KOTA KINABALU, Oct 29 – With only 500 left in the wild, the Bornean banteng, a subspecies of wild cattle native to Southeast Asia, is now classified as "critically endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Locally known as tembadau, these animals are primarily found in four isolated populations across Sabah: the Paitan-Sugut region, east (Kulamba-Tabin), central (Central Forest), and west (Sipitang). Globally, around 3,300 banteng remain.

Scientifically identified as Bos javanicus lowi, the Bornean banteng was previously listed as endangered and is now considered the most endangered large mammal in Sabah, with declines driven by illegal hunting and habitat loss.

"To reverse the negative trend in Sabah’s banteng population, the state introduced the Bornean Banteng Action Plan for Sabah 2019-2028, and last June conducted its mid-term review,” said Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) director Roland Niun.

He explained that the primary actions involve increasing enforcement, establishing connectivity between habitats, developing pastures within and near the herds’ home ranges, and initiating a captive breeding programme.

This captive breeding initiative is still in its early stages, while NGO BORA (Bringing Back Our Rare Animals) is developing pastures in Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

The Sabah Wildlife and Forestry Departments have ramped up enforcement, with the Forestry Department establishing PROTECT, a specialised team supported by WWF-Malaysia, the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC), and funding from the Sime Darby Foundation.

The SWD has also enhanced enforcement and forensic capabilities to combat wildlife crimes. According to deputy director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar, an intelligence unit and forensic lab, funded by the US Department of State, are now operational.

These efforts focus on deterring online wildlife trafficking and safeguarding areas like the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary and Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

The global banteng population has decreased by an estimated 81 per cent over the past 21 years, with hunting for meat and horns, habitat degradation, and by-catch from traps set for other species as major factors.

"The tragic decline in banteng numbers reflects the Asian Snaring Crisis. Thousands of indiscriminate traps litter key banteng habitats, especially in mainland Southeast Asia. Tackling the drivers of snaring is essential to recovering banteng and other large Asian mammals,” said Dr Thomas Gray, co-author of the assessment and WWF’s Tigers Alive programme lead on landscape recovery.