RANAU: A comprehensive digital map of invasive species is essential to get a better score in maintaining Kinabalu Park's World Heritage Site status.
Kinabalu Park was given a score of "good with some concerns" in the 2020 Conservation Outlook Assessment which is the second best.
Sabah Parks ecologist Vanielie Terrence Justine made the recommendation of digital mapping to improve management of the invasive species, which became one of the significant threats that could strip the park off its world title.
"Sabah Parks has been aware of the invasive species since many years ago.
"In 1998 researchers had found records of the invasive species dandelions at the Panalaban and now its number has grown more and spread wider to Mesilau and other areas.
"Since 2009 Sabah Parks has put focus on programmes to get rid of them until now, we have made our own survey and control of the species but it was not reported in scientific papers," he said during a briefing on the topic in conjunction with the 58th-year commemoration of the Kinabalu Park gazettement.
Vanielie added that those species were possibly introduced to a location, whether intentionally or otherwise, through trade, travel, transport and tourism methods.
He said a recent study had shown cat's ear dandelions (hypochaeris radicata) were found in 23 out of 46 localities in three zones- Kinabalu Parks complex, Mesilau substation and summit trail.
"We need to control and monitor the species, otherwise it will increase up to 80 percent within three years.
"Thus, the recommendation is a digital comprehensive map on invasive species for monitoring and focusing on getting rid of the threats.
"There should also be categorisation of the species found at the Kinabalu Park as non-invasive, potentially invasive and invasive," he said, adding other top four alien species found in the study are Balsam, Broadleaf Plantain, Redflower Ragleaf and Milkwort.