Palm oil (PO) is an important source of livelihood, but unsustainable practices and widespread consumption may threaten human and planetary health. We reviewed 234 articles and summarized evidence on the impact of PO on health, social and economic aspects, environment, and biodiversity in the Malaysian context, and discuss mitigation strategies based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The evidence on health impact of PO is equivocal, with knowledge gaps on whether moderate consumption elevates risk for chronic diseases, but the benefits of phytonutrients (SDG2) and sensory characteristics of PO seem offset by its high proportion of saturated fat (SDG3). While PO contributes to economic growth (SDG9, 12), poverty alleviation (SDG1, 8, 10), enhanced food security (SDG2), alternative energy (SDG9), and long-term employment opportunities (SDG1), human rights issues and inequities attributed to PO production persist (SDG8). Environmental impacts arise through large-scale expansion of monoculture plantations associated with increased greenhouse gas emissions (SDG13), especially from converted carbon-rich peat lands, which can cause forest fires and annual trans-boundary haze; changes in microclimate properties and soil nutrient content (SDG6, 13); increased sedimentation and change of hydrological properties of streams near slopes (SDG6); and increased human wildlife conflicts, increase of invasive species occurrence, and reduced biodiversity (SDG14, 15). Practices such as biological pest control, circular waste management, multi-cropping and certification may mitigate negative impacts on environmental SDGs, without hampering progress of socioeconomic SDGs. While strategies focusing on improving practices within and surrounding plantations offer co-benefits for socioeconomic, environment and biodiversity-related SDGs, several challenges in achieving scalable solutions must be addressed to ensure holistic sustainability of PO in Malaysia for various stakeholders.
Local ecological knowledge (LEK) increases understanding of certain species and the threats they face, especially little-studied taxa for which data on distribution and conservation are often lacking. We conducted 111 semi-structured interviews in Sarawak, Malaysia, to collect local knowledge about the behavior and distribution of the Philippine slow loris (Nycticebus menagensis) from two ethnic groups, the Iban and the Penan. Our study revealed that male Penan respondents, generally hunters, who frequently go into the forest were better at identifying animals from pictures. Overall, the Penan have a more detailed knowledge of slow loris behaviors, habitat, and distribution than the Iban. The two ethnic groups have different attitudes towards slow loris as the Penan hunt, eat, or keep them as pets while the Iban consider them sacred and signifiers of good luck. We advocate the use of LEK for providing complementary information to scientific methods in the study of cryptic animals.
This study aimed to determine the distribution of arboreal nocturnal mammals in northern Borneo, in particular the Bornean Striped Palm Civet Arctogalidia stigmatica, Philippine Slow Loris Nycticebus menagensis, Western Tarsier Cephalophacus bancanus, Bornean Colugo Galeopterus borneanus and Island Palm Civet Paradoxurus philippinensis. Nocturnal mammals were surveyed at six sites in northern Borneo of varying habitat types and patterns of disturbance. Standardised point and line transects following predetermined paths were used and mammals searched for with the aid of a thermal imaging camera, a red-filtered head lamp and alternatively, a white light head lamp. With 49% of the observations, A. stigmatica (36 individuals/6 sites) was the most common species across the study sites, followed in abundance by N. menagensis (16/5), C. bancanus (14/3), G. borneanus (11/3) and P. philippinensis (2/2). The highest arboreal mammal density of 4.4 individuals/km was found at our Kiudang study site in Tutong District. In addition to the five focal arboreal mammals, 20 additional species were observed throughout the study. This study reveals variation in arboreal nocturnal mammal presence with habitat type that is likely influenced by diet preferences, habitat fragmentation, and the level of hunting pressure. Further surveys combined with arboreal camera trapping will be necessary to study the secretive and easily disturbed arboreal nocturnal mammals of Borneo.
Flying squirrels are poorly studied nocturnal mammals as their elusive and nocturnal behaviour makes it hard to observe them in the wild. Here, we describe sightings of Petaurista petaurista on a limestone hill and its foot at Merapoh, Pahang, Malaysia. This is the first report as the species is usually known to inhabit forest habitat. We observed the first squirrel resting on a steep limestone wall at night. During subsequent nights, three individuals were observed feeding on Ficus hispida and Terminalia catappa fruits on the foot of the hill in nearby trees. These sightings suggest that P. petaurista may use limestone hill habitat.
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