Transboundary haze poses long-term threat to wildlife, disrupting habitats, food sources and reproduction

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — Transboundary haze not only threatens human health, but also has a long-term effect on the survival of ecosystems and wildlife populations due to habitat destruction and disruption of the respiratory system.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Environmental Governance expert Assoc Prof Haliza Abdul Rahman said among the significant impacts on fauna were chronic respiratory damage, decreased reproduction rates, dehydration and lack of food sources.

The UPM head of Laboratory Institute for Social Science Studies also said that large mammals and primates such as orangutans in Borneo and Sumatra, for example, faced the threat of respiratory tract infections following forest fires, which also affected the availability of their food sources.

“The haze does not only affect humans, but also animals and plants.

“Toxic smoke also disrupts the life cycles of pollinating insects such as bees and fireflies, while affecting the availability of food for fruit-eating animals such as hornbills,” she said as a guest on Bernama Radio’s ‘Fokus 30’ programme here today.

Haliza said thick haze also reduced visibility for wildlife, resulting in a higher risk of these animals straying from their natural habitats into forest fringes or human settlements.

“When animals flee from fires or are trapped in thick haze, they lose energy due to dehydration and starvation. A lack of water and food weakens animals such as deer and tapirs,” she said.

She said the situation indirectly increased the risk of wildlife becoming easy targets for poachers, especially when enforcement was more focused on firefighting operations and managing the haze crisis.

To reduce these risks, Haliza proposed the setting up of a multi-agency rapid response team involving the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

She also suggested the implementation of wildlife rescue and relocation protocols, the construction of emergency migration corridors, as well as the use of an early warning system based on artificial intelligence (AI) and air quality sensors in forest reserve areas.

The entire Serian Division in Sarawak was declared a disaster emergency following hazardous haze conditions, with the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading reaching 514 as of 4 pm today.

His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, consented to the declaration of an emergency after considering advice from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and relevant agencies on air quality in the area. — Bernama