KOTA KINABALU: The large flying fox in Sabah is now an endangered species but remains under control, said the state Wildlife Department.
Its deputy director, Mohd Soffian, said that the mammal is still categorised as a 'game' animal despite being a protected species.
"They can still be hunted, and we do issue licences for hunting, but in limited areas and seasons," he said after the flying fox rehabilitation project handover ceremony from the Wildlife Department to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) at their Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC) here.
ITBC has prepared an aviary to rehabilitate three rescued flying fox pups aged between three and four weeks old, transferred from the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan.
"In terms of the flying fox population, we would say it is still okay. But based on the hunting licenses that we issue, we can roughly estimate the numbers based on the data," he said.
He added that the flying fox population could be threatened if hunting activities are not controlled.
Soffian also said that deforestation is threatening the mammals because their food sources are being destroyed.
ITBC project leader, Dr Noor Haliza Hasan, said that flying foxes play crucial roles in maintaining forest ecosystems through pollination and seed dispersal.
"Wild durians and mangroves are pollinated by them, and many people don't realise this," she said.
Noor Haliza added that they are also studying the migration paths of flying foxes, as they have records showing the mammals can fly as far as 60km per night.
"They can fly from Peninsular Malaysia to Sumatra and back in just one night," she said.
"We want to see where they move in Sabah. Are they going to Kalimantan or the Philippines?" she added.
She hoped that more awareness efforts would be carried out regarding the important roles of flying foxes in ecosystems.
Meanwhile, ITBC director Dr Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim said the partnership between the department and the institute underscores their shared commitment to wildlife conservation and the protection of tropical biodiversity.
UMS vice chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said the flying foxes will be released back into their natural habitat once they have regained their flight ability.
In his speech read by deputy vice chancellor (Students Affairs and Alumni) Assoc Prof Dr Raman Noordin, Kasim thanked Natalie Overs, a certified veterinary nurse, for providing guidance on the rehabilitation.
He also thanked Bats Queensland, Australia, for their support in guiding the pups' rehabilitation.