Saving the world’s smallest elephant At the Oregon Zoo

The Oregon Zoo joined Sabah government representatives, conservation NGOs, local communities, palm oil producers, and tourism operators in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, this spring in the fight to save the world’s smallest elephant from extinction.

The Bornean Elephant Action Plan symposium, sponsored by the zoo, built on years of efforts to conserve this endangered species, which faces mounting threats from habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict and an alarming increase in elephant killings.

“With only an estimated 1,000 Bornean elephants remaining in the wild, Malaysia is taking strong action to protect this natural treasure,” said Dr. Sharon Glaeser, the zoo’s elephant conservation lead. “Bornean elephants are a keystone species in one of Earth’s richest ecosystems, but strong coordinated action is needed to ensure their survival.”

As “forest gardeners,” elephants play a vital role regenerating forests, dispersing seeds that boost plant diversity, and creating homes and food for thousands of other species. They also attract millions of tourists to Sabah each year. In 2023 alone, eco-tourists contributed more than $1 billion to the local economy.

“We know now that elephants can survive in this mosaic landscape of forest, oil palm and human settlement,” said Dr. Farina Othman, an authority on the species and director of the nonprofit Seratu Aatai. “But their continued survival will depend on finding strategies to coexist. Our education and mitigation efforts are strengthened by international support from partners like the Oregon Zoo.”

The zoo also supports reforestation efforts by the nonprofit HUTAN while funding two full-time rangers with the Sabah Wildlife Department.

The Oregon Zoo is recognized worldwide for its elephant care program, which has spanned more than 60 years. It has established a $1 million endowment fund supporting Asian elephants, including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ SAFE program to advance conservation across all 13 of the species’ range countries.

For more zoo news, visit oregonzoo.org.