The utilisation, perceptions and awareness of Melanau communities on wildlife in Rajang area, Sarawak

Different cultures and regions utilise wildlife for various purposes in their livelihood that influence their social systems, beliefs, customs, and arts. The indigenous peoples of Sarawak in this biodiversity-rich region–are deeply engaged with their surrounding nature and have been incorporating wildlife into their traditional lifestyles. The study aims to explore the utilisation, perceptions, and conservation of wildlife among the Melanau community near Batang Rajang of Sarawak. A total of 121 respondents were interviewed from the local communities to elicit essential information on wildlife utilisation. Most of the respondents are found to be dependent on wildlife for food (44%), medicine (8%), and kept wildlife as pets (13%). Some perceive wildlife as taboo (28%) and consider them as pests (40%). The local communities from this area from this study were also not aware of the protection status for the many wildlife species under the Sarawak Wild Life Protection Ordinance (SWLPO) 1998 and its conservation needs. The information of the Melanau community and its wildlife utilisation presented in this study is to provide greater insights for conservation efforts in enriching its socio-cultural aspects, particularly in this largest territorial state of Malaysia in Borneo