Malaysia’s ‘elephant whisperer’ fights to save Borneo’s endangered giants

Farina Othman, known as Malaysia's "elephant whisperer," is dedicated to saving the Bornean elephant in the country's jungle. With only around 1,000 of these endangered animals left in the wild, Farina works to minimize human-elephant conflict. The conservationist uses tracking collars to monitor elephants' movements and alert villagers when needed.

Farina, who has been studying these majestic creatures for years, earned her nickname after observing a tranquilized elephant named Pigtail. Bornean elephants have lost over 60% of their habitat due to logging and oil palm expansion in Sabah, leaving around 160 elephants in Lower Kinabatangan, a floodplain of around 400sq km. When venturing into private property or villages, elephants often cause conflict, as seen when a herd of 20 elephants entered palm oil plantations and villages, causing residents to demand stronger deterrents.

To address this issue, Farina and her team of 17 conservationists focus on coexistence by creating elephant corridors and involving the community. Farina hopes to convince seven plantations in the area to work with them, but plantation managers note that many are not willing to give up land for corridors due to economic challenges.

Despite this, Farina remains optimistic that change will come, as locals are shifting from using the term "banish" to "walking" or "escorting" out elephants.