Wildlife For The Future
Islands have been ideal places for unique species to evolve. They are also places of concentrated extinction, because these species are limited to the island or a particular part of the island and have low population numbers. Natural factors such as disease, fire, storms and normal population fluctuations contribute to the extinction of species. However, wildlife extinction is compounded by human involvement, with deforestation caused by rapid development being a key contributor. Deforestation is also the second leading cause of global warming that is linked to extreme weather fluctuations and flooding, of which there have been an increase in Langkawi. The Wildlife For The Future programme aims to protect and restore the natural heritage of the island using a holistic approach and responsible management.
In Partnership with
Gaia is a social enterprise dedicated to wildlife conservation in Malaysia. Their current focus is the conservation of hornbills, many species of which are increasingly under threat.
In addition to our work with Gaia on hornbill habitat creation, we are also assisting them with funding on specific projects. These involve the production of education and fundraising material for community outreach programmes to schools as well as the maintenance and care of a fig tree nursery in Kinabatangan, Borneo, to grow hornbill preferred food plants.
Objectives & Achievements
The programme aims to protect, restore and regenerate the island’s natural heritage using a holistic approach of reforestation, the protection of wildlife and their habitats, and community engagement.
Making a Difference
“It takes more than being a passionate conservationist to make a lasting impact on the environment. More often than not, prioritising an environmental management system helps us ensure we remain methodical and focused. With the Wildlife for the Future programme and its many initiatives like tree planting, wildlife monitoring and building of the native tree nursery, and a lot of hard work with the team, we can continue to preserve and regenerate the undeniable beauty of the island.”
"As a conservation organisation, it has always been our hope that we receive continued funding and an opportunity to engage a wider audience. Through The Datai Pledge, we not only we receive funding yearly for our conservation efforts, we have been given the amazing opportunity to reach a wider audience, to motivate more people to join our fight to help conserve our endangered species."
"Working to care for the environment benefits everyone. This is our heritage. If we do not take care of it, there will be nothing to leave for the future. So it’s important to do all we can while there is still a chance to make a difference."
Initiatives
Carbon Emissions Study
With the target to offset greenhouse gas emissions within Datai Bay, carbon emissions have been calculated yearly by leading scientific benchmarking certification for travel and tourism, EarthCheck, since 2018. We…
Establishing Wildlife Corridors
Langkawi’s great loss of its natural wildlands has resulted in fragmented zones that threaten the existence of wildlife. To mitigate this effect, wildlife corridors are created through replanting canopy trees (or…
Creating Hornbill Nesting Boxes
Due to a loss of their rainforest habitat and poaching, there has been an increasing decline in the number of hornbills in Langkawi. For the largest bird on the island, the Great Hornbill, the reduced prevalence of…
Installing Wildlife Camera Traps
A database on Langkawi’s terrestrial vertebrae via camera trapping is currently in development. The photographic documentation of nocturnal wildlife residing around Datai Bay has already been captured via our camera…
The Four Pillars
Our programme is divided into four pillars,
each supporting the work of a designated NGO and social enterprise partner.