]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/08/20/pangolins-face-bleak-future-going-extinct-sabah/ |title=Pangolins face bleak future, going extinct in Sabah |author=Sandra Sokial |newspaper=The Rakyat Post |date=20 August 2014 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525070550/http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/08/20/pangolins-face-bleak-future-going-extinct-sabah/ |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> [[proboscis monkey]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/proboscis_monkey/cons |title=Proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) |publisher=National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525093546/http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/proboscis_monkey/cons |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> [[Borneo river shark|river shark]],<ref name="sharks and stingray">{{cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/04/27/sharks-on-the-edge-of-extinction-ssa-to-focus-on-borneo-river-species-and-roughnose-stingray-populat/ |title=Sharks on the edge of extinction |work=The Star |date=27 April 2015 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525074849/http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/04/27/sharks-on-the-edge-of-extinction-ssa-to-focus-on-borneo-river-species-and-roughnose-stingray-populat/ |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> [[roughnose stingray]],<ref name="sharks and stingray"/> [[sambar deer]], [[Borneo shark|shark]] and [[sun bear]].<ref name="wpd"/><ref>{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://www.bsbcc.org.my/bear-talk-blog/saving-borneos-sun-bears |title=Saving Borneo's sun bears |work=New Sabah Times |publisher=[[Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre]] |date=18 October 2008 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525071809/http://www.bsbcc.org.my/bear-talk-blog/saving-borneos-sun-bears |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}<br />{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://www.wildlife.sabah.gov.my/?q=en/content/protected-species |title=Protected Species |publisher=Sabah Wildlife Department |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525100939/http://www.wildlife.sabah.gov.my/?q=en%2Fcontent%2Fprotected-species |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}<br />{{*}} {{cite web |url=http://ww2.sabah.gov.my/sabc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=66 |title=Endangered and Protected Species |publisher=Sabah Biodiversity Centre |access-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> Although the indigenous community are also involved in hunting, they hunt based on their [[Spiritualism (beliefs)|spiritual believes]] and practice, and on a small scale, which differentiates them from poachers.<ref name="indigenous knowledge">{{cite web |url=http://www.ijssh.org/papers/88-CH016.pdf |title=Indigenous Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation in Sabah, Malaysia |author1=A. Ab. Halim |author2=N. Othman |author3=S. R. Ismail |author4=J. A. Jawan |author5=N. N. Ibrahim |publisher=International Journal of Social Science and Humanity |year=2012 |access-date=25 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160525103446/http://www.ijssh.org/papers/88-CH016.pdf |archive-date=25 May 2016 }}</ref> Well-known indigenous practices, such as "''maganu totuo''" or "''montok kosukopan''", "''tuwa di powigian''", "''managal''" or "''tagal''" and "''meminting''", have helped to maintain resources and prevent their depletion.<ref name="indigenous knowledge"/>