Effects of ecotourism on the Proboscis monkey (Nasalis Iarvatus) in the Lower Kingabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

Ecotourism is often seen as a saviour for conservation, but very little integrated research has been done that takes into account all the stakeholders (including the wildlife). I incorporate the views of three of the key stakeholders in the study area, namely the local community; tourist agencies and tourists participating in the ecotourism; and data from the socio-ecology of proboscis monkeys to see if ecotourism is affecting the species. I investigate these three broad questions. 1. Compared with previous published data on abundance and distribution, how have the proboscis monkey populations of the proposed Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary changed? 2. What are the effects of tourism/ecotourism on the behaviour and other aspects of populations of proboscis monkeys in the proposed Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary? 3. Is the tourism in the area genuine ecotourism or general tourism with the intent of viewing nature? In chapter 2 I provide background information of what is and is not ecotourism, give my working definition of ecotourism and place the study site into the ecotourism paradigm. In chapter 3 I give the background of the study species, the proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvtus), and briefly describe the species and its taxonomy. I then describe social organization and distribution, and its status in the world and more specifically in Malaysia. Chapter 4 describes the site in the Lower Kinabatangan and why it was chosen. I conducted 14 months of censuses, full-day-follows, and phenological monitoring. My methods for all aspects of the research are described in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 details the taxonomy and phenology ofthe 1616 trees sampled across my three study rivers. I compare these to a previous study done by Boonratana. In chapter 7 I investigate compositional changes to groups for the duration of this study and from previous studies. I determine the density of proboscis monkeys in the area and compare it to previous findings. I begin to address how boats affect groups. In chapter 8 I define the general activity profile and that of only one male groups and of each age/sex group. I then examine factors influencing behaviour and how boats affect behaviours. My results of the local, lodge and tourist surveys are presented in chapter 9. I synthesize my findings in chapter 10. Floods alter proboscis monkey groups' ranging and group interactions. The three rivers are similar phenologically and botanically. The proboscis monkey population, compared to Boonratana's study a decade prior, is now compressed into smaller forest fragments. The overall number of groups and total number of proboscis monkeys is affected by the presence of boats. An increase in either the number of boats or the number of people present led to a decline in the total number of proboscis monkeys recorded during that census, or scan during full-day-follows. Size of groups has changed over time. Immature individuals alter their behaviour in presence of boats to a higher degree than other age/sex categories. I found locals and tourists are not getting all of their needs met in the tourism experience. Although the tourists do enjoy the wildlife viewing in the area, what they experience is hardly ecotourism but general nature tourism. Greater guide training and more educational opportunities in the area could assist conservation efforts. Continued monitoring and protocols for human wildlife interactions are needed in the area to ensure proboscis monkey continued co-existence with mass tourism.